The Wrestler's Spirt - Perseverance and Motivation

As a wrestling coach, one of my main goals is to not only help my athletes improve their skills and techniques, but to also help them develop the mental toughness and perseverance necessary to succeed in this demanding and physically grueling sport.

This is why those wrestlers who compete at higher levels of the sport tend to have similar outlooks and success off the mat, because their perspective of the world was forged through hardship on the mat, and they were taught or should I say trained, to just to keep on going. No matter the short term pain, it was worth the long term gain.

In my experience, the most effective way to motivate my wrestlers is to help them understand the benefits of hard work, suffering, and overcoming challenges. It's important for them to learn about the journey of those who came before them, the shoulder of the people they stand on today. The collective knowledge of their forefathers distilled and refined over generations.

Here are some key points to consider when trying to motivate people to persevere through difficult experiences:

• The concept of "grit" has gained a lot of attention in recent years as a key predictor of success in various fields. Grit can be defined as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals" (Duckworth, 2016). In a study of over 1,200 cadets at the United States Military Academy, grit was found to be a better predictor of success than intelligence or physical fitness (Duckworth et al., 2007). This suggests that developing grit may be an important factor in helping wrestlers to achieve their goals.
• Research has also shown that suffering can be a powerful motivator. In a study of ultramarathon runners, it was found that those who experienced the most suffering during a race were also the most likely to finish and the most likely to want to run another ultramarathon (Kramer, 2014). This finding suggests that suffering can actually increase our motivation and desire to persevere, rather than decrease it. Moreover, when suffering is experienced collectively, it forages strong inter-personal fraternity amongst its victims. These individuals commiserate and experienced hardship simultaneously which increases their empathy and emotional intelligence to others, because they know what it is like to suffer. Our ability to empathize with other is directly correlated the the pain we have experienced in our own lives. (Source)
• Another important factor in motivation is the concept of "self-determination theory" (SDT), which proposes that we are more likely to be motivated when we feel a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Wrestling is a team sport in theory, but at the end of the day, it's one person competing against another as everyone watches. The outcome of their effort is explicit and transparent to the collective team.

It's important to create an environment in which wrestlers feel like they have control over their own training and goals, and feel confident in their abilities. It's also important to foster a sense of community and connectedness among the team, as this can help wrestlers feel supported and motivated to work towards a common goal.

Another way

• to motivate is to help them see the value in suffering and overcoming challenges. In a study of college students, it was found that those who saw the value in difficult experiences (e.g., as an opportunity for growth or self-improvement) were more likely to be motivated to persevere through challenges (Linley et al., 2002). As a coach, you can help wrestlers understand the benefits of suffering by framing it as a way to build mental toughness and resilience. Just as I was by my coach, and as they will for their student-athletes.

Finally,

• it's important to remember that motivation is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Different wrestlers will be motivated by different things, and it's important to try to understand what drives each of your athletes individually. This may involve having conversations with them about their goals and values, and finding ways to connect their training to those things. Some kids need to be pushed, while other crumble at the slight transgression. We are only borrowing these kids from their family a few hours a day, a couple months a year, and there is always a story behind each one of them and it requires a personal approach.

There are many factors that can contribute to motivation and perseverance in wrestling. By helping wrestlers develop grit, fostering a sense of autonomy and competence, creating a sense of community and relatedness, and helping them see the value in suffering and overcoming challenges, coaches can help their wrestlers push through difficult experiences and achieve their goals.

Who are you going to motivate in your life? Who needs your coaching, your motivation?

References:

• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.
• Duckworth, A. L. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner.
• Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D

Regenerate response