In the sport world, many athletes (and not only athletes) fall into two mental traps when it comes to mental training:
1. “Understanding” doesn’t mean “knowing how to do”
Many believe that simply knowing how important the mind is makes them capable of using it.
But understanding that focus is essential doesn’t mean being able to maintain it on the field, especially when it matters most.
Mental skills need to be trained. Just like technique. Just like the body. Just like everything else.
2. “Being able to do it in training” doesn’t mean “being able to do it in competition”
Even those who have learned a mental strategy often assume it will work automatically under pressure.
But competition brings different emotions. Different stress. Higher stakes.
If you haven’t trained that strategy in competition-like situations, it may disappear just when you need it most.
“Being able to perform during competition” does not equal “being able to perform in high-stakes moments”
While many athletes have developed the capacity to focus and regulate their emotions under typical competitive conditions,
only a few are able to consistently apply these skills during the most emotionally intense and pressure-filled moments of performance.
In these critical phases, the emotional load can exceed the athlete’s regulatory threshold, leading to maladaptive responses such as impulsivity, hesitation, or risk-avoidant behavior.
These are moments where cognitive control is challenged, and where the automaticity and robustness of mental skills become decisive.
The ability to maintain mental effectiveness under maximal stress is not a given—it is the result of specific, repeated, and progressive training in pressure scenarios.
It is precisely in these situations that the difference between a good athlete and an elite performer becomes evident.
The truth?
Mental skills are built over time, with consistency, and with structure.
Just like every other part of performance.
Knowing is not enough.
You need to train. You need to integrate. You need to repeat.
