Carter Throwing to Win the Women’s Shot Put

There were many battles on the field during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. One of the closest contests was between Michelle Carter and Jillian Camarena-Williams in the women’s Shot Put on the opening day.
For a few moments Camarena-Williams held the No. 2 performer in U.S. history with a throw of 19.85m. Carter, however, bumped Camarena-Williams down to third with a throw of 19.86m. Both of these women, now ranked among the top ten in the world, will be attending the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, Korea in late August.
As each of these women train for the World Games, while maintaining their eyes on the Olympics in London, specific qualities contributed to their outstanding performance. Winning is a mindset. Across the board, gold medal athletes play to win.
Commitment to their vision is necessary to compete at a world class level. When the keys to success are combined with performance goals, then focus becomes clarified.
1. Discipline leads to success. Athletes have control over their thoughts and actions. Period. Athletes with a clearly defined goal take personal responsibility for their thoughts and actions. Discipline primarily creates a strong, committed mindset for taking the necessary action steps toward winning. Positively aligning thoughts and actions is dynamic. A powerful energy is created driving athletes toward excellence.
2. Compete to WIN instead of competing to “not lose.” Top performing athletes compete to win while other athletes compete to NOT lose. Competing to “not lose” stems from low confidence. The athletes who play to win develop a strong, burning desire, positive intention and unshakeable commitment. Competing with a strong will is powerful. Those athletes dig down deep to push themselves to win.
3. A burning DESIRE. Athletes with a burning desire to be the best consistently strive to perform at the top of their game. A strong desire is action oriented, creating a laser focused state of mind on a specific goal. Planning the ways and means is the next step necessary. Finally taking persistent action steps is a trait common to top performing athletes across the board. Failure is not an option. Instead all outcomes are necessary to continue progressing toward winning results.
Along the way, athletes learn to avoid the battle between their best intentions driving them to winning results and the anxieties causing self-doubt and second guessing. At the Track and Field Championships, Carter and Camarena-Williams had a positive frame of mind, feeling empowered and in control. Each woman has undertaken the necessary steps to build herself up emotionally, becoming mentally prepared for the competition and ready to take inspired action.
Success is a process, not an event. Persistence and continuous effort of these athletes toward their desired goals are not optional. Winning is a mindset. Carter and Camarena-Williams are doing what is necessary to stand on the podium in the Olympics.
Activity: Once you determine your performance goal, list every possible action you can take to reach that goal no matter how trivial or impossible it might seem. Before each practice, list 3-5 ideas you can take. Only focus on the positive ideas, not the negative ones.
Over time the small daily, weekly and monthly action steps you take will bring you closer to your goal. The only way to reach your goal successfully is by taking positive actions steps on a regular basis.
Start today. Commit to your performance goal. Focus on consistently taking one step at a time. Consistency is key. Condition your mind to focus on what is possible for today then take the next steps to make it happen.