Go Big or Go Home

There's no doubt that some people are just born with the natural ability to excel at sports more than the average individual. However, most of us have to work at it each and every day if we want to reach our highest potential possible. I was reading through some sports psychology blogs and came across a theme of three main components that seem most important.

• Analytic and Tactical Ability — the ability of the mental system to evaluate and react to strategic situations (tactical ability).
• Motivation and Self Confidence — a motivated and focused athlete, with a level of belief in themselves, often seen as arrogance in athletes.
• Coping with Pressure — the ability to stay focused and perform up to expectations while under increasing pressure, and under changing conditions. (http://www.topendsports.com/)

So when we break it down to more simpler terms, we have to know how to react to a given situation, we must be self motivated and 100% committed and mentally tough. Think about if for a minute. If you are an action sports athlete (snowboarder, wakeboarder, skateboarder), how many times did you attempt that trick before it was perfected? For some, after a few hard falls they gave up. For others, they practiced their technique every day, never gave up and were obviously mentally tough. These are the individuals that have shaped the action sports industry into what it is today. And I'm not talking only about the big name pros, I'm also giving a huge shout out to of those locals out their applying these same principles and shredding as hard as anyone!