Ring in the New Year with a New Mindset!

By: Angie Baratto, MA LPCC & Certified Mental Sports Performance Coach

Everyone tends to make a lofty goal when January 1st comes along. Usually, the goal is focused on a specific behavior (exercise more, eat less, call my mom every weekend, etc...). Rarely are the goals about changing MENTAL strategies. However, these mental strategies are often what transforms a 'good' athlete into a 'GREAT' athlete!

If you are an athlete that already knows which BEHAVIORS you need to work on for improved performance - GREAT! If you are an athlete whose behaviors (physical skills) are pretty 'solid,' but your MENTAL game needs work - no problem - You have come to the right place!

Think of mental game performance like you would any other performance. To perform at your peak, you must practice a skill over and over again. While others (parents, coaches, teammates) can observe your physical skill development, very few can actually observe your mental skill development. That means that YOU must know where your weaknesses are when it comes to your mental game.

So, to kick off 2026, pick ONE mental game skill to work on related to your sport. Here are some examples:

1.) Create a scripted internal message to pump you up and get you focused on your sport before gametime.

2.) Identify 2 words to tell yourself after a mistake: "New play," "New set," "Not over," "Move on," etc. Use these words internally to help you move on instead of beating yourself up.

3.) Identify one unhealthy thought you have about your performance and re-write into something more productive. For example, instead of saying "my warm-up sucked so I am doomed," try "my warm-up got my blood pumping so now I am ready!"

And finally, (and possibly the BEST course of action) - reach out to one of our Sports Performance Coaches and get personalized support to improve your mental game and take your performance to the next level!

Visit us here to request a consultation to see if Sports Performance Coaching is for you: www.northlandsportsperformance.com.