So far in my columns, I have introduced effective ways to gain a competitive edge through mental conditioning, specifically by utilizing breathing as a mind-body connection and by goal-setting. These tools are only effective, however, if athletes have the drive to reach their goals, whether for themselves or for their team.
When I consider drive and motivation, I cannot help thinking about the surprising success of the Vegas Golden Knights. First, playing for the Stanley Cup in their inaugural season is extraordinary. Second, competing with a core of players released by their former teams and then given new opportunities with the Knights is stunning. Rejected by other teams, these players committed last summer to hard work. In fact, William “Wild Bill” Karlsson was so motivated to improve his level of play that he redesigned his stick blade and spent much of July and August on synthetic ice refining his shot. His hard work has paid off as he is now a top NHL scorer, more than doubling the number of goals he scored in any previous season.
I also think of a Division 1 hockey player with whom I worked who learned in her junior year exit interview with her coach that she probably would not play third line, or even fourth line, because a number of exceptional freshmen were joining the team the next season. Rather than giving up on hockey for her senior year, she chose to do everything she could to improve her skills. She worked with a shooting specialist and a skating instructor. In addition to her mental conditioning, regular ice and gym trainings, she took up boxing. As a result of her strategic goal-setting and diligent work, the player secured a spot on her team and played in the Frozen Four.
In this column, I will focus on motivation as essential in fulfilling one’s hockey goals and central to success, both on and off the ice. For high-achieving athletes, motivation relates to both mental and physical conditioning. As athletes advance to more competitive levels, motivation is key to progress.
What is motivation?
Motivation is the fuel that propels athletes to work through challenging trainings, to maintain their focus amid seasonal distractions, and to persevere in the face of setbacks.
- Intrinsic motivation = practice a skill for internal reward
- Extrinsic motivation = practice a skill for external reward
The hockey players I counsel who train and play with intrinsic motivation and for the “love of the game” possess a drive, level of sustainability and sense of satisfaction that exceeds those of players who rely on external rewards.
Motivation improves performance
Motivation has a direct impact on performance. It provides the inspiration and drive to practice and improve an athlete’s strength, endurance and skill. Any college or professional hockey player will tell you that commitment and drive are essential to reach the most elite levels of the game.
In his work on the science of peak performance, Florida State University professor Anders Ericsson researched the time it typically takes to become an expert at one’s pursuit. Since first publishing his findings, Ericsson’s research has become popularized in Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers,” also well-known for its focus on the value of January birthdays for hockey players. Ericsson stresses that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become an expert. Motivation provides the stimulus for athletes to pursue and sustain those long, and often challenging, hours of “deliberate practice.”
How to develop motivation
Just as hockey players are endowed with different areas of expertise, they also possess different levels of motivation. Some demonstrate intrinsically high levels and others have to develop theirs more deliberately. While motivation levels also fluctuate from day to day or year to year, athletes who excel maintain a consistently high level of motivation.
Athletes develop motivation by:
- Creating incentives (swim after an intense workout)
- Reminding themselves of their outcome goal
- Staying focused on their process goals
- Training with a friend or teammate
- Envisioning their favorite player
- Thinking of playing against a rival team
- Asking themselves each morning what they can do that day to help reach their goal
- Reflecting each evening on progress, and if they have accomplished their daily goals
Fortunately, athletes can control their motivation to strengthen their natural abilities. Athletes I work with build awareness of their motivation levels and develop techniques to adjust these levels, similar to turning up a volume dial.
Signs of athletes with high levels of motivation:
- Excited to practice
- Energized throughout practice
- Exuding positive energy
- Training hard throughout practice, even staying late to perfect a skill
Signs of athletes with low levels of motivation:
- Arriving late to practice
- Exerting less than 100 percent energy
- Easily distracted
- Leaving practice early
- Skipping training sessions
Motivation levels fluctuate. In fact, a vital aspect of remaining motivated is taking time off to recharge. Like the battery in a Tesla, an athlete’s body needs down time. Power up that battery, and it will perform at a high level.
Assignment:
- Consider: ”How motivated am I?”
- Inquire: “Am I as motivated as I need to be to reach my goals?” “What specifically is going to motivate me more today?”
- Set an intention: For example, “After I complete my gym workout, I am going to a pool with friends.”
- Reflect: “Did my motivation drive my performance?” If so, congratulate yourself on maintaining your motivation. If not, evaluate and adjust.
Remember, take time to recharge your mind, body and motivation by including time off in your summer training.
