When most people think about sport and its elite performers, they consider the talent of the individual or team, and their tremendous skill level derived from hours of practice. However, in just as important a category as these attributes is mental strength. This is often what separates the good sportsmen or women from the very best; those who can go out and produce on the biggest stage, often in the face of adversity.
The importance of mental strength was illustrated in the cruellest possible way in the Masters golf on Sunday. Rory McIlroy, having led the tournament for three rounds, crumbled in dramatic fashion as his game unravelled resulting in an eight-over-par round of 80. It became painful to watch as the BBC replayed slow footage of the young Brit falling to pieces by missing a series of short putts and hooking into the trees, leaving an enduring image of him burying his head into his arm, seemingly stifling back tears and wishing that the ground would swallow him up. The 21-year-old had played superbly up until the final round, but his inexperience and mental immaturity proved telling as he faded while his competitors produced some fantastic golf in a thrilling finale.
I think age is important here; mental strength is built up with experience, and McIlroy, having learnt the harshest of lessons, should be stronger for this ordeal. At the tender age of 21, I have no doubts that the Northern Irishman will fulfil his potential and can secure a major in the next few years. McIlroy’s plight also has its parallels; Greg Norman collapsed in similarly spectacular fashion to gift victory to Nick Faldo in the 1995 Masters, while Jean Van de Velde’s capitulation at the final hole of the 1999 Open Championship was equally memorable. The mental aspect has particular resonance in golf such is the judgement needed to make the best shot, but you cannot discount the importance of mental toughness in any other sport either.
Top performers such as Roger Federer, Tony McCoy and Phil Taylor would not have been as supremely dominant in their respective sports if they didn’t have a mental edge to match their immense ability, while Manchester United have shown time and time again that mental strength is vital to the long haul of winning the Premier League. Athletics also demonstrates the importance of mental toughness; a lack of it can be seen in those who make a false start in the 100m sprint, those who foul in the long jump or who lose their rhythm in the hurdles. These unfortunate athletes more often than not have prepared impeccably, but have lacked mental composition to perform to the best of their ability on the big stage.
Where does mental strength come from, then? I think a key element of it has to be natural; some are born fighters, but those who can maintain concentration alongside fierce competitiveness are usually the ones who succeed. In cricket, batsmen facing an aggressive bowling attack need concentration and mental stamina to maintain their wicket, not just hours of practice in the nets. Coaches, managers and parents can also have a significant impact on a sportsperson’s mental strength; those who have been instilled with a tough mentality in training sessions and practice situations are more likely to reproduce on the big day.
However, for me, experience is the most vital component of the mental toughness needed to succeed in sport at the highest level. The more experiences of crucial matches and tournaments that go right down to the wire, the more prepared a performer will be to produce his or her ‘A-game’ next time around, as McIlroy will learn. An athlete can practice all they want; whether on the training ground, in the nets or on the track, but nothing is comparable to situational experience at the top level. It is this which can help instil mental strength, which separates the elite from the also-rans throughout the world of sport.
