Open Mic: The Mental Toughness to Succeed

There are so many great athletes in all of sports that sometimes, even for a sports buff like me, it is hard to keep track of all of them.

The best of them, however, have a determination, a work ethic, a focus that separates them from the pack.

Which sport requires the most mental toughness? It is tough to determine this, since all sports require their athletes to possess some kind of mental toughness in order to succeed.

I will now examine a number of sports and the athletes who are toughest mentally.

Football

In order to succeed in football, you have to be incredibly strong mentally. Over the course of a 16-game season, for most everyday players, it can be very easy to be benched for poor play.

You must play at the top of your game at all times, and you must be ready to hear it from the media if you are a player with high expectations.

That being said, the position that must be tougher mentally is clearly quarterback. Quarterbacks are the leaders of teams, and they hold the responsibility of controlling the rest of the team.

Many times, right or not, the expectations rest on their shoulders and they must step up and deliver.

A great example of a mentally tough player is Tom Brady. He remains cool at all times, as we have seen countless times in the playoffs and down the stretch in the Super Bowl. He comes ready to play every Sunday, he isn’t afraid to take the blame for the team, and he handles the media exceptionally well.

Basketball

In order to succeed in basketball, one must be strong mentally and physically. Yet, most solid players can muscle their way with the best of players.

What separates the great from the good is the focus possessed by the great. They stay calm in pressure situations and deliver when called upon. They also handle themselves well with the media and play hard until the buzzer sounds.

Additionally, they don’t worry about the crowd or what else is happening. They continue to shoot the ball, even if their shot isn’t falling, maintaining a high level of self-confidence.

A prime example of a mentally tough player is Tim Duncan. Unlike many of his fellow players, Duncan is selfless. He never expresses his emotions in a negative manner and is only concerned with himself and his team.

He has constantly been criticized for being a “boring” player, but he couldn't care less. He has great self-confidence, and despite my dislike of his game, I have tremendous respect for him.

Baseball

Baseball, in my opinion, requires a bit less mental toughness than the other sports. In baseball, it seems there is less of chance of being pulled or being benched.

Also, after a bad at-bat, you have a couple of innings to regroup. After a bad pitching performance, you have a couple of days to regroup and fix things. You don’t have this same reflective period in other sports, meaning you must be more mentally tough to keep things together.

That being said, the best of the best are still mentally tough. Take, for example, Mariano Rivera. As a closer, his only goal is to get the three outs he’s expected to.

He couldn't care less if they are three strikeouts or three fly outs at the warning track. He knows that when he comes to the mound, he is being counted on to save a game and he cherishes this opportunity.

Rivera, as a closer, also must regroup after a tough outing. Blowing a win is a tough thing. Rivera is one of the best at regrouping and quickly forgetting the past, concentrating on the next game and cashing in on his next opportunity.

Tennis

Tennis isn’t as popular as the sports listed above, but I recognize it as one of the best games. It is unique in that it is an individual’s game and thus relies on great mental toughness.

The best players need to be incredibly mentally fit. Many times, you won’t be on your game in an early round of a tournament, playing a player you are supposed to beat. You must persevere and find a way to win.

Thus, you must bring yourself together and battle to the end. You must change your game; craft it to your liking on that given day. You cannot lose focus at the hurdle in front of you, because you have no teammates to pick up the slack.

You cannot become rattled, because your play will reflect it. Few players, aside from John McEnroe, are able to use anger to help them on the court.

Tennis players have coaches not only to help tone their games, but to keep them mentally prepared for the next match.

Nobody in tennis is mentally tougher than Roger Federer. Playing without a coach at times in his career, he has shown that he can withstand the toughest of battles.

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