When it comes to sports, having mental strength is nearly as important for players as physical fitness. Pressure can get to the best sports stars, and mental training is therefore a vital skill to possess.
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is one way to say it. Or, as one sports psychologist put it, mental toughness is “the ability to consistently perform toward the upper range of your talent and skill regardless of competitive circumstances.”
With sports psychology a growing field of study, more athletes are looking to improve their mental prowess as well as their physical exercise routines. Here, we look at some of the great cases of sporting mental collapse and how we can all learn from these examples.