What makes an athlete elite?

What makes the best athletes in the world? We all know they need a certain amount of talent, but how do these athletes become better and better? How do they become Elite?

High profile athletes, players, teams etc all have professional organisations that provide them with everything they need to reach the ‘elite’ status. Such things like the best equipment, the best competitive environments, the best training facilities, the best medical and physiological services and the best coaches. But they didn’t always have this when they growing up and when they were learning their trade, so what did they have and what characteristics do they have to breed that success.

At Athletic Mindset, we believe there are 6 or 7 key fundamental attributes that ‘elite’ athletes or individuals such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Beuden Barrett, Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton or Alex Morgan must have in order to succeed. Things that come 100% from them internally and cannot be bought, earned or supplied.

They consist of:

Being a Natural Goal Setter - Always aiming to achieve

Confidence in one’s own ability – belief that they can compete with the best and can be the

best.

A Growth Mindset – Willingness to learn and accept constructive feedback

Resilience – Can handle setback and return with determination to succeed

A Great Work Ethic – Works hard in training, prepares well for competition

The Right Support Network - Surround themselves with people that are knowledgeable,

empathetic, reliable, trustworthy and encouraging

Willing to Sacrifice - Dedicates the needed time and effort to the sport.