Winning Soccer Psychology

Soccer players, as with many athletes, focus most of their time and energy on developing their technical skills, fitness and conditioning.  This is obviously important, however it is also very important to address the mental element.  Soccer psychology is an often neglected but very powerful aspect of becoming an elite athlete.

Some soccer athletes seem to naturally have winning mindset, much in the same way that many players are naturally athletic.  But it is usually not enough to simply rely on natural ability… in my opinion hard work, smart training, and discipline will win over natural talent in the long run.  It’s the same with mental conditioning … with the proper tools, training and direction you learn to “train your brain”, so to speak, to get that mental edge that elite level athletes require.

Some of these mental conditioning tools include:

• specific goal-setting techniques
• visualization exercises
• declarations and affirmations
• meditation
• progressive relaxation exercises
• negative-thought stopping
• mental focusing exercises
• other energizing and self-motivational methods

A qualified sport psychologist can help you develop a winning soccer psychology plan, however this can be costly to afford on an individual basis. But if it fits the budget it would be a worthwhile investment for a team to have a designated mental coach, in my opinion.

There are also many great resources that you can access to get started, such as our DVD “Building the Complete Soccer Athlete: Train Like a Pro“, which covers the basics of soccer psychology as well as fitness, technical, and nutrition information.

If you’re looking for a training resource specifically related to mental conditioning, check out my “Brain-Training” ebook program: “Get Mental – The Psychology of Strength.” This training manual covers more than just theory; it gives you practical tools and exercises that you can apply to start reprogramming your brain for success starting today.

Get your head in the game!

Josh