The key question is simple yet immense:How do we ensure that, in moments of maximum pressure, the body is not betrayed by the mind? Why has this orientation become dominant in high-performance sport?Because it dismantles one of the biggest myths about athletes: the belief that they are naturally mentally invincible. They aren’t. They train to become that way. It’s not always about “fixing” something that is broken, but about optimizing something that already works.The difference between repairing a regular car and fine-tuning a Formula 1 engine.The ultimate goal is to create an optimal performance state, what some refer to as flow. To achieve it, athletes train three fundamental pillars: 1. Self-regulation of internal processes: confidence, focus, and attention. 2. Emotional and physiological regulation: managing what you feel without letting it control you. 3. Effective behavior under pressure: executing what you’ve trained without interference; in other words, transferring training into competition. Facts vs. Beliefs In sport, you cannot avoid making mistakes; that is a fact.What you can train is your mind’s ability not to create a negative interpretation that sabotages your performance. The Three-Stage Process 1. Education and Personalized Assessment This is the “detective phase.”First, the athlete learns how their performance mind works.Then, a precise map of their current state is built: - What mental skills do they already possess? - Is their confidence stable, or does it collapse after the first mistake? - How do emotional dips affect their performance? - Which behaviors limit their game, and which can be changed? The aim is to obtain clarity, identifying strengths and weaknesses. 2. Skill Acquisition Here, the athlete develops tools to manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.All training follows a progressive structure, gradually increasing pressure using the model of conscious/unconscious (in)competence. Athletes often arrive with thoughts such as:

When no personal emotion, mental noise, or internal judgment interferes, the experiences of training and competition are processed with total clarity and fluidity. The athlete’s perceptual system is designed precisely for this: to read what is happening on the field, experience it fully, and then let it go so you can be completely present for the next action. When this system works well, you are well. Everything flows: one action after another, one reading after another. Every play, every decision, every stimulus in the match is a gift that trains you and makes you better. Just like a well-constructed play, experiences move through you, awakening your focus, your intuition, and your ability to react. In reality, every experience on the pitch —a mistake, a success, a comment from the coach, a duel won, a controlled error— leaves a mark on you. It shapes you. It makes you grow. Your athletic mind and heart expand, and you become stronger, more stable, and more aware. If experience is the best coach, nothing compares to the power of living your matches with full attention. The purpose of being an athlete is not to control every play, but to fully experience each moment that is happening to you, let it go, and prepare for the next one. In a match or training session, hundreds of micro-experiences appear: stimuli, sensations, decisions, emotions. They arrive, pass through you, and move on. That is the ideal system. If you could be this present —the way truly conscious footballers play— every experience would touch you deeply. Every action would feel meaningful because you would be completely open to the information of the game, and your sporting life would flow through you without blockages. But this is not what happens to most athletes. Most carry unprocessed emotions: frustration, fear of failing, external pressure, self-criticism, expectations. These emotions interrupt the natural flow of performance. The challenge is to return to the state where you allow each experience to train you, move through you, and free you —so you can perform with presence, lightness, and fullness.

By Selena Salas | Professional Footballer & High-Performance Sports Psychologist. We all admire athletes who are "mentally tough." We see them perform under immense pressure and assume they possess a rare form of grit or unbreakable willpower. But what does mental fortitude actually consist of beyond simple determination? True mental strength isn't an abstract quality; it’s a discipline built on five core pillars: self-confidence, motivation, attitude, anxiety control, and the crucial skill of managing attention and concentration. While all five are essential, the ability to direct focus is perhaps the most nuanced and powerful component of the champion’s mindset. This article dissects that fifth pillar by unpacking three critical mental shifts. Together, they form a complete framework for mastering focus: the core philosophy that guides it, the specific skill that defines it, and the practical cycle that applies it. 1. YOU CONTROL YOUR PERFORMANCE, NOT THE OUTCOME The most fundamental concept in mental strength is understanding the difference between performance and a result. Performance is the cause—an independent variable that depends solely on the athlete's actions, process, and execution. The result, on the other hand, is the consequence—a dependent variable influenced by external factors like competitors, conditions, or luck. This distinction is powerfully reflected in the verbs associated with each concept. The key verb for performance is "to try." This emphasizes controllable effort and the conscious attempt to execute to the best of your ability. The verb for the result is "to achieve." Achieving a specific outcome doesn't just depend on what you do, but on how your actions interact with the competitive environment. This mental shift is powerful because it liberates an athlete from the pressure of the uncontrollable. By focusing on performance (the journey) instead of the result (the destination), you place your energy where it has the most impact. This allows for greater consistency, reduces anxiety, and, ironically, often leads to better and more frequent positive results.

Let me take you into a scene I’ve witnessed far too many times. The stands are packed. The gym is electric. Scouts are jotting notes on their clipboards. Parents are sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting for their kid to have that big moment. The ball swings their way… and there it is, the perfect opportunity. And then, they freeze. In a heartbeat, the moment’s gone. The play moves on. The crowd forgets. But you don’t. Because deep down, you know what that hesitation means. You know what it could cost them. I’ve seen this story unfold over and over again, athletes who dominate practice, who have all the tools to succeed, who’ve spent countless hours training, traveling, and sacrificing… only to tighten up when it matters most. When the lights shine the brightest, they disappear. Meet “The Avoider” We call these athletes Avoiders, not because they don’t care, but because somewhere along the line, their brain learned that pressure is dangerous. They start to believe that being seen means being judged. That messing up in front of others means something about their worth. So instead of attacking the moment, they play it safe. They don’t take the shot. They don’t call for the ball. They hesitate just long enough to miss the window. And every time it happens, the wiring in their brain gets stronger. The more they avoid pressure, the more they reinforce fear. Because here’s the truth: practice makes permanent, and that includes practicing hesitation. I once worked with a young athlete who lived this pattern. He was skilled, disciplined, and loved the game. But the moment the stakes rose, he disappeared. By the time his parents reached out, his coach had lost trust, scouts stopped showing up, and his confidence was fading fast. He didn’t need more drills. He needed to retrain his mind. Breaking the Avoider Pattern The good news? This pattern can be broken. It takes awareness, the right tools, and consistent mental reps, just like physical training. Here are three strategies I teach athletes (and parents) to help rewire this response and turn fear into fuel: