Trying to Live Up to Expectations
Sidney Crosby is one of the most electric young athletes in sports.
After being selected first overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, hockey fans expected Crosby to make an immediate impact on the league.
Early in his career Cosby felt pressure to meet the expectations surrounding him.
“Obviously, this is a new level, but the pressure has always been there,” said Crosby. “I’m not trying to be the next Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux, I strive to do my best and perform to my potential — that’s all I can do.”
To perform to his potential and cope with pressure Crosby focuses on the process of winning rather than end results. “I’m looking at it as short-term as possible. I push myself to raise my game every day,” said Crosby.
To raise his game Crosby sets process goals in practice. Process goals are small goals or objectives that help athletes execute each play.
“I focus on improving little things like my passing technique,” said Crosby.
Setting process goals will help you improve you focus, execution, and preparation. In practice situations set process goals to improve your technique such as correct hand position, or puck placement.
You can also use process goals to import your mental skills such as letting go of errors quickly and refocusing.
Like Crosby, process goals will help you play to your potential, cope with pressure, and enjoy your sport. “I don’t think there’s ever a time where I step back and say I wish I was doing something different. I’m doing what I love to do,” said Crosby.
Use process goals to help you focus on the process of winning or success in your sport.
By doing this, Crosby became the youngest captain in the NHL and won his first Stanley Cup at the tender age of twenty-one.
Related Articles on Hockey Mental Game:
- How to Consistently Achieve Your Goals in Hockey
- How Hockey Players Grow into Their Potential
- Your Mindset and Finishing Hockey Games
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Why is that I am one of the most skilled players on my team, yet I lack major production? Any advice on how my mind game contributes to this and what I can do to fix this would be great.
Thanks
As you know, skills alone does not guarantee success in hockey. A strong mental game and teamwork will lead to production in hockey. You can email us for a one-page mental game test to take to find out what’s holding your back.
I think I am and all my coaches say that I am the hardest worker on my team (2001s) 3 out of the 4 coaches have children on the team. Even so, I make the team every year, and my line gets played the least, and i am paired up with a puck-hog and a kid who just can’t really play hockey. All the coaches’ children get to play with really good kids and are getting better as a result. I am afraid I am getting worse. I have been in the organization longer than ANY other kid in my age group, and I have no recognition for it. The kids on the team don’t like me for some reason, which I am kind of a nerd, but it really sucks. The kids don’t pass to me much either.Here is a list of my strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths: Passing, Planning Ahead, Penalty Kill, Shooting, Playing Dirty, Taking Advantage of Anger, Team Player,
Weaknesses: Stickhandling, Mental Toughness, Speed, Holding Myself Accountable,
P.S. I noticed some of the “Putting a Player on a Pedestal” type thing you mentioned in a different article with my teammates. I don’t participate in that, could that be a reason for my non-acceptance? Thanks! 🙂