The One Thing All Athletes Need

There are many characteristics that are important to have when you are an athlete. This may include being kind, caring, determined, motivated, committed, and coachable. The one thing that I think is vital to every athlete is having a positive attitude. This characteristic will follow you through life and benefit you in every single way.

Yes, it is important to be coachable, motivated, and committed, but what do all of those characteristics come from? Having a positive attitude gives athletes the will to be coachable, motivated, and committed. An athlete with a negative attitude is not going to listen to his/her coach or want to do their best at practice each day. They will look at themselves and give up or blame others for their mistakes. This will create an athlete who ultimately does not care and doesn't really want to play anymore.

Positive energy on the court/field has an enormous impact on you and your team. It can send energy to the crowd or build up adrenaline in your teammates. This will get you pumped to play and others will begin to realize why they play sports. Sports are supposed to be fun. They aren't supposed to be something you dread or even think of as a waste. These are the effects of negativity, whether it's your own or someone else's on your team. 

Nothing good comes from negativity. This only tears down a team's confidence and makes them over think. Positivity is extremely important when wanting to succeed at anything. You are not always going to achieve your highest goal, but it is important to work at it. Anything is possible and with a positive attitude you might surprise yourself. If you don't succeed, at least you had fun doing it.

When it comes down to having a positive attitude there are two things to take into consideration. For one, think about how it will affect you and your teammates on and off the court. Second, think about your experiences playing. Would you rather have good memories or bad memories about playing the sport you love? Your attitude isn't something that only affects you. Take your teammates into consideration.