The Power of Mindset in Sports, Life, and Success

Hello everyone, Sterling Sheffield here, former NFL linebacker and All-American at the University of Maine. Welcome to the Life of an Extraordinary Athlete blog, where we dive deep into what separates elite athletes from the rest of the pack, and today, we’re talking about one of the most important topics: mindset.

There’s a common saying in sports: "It’s 80% mental and 20% physical." That statement couldn’t be truer. Sure, you need to be strong, fast, and agile. But when you step onto the field or court at the collegiate or professional level, everyone is strong, fast, and agile. What separates the greats from the rest? What’s between the ears. Your mindset can either be your greatest asset or your biggest limitation.

In today’s blog, we’re diving into Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking research on mindset, from her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Her work has made waves not just in education, but in sports, business, and life.

Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset

One of the key takeaways from Dweck’s research is the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. So, what’s the difference?

• Fixed Mindset: People with a fixed mindset believe their talents and intelligence are innate and unchangeable. If you run the 40-yard dash in 5 seconds, a fixed mindset makes you believe that’s just how fast you’ll ever be. You’re stuck there. If you think that way, you’ll never see improvement.

• Growth Mindset: In contrast, people with a growth mindset believe that abilities can be developed through hard work, learning from mistakes, and dedication. If you’re running the 40-yard dash in 5 seconds, the growth mindset says, "I can improve. If I work on my technique, get stronger, and keep learning, I’ll run faster." It’s all about persistence and putting in the work.

And this isn’t just about athletics. This applies to everything. In relationships, work, or even when life deals you a tough hand, your mindset determines how you bounce back.

Mindset and Overcoming Adversity

Let’s be real, life isn’t always smooth. Injuries happen. Maybe you don’t make the starting lineup. Or perhaps you don’t get recruited by that top school because they don’t believe in your abilities. This is where mindset plays a critical role.

A fixed mindset will tell you, "I guess I’m not good enough." You’ll blame the circumstances, the coaches, or other external factors. But that doesn’t help you grow. On the other hand, a growth mindset will look at that adversity and say, "This is a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity for me to grow."

One of the greatest examples of this is Tom Brady. No one would ever accuse Brady of being the fastest or strongest QB, but what he excelled at was processing the game faster than anyone else. He embraced the growth mindset, focusing on how to constantly improve his ability to read defenses and react.

Learning From Failure: The Key to Success

Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right." That’s the essence of mindset. When faced with a challenge, you have a choice: you can take the easy road that leads to stagnation, or you can push through and embrace the growth that comes from failure.

A powerful example of this in athletics is Michael Jordan. Many people know Jordan’s story—he was cut from his high school basketball team. But rather than accepting that failure, Jordan used it as fuel to become one of the greatest players of all time. It wasn’t just his talent—it was his mindset that made him relentless in his pursuit of greatness.

As Winston Churchill said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts."

The Power of “Not Yet”

One of the most powerful lessons from Carol Dweck’s research is the concept of “Not Yet.” Too often, we think of failure as the end. But what if, instead of saying “I can’t do this,” you said, “I can’t do this yet”?

"Not Yet" means you’re still on the journey. You haven’t reached the finish line, but you’re getting there. It’s about understanding that progress isn’t always immediate, but it’s happening.

This is huge in sports. Take Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history. He didn’t win every race from day one. He faced setbacks. But instead of saying, "I’ll never win," he reframed his thinking to, "I haven’t won yet, but I will." It’s that mindset that kept him pushing forward to break world records.

Developing a Growth Mindset: The Journey

Developing a growth mindset isn’t something that happens overnight—it’s a lifelong process. You have to push yourself constantly, and sometimes that means recognizing when your fixed mindset tendencies pop up. Maybe you start blaming others for your mistakes, or you avoid a challenge because you’re scared of failing. But if you catch yourself, if you recognize those triggers, you can shift your thinking.

Bryce Young, the young QB for the Carolina Panthers, was benched after a rough start in his rookie season. Now, Bryce could take that personally and blame the coaches or teammates. But if he embraces the growth mindset, he’ll see it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and come back stronger. The key isn’t avoiding failure—it’s learning from it.

Final Thoughts: Reframe Your Mindset

As we wrap up, I want to leave you with this: Reframe your mindset. Whether you’re an athlete, student, or professional, the only person who can stop you from achieving greatness is you. When you hit a wall, instead of seeing it as the end, view it as an opportunity. You haven’t succeeded yet.

And as Thomas Edison once said, "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." Failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s a part of it.

So, take a moment and think: where in your life do you need to apply the growth mindset? How can you reframe the challenges you’re facing and use them as fuel to grow? Because at the end of the day, extraordinary results come from extraordinary effort.

Thanks for tuning in, and remember—you control your mindset. Stay extraordinary, my friends.