Many factors separate the players sitting on the bench from the ones being named to all-star teams. Feasting on the spectacular daily highlights that can be found on ESPN SportsCenter can make one easily believe that the biggest difference is athletic ability, but as you go further up the totem pole of sports, it is something else that typically matters. Your mindset.
On the GameChange YouTube podcast McDonald & Sons, former USC All-American and NFL quarterback, Paul McDonald, challenged his three sons, Michael, Andrew, and Matthew, all former D-1 college quarterbacks, to provide their thoughts on the question of mindset in sports. Their insights provide extremely valuable insights for young athletes who hope to play at the next level – especially quarterbacks.
Preparation Creates a Confident Mindset
Andrew recalled being an undersized late bloomer when he played quarterback in high school and college, and he believes that he was only able to succeed because of his work ethic. He stated, “The only way for me to get on the field was to outwork the person next to me… really getting into the gym, the film room, really understanding what to do on the football field was the only way for me to play.”
A recurring theme in their conversation focused on how a strong mindset and confidence on the playing field starts with the work you do off the field. Matthew provided a simple explanation of how doing the mental work to understand your role on the field will help you to have the success you desire. “I think a lot of people think that the most athletic guy is going to play on the field… (but) all that matters is getting the ball to the right guy at the right time.” He added, “And that’s what really made me stand out… and live out my dream of being a division one starting quarterback for three seasons.”
It’s no accident that Andrew and Matthew leaned on work ethic as their path to success. Michael said to Paul, “You were always the hardest worker.” He added, “You (said), ‘I don’t care if you tell me I can’t do it, I’m going to do it a million times until I can.’”
Love What You Do
Ironically, Michael acknowledged that he didn’t like to practice much. It was something else that drove him – the pure love of competing and playing the game. He stated, “I loved all sports. I love playing the game. The game to me was so fun.” He believes that passion for the sport is what often separates the good from the great, who can move up to the next level.
“At the core of it, when you’re playing your best, you’re just playing the game. All these college guys, all these NFL guys, there’s a lot of things that pull at ’em in a bunch of different ways. The best ones love it because they love the game.”
As you are working toward becoming elite, it is important to ask yourself if you are chasing this dream because of the accolades that go with success or because you simply love the process of the thing you are doing. This is not an inconsequential question. In fact, it might be the most important one, as Paul explained, “Belief is massively important, but what keeps you going is the love.” He concluded, “And when you love it, you’ll move through any failure, any defeat, any issue you had in life.”
