It's never too young for your athlete to start mindset training. The earlier the better! 

There is an old belief that mental training or mindset training is only suitable for those kids in high school. There are a lot of parents who notice their child struggling but are concerned about their child being too young to be open about mental training. 

In this episode, we’re gonna answer a question from a mom of an 8-year-old softball player. We’re going to give suggestions on what to do whenever you notice your kid having difficulty showing up in competition. And why mental training awareness is better when started young. 

Getting Ready For Mental Training

If your daughter is between 6 to 9 years old, then it's true that she might not be ready for a full-blown mental program like The Elite Competitor Program (ECP).

Not quite yet.

You have to introduce your daughter first to the benefits of mental training. And the earlier you start doing this, the better.

There are roles that you’re responsible for to assist your daughter in mental training. 

• Shape the environment
• Provide opportunities 

Sooner or later, all athletes will realize that it will all come down to their mindset. Some will learn about it the hard way, and others are going to learn a little bit easier. 

Set an example of the right belief especially if you notice early signs of perfectionism in your daughter such as:

• Not wanting to mess up 
• People pleasing
• Getting defensive in receiving feedback

Then, as her mom, be very aware of where you are placing your feedback and your recognition. 

We want to make sure that we are placing our praises on what she did and not on the outcome.

You can show her how you forgive yourself for every mistake and how to learn from it.

All she needs to do is take it and learn from it.

That’s how you shape your environment for her and allow her to learn through experience. Here are also some simple strategies you can start with your daughter to warm up her mental game. 

• Have her pick one skill she wants to focus on, you can focus your recognition on the progress she made regarding that skill she’s focusing on
• Help her calm through breathing before stepping into the game
• Create and discover a power word or Mantra for her
• Tell her to visualize what she wants to be

These tools will help her get ready for mental training programs like ECP. They would help her optimize her mindset. And you won’t even have to convince her to get on board with mental training or wait until she’s struggling with the wrong mindset, once you start doing these strategies. 

Let’s empower our young athletes at a young age and show them that their mind is their biggest muscle and asset in sports.

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Helpful Links:

• Visit our podcast website for more on this episode
• Download the free resources we've created for you
• Join us inside our FREE Facebook Group - The Elite Competitor Society - for weekly Q&A, periodic trainings and challenges, and the support of an amazing community of moms, coaches, and the men who partner with us!

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