In his speech on the creation of an inner coach, Brett Ledbetter concentrates on what is the driving force behind the winnings. In search of an answer, he interviewed 15 coaches, who helped their wards achieve many victories. He found that despite the widespread reliance on the motivational power of setting a goal, the main focus should be on the process of achieving it and the character skills driving this process.
The principles suggested by Ledbetter can be beneficial for training the character of athletes. First of all, concentration on the current process deprives of potential anxiety, usually associated with doubts about events in the past and future (TEDx Talk, 2014). Moreover, many factors and people can also affect the achievement of the goal set by the athlete. For this reason, concentration on it can have negative consequences in the cases of failure or taking measures to anticipate all possible obstacles. Focusing on the process and developing particular character skills that help move it have more significant potential. In addition to removing anxiety, they give athletes control over the situation, and players know that they have to do everything that depends on them. As a consequence, calm, control, and understanding of one’s own capabilities become a motivation resource not influenced by external forces.
Helping athletes master the character skills, necessary for self-knowledge and discipline, as well as for social interactions, will lead to more effective training. Mastering body language and mindset contribute to the understanding of the personal motives and behavior of others. As a result, relying on their own strength and trust in the team, athletes make more efforts that would otherwise go to self-pressure, anxiety, and doubt. Finally, self-confidence and motives allow them not just to play but enjoy the process.
Reference
TEDx Talk. (2014). Building your inner coach | Brett Ledbetter | TEDxGatewayArch. YouTube. Web.