Stumbling through the woods.

This one is for any athlete that has ever felt lost in their sport. For the athlete that’s struggling to find a level of performance they once held. For the athlete recovering from an injury that has derailed hopes and dreams. For the athlete that isn’t sure if they have what it takes. For the athlete that is stumbling through the woods without any certainty that they will make it out.

The scary thing about competitive sports is that as quickly as high levels of performance and success can come to us, they can vanish just as quickly. I know that no athlete wants to be lost in the woods when it comes to their performance, but the reality of it is that at some point in your career you’re going to find yourself lost in the woods. You’re going to struggle to perform at the level you’re accustomed to. You might lose a piece of your performance that you’ve always counted on. You might even struggle to find the enjoyment and passion that you once had for your sport. Each of these situations can leave an athlete feeling seriously lost.

We’ve seen athletes find themselves and their performance relatively quickly and bounce back to their former selves without too much trouble. We have also seen a handful of athletes walk into the woods who have yet to return. The sobering truth is that it's up to the athlete to find their way out of the woods. Sure there’s people who can help you find your way, but at the end of the day it's you that’s got to stumble out. 

I don’t share that with you to scare you, but rather to share an important lesson with you. The only difference between the athlete that makes their way out of the woods and the athlete that remains lost, is simply the way they go about finding their way out. 

In my experience working with athletes who have seen their performance up and leave, I’ve found that a specific mindset has to be developed in order for them to find themselves and their performance once again. Yes, a lot of variables come into play when athletes are trying to find their form again and each athlete’s situation is unique, but these four foundational elements of a “find it again mindset” have been present in every athlete that has ever walked themselves out of the woods. 

Embrace being lost for a moment.

First, spend some time thinking about why you feel lost. Work to better understand what elements of your performance have led you into the woods. The purpose here isn’t to dwell on what’s happened to you and your performance, but rather to diagnose the problem in a logical way without hitting the panic button. And athletes I know that when your performance “disappears” you want to hit that panic button so hard… don’t. Instead, embrace and accept where you’re at now and think about what the path back looks like. From there settle in and get ready to work.

Develop a plan and move.

Once you have an understanding of why you’re lost you can begin to formulate a plan to help you find yourself and your performance once again. You know yourself and your game better than you might think. Consider what has to change in the way that you think, the way that you practice and the way that you compete right now in order to find it again. I know that's difficult to do when you’re lost in the woods with emotions running high, but once again, refrain from hitting the panic button. Take your time and develop a solid plan to act on. Then move. Don’t stand still. Follow your plan wherever it leads you. You might take a wrong turn here or there. Circle back, change directions and try again. Keep moving. You won’t find your way out standing still.

Focus on the way you perform more so than your results.

This sounds counterintuitive, but the key to finding your form again is to focus on executing the little things that make your performance great. Whether that’s following a game plan, getting proper rest and nutrition leading up to competition, or deliberately practicing a skill that’s integral to your performance, if you can do the little things well the results will follow. I know that can be hard to trust, but that’s the truth of the matter. That’s the way back. Fixating on results will only push you further into the woods. Instead, get in tune with your process of performing at a high level and let the results be.

Enjoy the process of finding your way and develop a belief that you are going to find your way.

Look no athlete wants to be lost. Obviously on the surface level it's not an enjoyable experience to try to find your performance again, but that’s where I want to challenge you. The biggest key is being able to, on a deeper level, enjoy battling back and finding your way out. If you can, in some capacity, enjoy your struggles then finding your way won’t seem so monumental. You don’t have to like the fact that you’re trying to find your game again, but I urge you to enjoy the process of finding it again (sorry if that blows your mind). If you can genuinely enjoy your path back, no matter how hard it is, you’re going to get out of bed more easily in the morning, you’re going to get more out of your training sessions, you’re going to look at things in a more positive light and all that’s going to help expedite your journey back to performing at a high level.

I share these four foundational elements of a “find it again” mindset with the hope that you will never need to use them. But should you ever find yourself lost in the woods, let these four things help guide you out. Lastly, remember that what’s been lost can always be found again.