[Section] - Personal and Professional Growth
Mindset and Perspective
Positive mindsets support well-being (Vitality) and team morale (Interconnectedness).
Understanding negativity supports emotional health (Vitality) and self-awareness (Inquiry).
Perspective shapes problem-solving (Inquiry) and commitment (Perseverance).
MINDSET AND PERSPECTIVE
REFLECT - Self-Reflection Questions To Start The Learning Process
EXPLORE - Core Principles and Concepts About Your Mindset and Perspective
EXAMINE - Lessons on Positivity, Negativity, and Emotional Momentum
ENGAGE - Engaging New Ideas and Applying Them in Daily Life
REFLECT
Self-reflection is a powerful tool to increase self-awareness and prepare mentally and emotionally to engage new ideas!
…
As you begin to think about your own Mindset and Perspective, ask yourself the following questions.
Do I usually look for the positive or focus on the negative when I face challenges?
When something goes wrong in class, practice, or life, what is my first thought, and where does that come from?
Who or what influences the way I think about myself, my future, and my ability to grow?
EXPLORE
Build emotional and practical connections to new ideas!
…
Your mindset is one of the most powerful tools you bring to both competition and your academic life. How you view situations, respond to challenges, and approach each day shapes your performance and your experience. A healthy mindset helps you build confidence, stay motivated, and work through the ups and downs that are part of every student-athlete’s journey.
Positivity and optimism play a key role in developing a strong mindset. This does not mean pretending that everything is always perfect. It means choosing to focus on what you can control, believing that you can improve, and looking for opportunities in every situation. When you approach challenges with optimism, you see setbacks as temporary and believe that your effort can make a difference.
At the same time, it is easy to fall into negativity and pessimism when things do not go your way. Frustration, disappointment, or self-doubt can make you focus on what is wrong rather than what is possible. Over time, negative thinking can drain your confidence and make it harder to recover from mistakes or setbacks.
Pessimism often leads to giving up too early or lowering your expectations for yourself. Instead of seeing setbacks as opportunities to learn, a negative mindset convinces you that failure is permanent. This thinking can limit your growth and prevent you from reaching your full potential as both an athlete and a student.
One way to fight negativity is to pay attention to your internal dialogue. The way you talk to yourself influences your emotions and actions. If you find yourself constantly criticizing your mistakes or doubting your abilities, try to replace those thoughts with more constructive messages. Remind yourself of your effort, your progress, and the areas where you are improving.
Emotional momentum is another part of mindset and perspective. When things are going well, confidence builds, and you feel energized. However, when you experience a few setbacks in a row, it can feel like everything is falling apart. Learning how to manage emotional momentum helps you avoid swinging too far in either direction and stay steady through both good and bad stretches.
Building routines that keep you grounded can help you maintain emotional balance. Whether it is a pre-game routine, regular check-ins with a coach or mentor, or simple reflection after each practice, these habits help you stay focused on the process rather than being controlled by short-term emotions.
Surrounding yourself with positive influences also supports your mindset. Coaches, teammates, and friends who encourage your growth and help you refocus during tough times can help you maintain perspective. You do not have to handle every challenge alone, and having people who believe in you makes a real difference.
EXAMINE - POSITIVITY
Positivity and optimism are habits that help you see opportunities, learn from challenges, and believe in your ability to improve. Positivity does not ignore reality, but focuses on possibilities and purpose.
A positive mindset helps you notice progress, even when results are not perfect. This mindset keeps you moving forward when others might stop.
Optimism helps you expect improvement and see setbacks as temporary. That expectation makes it easier to keep working hard during tough stretches.
Positive thinkers bounce back more quickly from adversity. They remind themselves that one mistake does not undo their hard work.
Optimism encourages creativity and problem-solving. When you believe there is a way forward, you are more likely to find it.
Surrounding yourself with positive people boosts your own mindset. Encouragement from others makes difficult goals feel more achievable.
Being positive does not mean ignoring hard truths. It means facing those truths with a sense of purpose and strength.
Optimistic people see failure as feedback. They use that feedback to adjust and get better rather than giving up.
Positive thoughts can calm anxiety and improve focus. This can help you perform more consistently in both class and competition.
Practicing gratitude can help build optimism. Focusing on what is going right gives you a stronger foundation to face what is not.
