Stop Getting Involved in the Fan Mentality

You are either a Competitor or Fan.

This time of year wrestlers need to be extra careful of getting caught up in the “Fan Mentality.” I will admit it is harder today than ever before. Rankings, seedings, predictions, forums, interviews, newspapers, box scores. Then there is social media which amplifies everything- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and on and on. Then there is Trackwrestling. Interviews, matches and endless past results. Then comes the mental gymnastics we play in our mind. Well I beat this kid by 3 points, he beat him by 4, so this will be a close match.

There is one major problem with all of this hype. It doesn’t help you wrestle better. Will reading my opponents past results help me finish a single leg? How about turn my opponent or get off the bottom? That’s a big NO! Most wrestlers I talk to say that they wrestle their best out of state or when they don’t know their opponent. There is a simple reason why. They are focusing more on themselves than their opponent.

The good news- This is a quicker fix than most mental training. Simply steer clear of the “fan mentality” and distance yourself mentally or physically from people who are involved in the hype. You are either in the circle or out of the circle. A wrestler or a spectator. You can’t be both effectively.

Mindset Tip- Don’t look at or talk about rankings, forums, box scores, articles, Trackwrestling until the season is over. When you have an urge to do so, watch a technique video instead or get your mindset training done. Use social media to your advantage not to add pressure. Focus on the things that will help make you a better wrestler and competitor.

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