Winning Psychology

You are either the captain or the captive of your thoughts. – Denis Waitley, author of The Psychology of Winning: Ten Qualities of a Total Winner

It’s been said that the reality of victory originates in the head. It’s a state of mind. Our mental affirmation of success, in any endeavour, echoes beyond perceived barriers. Any sporting activity holds true to this principle, with only a slight variation in attentional style. For sailboat racing, this is especially true.

Sailboat racing: A demanding sport

Sailboat racing is one of the most demanding sports. A sailor’s attention is directed at numerous variables at the same time – weather conditions, the competition, and the boat and its crew. This attention has to be maintained over the course of an entire regatta. 

A structured approach to monitoring and managing these variables is essential. In the hope of winning, there’s little room for error. It’s a psychology event where the most confident, skillful, and determined win. Some strategies require seven or more individuals executing maneuvers in a timely manner. You have to anticipate both the wind and the weather and perceive those changes to have your sailboat in the best possible position on the high seas. 

Concentration versus intimidation

A good psyche empowers a sailor’s concentration on the race and the current sailing conditions. Intimidation results in failure. A racer who is too timid to make the right moves in strong winds lessens his chance of winning. Constant adjustments are essential in improving knowledge and skill level. The nature of sailboat racing determines its unpredictability. No two races are ever the same.  

Not only does racing demand planning and strategy, but it also requires the skill of “in the moment” attention. There’s no time to be lost in thought or critical reaction to negative thoughts in the mind and no time to dwell on mistakes in judgment. Doing so lends itself to loss of concentration of what’s happening in the playing field, reducing flexibility in responding to more favourable options. 

Patience and practice are required

A seasoned sailor knows that switching the focus to the current moment takes patience and practice. For some, meditation instills a calm state whereby actions and reactions prove to be the medium of a winning attitude. A fearful mind will not win a race.

Sailboat racing and its challenges

The reality of sailboat racing is that there are going to be bad days when things just don’t go right. You learn from your mistakes and recognize how to avoid them in the future. At the race’s end, tired and exhausted sailors set their sails for home with one thought shared by all the team. That is the knowledge that the only one responsible for the outcome of the race is the team standing together at the podium finishing as winners.

Winners visualize the big picture  

Winners have the mindset to visualize, to see the big picture and their place in that visualization by being present in the moment and fully aware of their time. They also use their time wisely. Remember that winning is not about the end goal, it is a way of life consisting of a specialized direction driven by positivity and an acknowledgement of one’s responsibility for their own actions. They follow their own road map in life.  

As Zig Ziglar, an author and motivational speaker notes “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”