Mindset of Elite Athletes

Dr. Jack Lesyk, Director of the Ohio Center for Sport Psychology and Sport Psychologist with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sees that the best are gritty – they have passion and perseverance for their long-term goals. They are resilient and don’t let poor performance linger. They have a short-term memory. Jack describes there are two different types of perfectionists: dysfunctional and functional. Functional perfectionists strive for excellence and are always looking for what went great. Dysfunctional perfectionists overreact emotionally and focus on what went wrong. Jack describes a mindfulness practice he does with his clients to help them change how they feel with their words and images. His final advice for high performers – or those who work to reach their greater potential – is to enjoy the moment. Close your eyes, scan your body and make positive self-talk a practice. To contact Jack, visit sportpsych.org or send him a tweet at @sportpsychOH.