Raising Elite Competitors

What You Can't Control About Your Daughter's Mental Game...And What To Do About It

• Coach Bre • Season 1 • Episode 90

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 23:48

As a sports mom, I know you want your athlete daughter to be confident, achieve her goals and enjoy what she's doing. I also know that many of you take it upon yourself to ensure that this happens for your daughter. You do things like get her to practice, allow her to try out for the right teams, buy her the gear, get private coaching, and so much more. 

You provide all these opportunities for her in terms of her physical preparation. And then there’s the pep talks, the shoulder to cry on, the tough love. There's so much that goes into this journey!

While there's a lot that you can control and should hone in on and maximize, we're going to talk specifically about some things you don't have control over. I see a lot of female athlete moms get it wrong as they mix up what they can control with what they can't control, especially when it comes to their daughter’s mental game.

So, here are some aspects of your daughter's game over which you have no control:

#1: Her Outcomes

Her outcomes, or the results she achieves on the court/field/mat, are beyond your control. This includes how many points she scores, whether she wins or loses, how quickly she learns, the team she forms, or the position she performs on her team. Her outcomes are ultimately not in her control and they aren't in your control either. The more you focus on the outcomes, the more pressure she feels.

#2: Her Thoughts

You can influence her thoughts about herself by what you say and do. Your words become her inner voice. You can not control this part of your daughter's mental game. You can't control her thoughts. You need to let go of trying to change her and trying to change her mind. 

#3: Her Interests/Passions

Let her be the leader of her sports journey. What she wants might be different than what you're interested in or want. What she wants might be different than what you want for her. This also includes her motivation - you can't control that either.

By knowing what's in your control you can;

  1. Shape the environment - through your thoughts, words, and actions. How you show up influences the environment in which she is in every day! You impact her confidence through your own beliefs, words, and actions.
  2. Provide the opportunities - give her chances to work on her mindset, grow her game, and do the things she loves!

Let go of focusing on her outcomes and stop worrying about the losses even if you're a competitive person. If you are competitive, focus on the process. 

Don't worry if she decides to shift her sport, you can't control her passion. The best thing you can do is encourage that, cultivate it, and allow her to trust herself for what's working. And when it's not working, encourage her to follow her gut and let it go. 

Start by being a role model for her and by giving her the chance to train her mental game. 

**********
Helpful Links:

The BEST way to help us spread the word and get this information into the hands of millions of parents, coaches, and female athletes is by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you in advance for joining us on our mission!



People on this episode