STOP – The Mental Traps That Hold You Back
“Sometimes the hardest part of growth is quitting what doesn’t work.”
Starting strong is critical—but it’s only half the battle. Just as important is knowing what to stop. High-performing athletes don’t just add new habits—they also release mental baggage that slows progress.
Too often, athletes carry:
Past mistakes
Comparisons to others
Negative self-talk
These mental traps drain energy, cloud judgment, and limit consistency. Learning to stop them clears space for focus, confidence, and growth.
Why Stopping Matters
Think of unproductive thoughts like extra weight in your bag—you can carry it, but it slows you down unnecessarily. To perform at your best, your mind must be clear. Stopping harmful mental habits is just as important as starting new ones because it allows your energy and attention to go toward what actually matters: performance, recovery, and growth.
3 Mental Traps to Stop
1. Overthinking Mistakes
Everyone makes errors. But obsessing over them keeps you locked in the past. Instead:
Acknowledge the mistake
Reset your focus
Move to the next action
2. Comparing Yourself to Others
Social media, teammates, and competition can fuel unnecessary comparisons. Stop using others as a benchmark. Focus on your own process, improvement, and performance metrics.
3. Letting Past Performance Dictate Today
One bad game, missed drill, or weak practice doesn’t define your season. Stop carrying yesterday’s results forward. Treat every session as a fresh opportunity.
Practical Exercise: Create a Mental Stop List
Write down 2–3 behaviors holding you back
For each, write a replacement behavior (ex: “Next play reset” or “breathwork break”)
Commit to stopping these behaviors for one week
Track how your focus, confidence, and performance improve
Stopping unproductive patterns isn’t about avoiding challenges—it’s about managing your mental energy for what matters most.
Want a tool to help identify what’s holding you back? [Grab the FLEX Stop Worksheet] and take control of your mental game today.
Stay tuned for Part 3: SUSTAIN, where we’ll explore how to lock in these behaviors and mental shifts so you maintain consistency and peak performance all season long.
