When preparing for Olympic glory (or your next state championship) most people assume peak physical performance is all you need.  Olympian and Victorian Head Coach Carrie Smith has learnt half the battle is developing your competitive mindset.  Here in the first of two parts, she gives a few key points on training yourself to have a competitive mindset and how it relates to your racing skills.

What is a competitive mindset?

•    Always wanting to do your best 
•    Wanting every metre around that race track
•    Wanting to perform all processes under pressure perfectly 
•    Always making the boat faster
•    Always problem solving 
•    ATTENTION TO DETAIL 
 

Problem solving – key things to remember:
•    While this problem solving around the race course sounds easy to do, you have to remember all processes have to be done under pressure, with intensity as this is the point of difference!  
•    Everyone can brainstorm and come up with solutions but can you do it with multiple boats around? With clear communication to team mate? With anticipation not reaction to a situation? Without reducing speed or comprising the boat?
•    Communication and language – it's all in how you say it!
•    Is it relevant information?
•    Is it going to help (the boat, the mindset, the race)?
•    Who is going to make the final call?
•    For two handed boats – have you had this conversation? Do you have a process? 

If something goes wrong in the race:
1) Have a process 
2) Adapt 
3) Know how to do it
“Don’t get distracted, only focus on what is important”

Check back next week for part two in Competitive Mindset.