Top 10 Mental Mistakes a Wrestler can Make by Travis Paulson

1) Thinking that wrestling is life and death and not realizing that wrestling is just an opportunity to do something great.
2) Focusing on defending what your opponent does well instead of making your opponent react to what you do well.
3) Wrestling not to lose and trying to hold on to a lead
4) Worrying about the crowd, the ref, the coaches when all you need to be focused on is beating the guy standing in front of you.
5) Letting a bad call distract you
6) Heading into any match thinking its going to be easy
7) Make things to complicated in your mind – Follow the K.I.S.S method – Keep it Simple Stupid
8) Not taking advantage of people around you that can help – sports med, coaches, etc.
9) Letting negative thoughts enter your mind. Don’t think about what can go wrong think about what can go right.
10) Thinking about what your opponent is ranked or what he has accomplished. It doesn’t matter what is written on a piece of paper when you are out on a wrestling mat.

Travis Paulson
3x NCAA All American
2009 U.S Nationals Champion
2010 U.S. World Team Member