Gaining & Maintaining an Advantage – In the JS Ring

BY WILLIAM GIVEN

Every junior handler should know and understand that daily practice is essential to gaining a competitive advantage over the competition. Just as important, though, is mental toughness. Mental toughness is the ability to overcome challenges and setbacks. Having a psychological edge enables you to cope with the higher-than-average demands of the juniors’ ring and, of course, you can also benefit from increased mental strength and stamina at school and in your personal life.

Mental toughness allows you to perform consistently better than your opponents because you are more focused, more determined, more confident, more resilient, and more in control at times of increased pressure. The following twelve attributes will help you gain and maintain a competitive advantage in the juniors’ ring:

HAVE CLEAR GOALS

You dream of being a successful junior handler, possibly even a professional handler. You may feel as if a giant magnet is pulling you toward that place in life. If that is so, it is wonderful because it can give you the courage to keep going for it. The clearer your goal is, the easier it is to focus on it and to set a path towards it. If you do not know where you are going, you have no way of setting milestones or measuring your progress.

When your goals inspire you, it causes you to do the things you might otherwise be unwilling to do. When you experience setbacks, the inspiration of your goals motivates you to get back up again and find a way forward.

KNOW WHY

How important is it to you that you achieve your goals? When you know why you want and need to achieve a specific goal, it compels you to work hard toward achieving it. The deeper your purpose, the greater the inspiration.

Ask yourself what achieving your goal will allow you to do. Will it allow you to live a certain lifestyle, or is it about making a difference or having an impact on the lives of others?

What is the value to you of achieving the goal? What is the personal cost to you if you quit now and choose to take a different path? Ask questions like these every time you feel challenged. When setbacks occur, the doubt can creep in, so believe in yourself and your goal.

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Posted by Alex on Oct 22 2018. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.