Choosing to stay hopeful takes discipline. With practice, optimism becomes a tool you can rely on under pressure.
…
https://youtu.be/cY4dM7xno4M
EXAMINE - NEGATIVITY
Negativity and pessimism make it harder to learn, grow, and stay motivated. When your thoughts are mostly focused on what could go wrong, you may stop yourself before you even try.
Pessimism causes you to expect the worst, even before anything has happened. This makes it harder to take healthy risks or believe in your progress.
Negative thoughts often grow louder in isolation. Talking with someone can interrupt that cycle and give you new perspective.
Focusing only on what is wrong can make you miss small wins or slow improvements. These overlooked moments are often what lead to real growth.
Pessimistic thinking often exaggerates setbacks. What feels like the end of the road may only be a bump along the way.
Constant negativity wears down your energy and your relationships. It can also impact your performance by increasing stress and self-doubt.
Pessimism is contagious in teams. When one person constantly speaks doubt, it lowers morale and confidence for everyone.
Negative habits tend to build over time if they are not addressed. Recognizing the pattern early helps you shift before it becomes your norm.
Comparing yourself to others can feed pessimism. Everyone is on a different timeline, and yours deserves respect.
Overthinking worst-case scenarios can trap you in fear. It is more productive to focus on what is in your control.
You can change a negative mindset with small, repeated shifts in thinking. It starts by catching negative thoughts and asking whether they are true or helpful.
…
EXAMINE - EMOTIONAL MOMENTUM
Emotions often build on each other. Emotional momentum describes how one experience can influence the next, either creating a cycle of growth or a pattern of discouragement.
When something goes well, it can lead to a chain of positive thoughts and actions. That chain can lift your energy and confidence throughout the day.
Negative experiences can do the opposite, pulling your mindset down and making it harder to bounce back. Recognizing this shift helps you respond early.
Emotional momentum can carry from one match or class to the next. Being aware of this helps you reset rather than carry frustration forward.
Small wins fuel emotional momentum. They create a sense of progress that motivates you to keep showing up and trying harder.
If you are in a slump, changing your routine or environment can interrupt negative momentum. A fresh setting can restart your mental rhythm.
Your mood affects your memory, decision-making, and communication. Positive momentum helps you stay clear-headed and confident.
Building momentum takes intentional action. Even one positive choice, especially small ones, can start a chain reaction.
Neglecting rest and recovery can disrupt emotional balance. When you feel off, take care of your body and mind to help restore momentum.
Tracking your daily patterns can help you understand what builds or drains your emotional momentum. This awareness allows you to adjust with purpose.
Managing momentum is not about avoiding emotion. It is about choosing how to respond and where to focus your attention next.
…
ENGAGE
Please look over the following prompts. You’ll be asked to participate in a short discussion about what you have learned, either individually or in a group, with a REBOOT Coach and/or guest speakers. Think about how these lessons will benefit you most in school, competition, and life!
…
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF :
[Positivity and Optimism]
When things are going well, what thoughts or actions help you stay positive and motivated? How do you try to spread that mindset to others on your team or in your circle?
[Negativity and Pessimism]
What situations tend to bring out a negative or pessimistic attitude in you? How do you recognize when your mindset is dragging yourself or others down, and how do you shift it?
[Emotional Momentum]
Think about a time when your energy or emotions built up over the course of a day, game, or week. Was that momentum positive or negative, and how did it affect your behavior or decisions?
QUESTIONS TO ASK OTHERS :
[Positivity and Optimism]
What strategies do you use to help student-athletes stay positive and hopeful, especially during tough stretches or losing streaks?
[Negativity and Pessimism]
How do you address negativity when it starts to spread through a team or environment? What do you do to help shift the tone?
[Emotional Momentum]
How do you talk to students about the power of emotional momentum, and how can it be used for growth rather than breakdown?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES - MINDSET AND PERSPECTIVE
If you would like to learn more about building a positive mindset and perspective, please consider the following resources!
FLCC Athletics - 8/GREAT - HANDOUT - MINDSET AND PERSPECTIVE [PDF]
MINDSET AND PERSPECTIVE
Michael Van Etten - REBOOT - Didactic Tactics LLC - All Rights Reserved