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Sports psychologists like to talk about task orientation and ego orientation. If you’re focused on the tasks of getting better — on those things over which you have control — your motivation will grow. Task orientation is common among people who have high internal motivation. Ego orientation, on the other hand, is more focused on the external rewards of competing, such as winning, money, success, fame, and media exposure. Most professional athletes have a combination of both ego and task orientation, with a greater emphasis on task orientation.

If you’re struggling with motivation, ask yourself whether you’re too focused on your ego fulfillment and not enough on the tasks of getting better and building your skill set in your sport.

As an athlete, you’ll feel more motivated when you’re confident in your skill set and believe in your ability to continue to improve. And you’ll feel more motivated to practice and compete when you’re performing well or when you feel confident in your athletic skills and potential. This confidence occurs regardless of whether you receive any external rewards, such as praise from your coaches or parents.

You’ll feel more motivated when you’re concentrating on aspects of competition within your control. What you do have control over — your attitude, your preparation, how much and how well you practice, your lifestyle decisions — determines how well you do. By keeping your focus on these things, you’ll improve and, in turn, you’ll maximize your motivation.

Remember also that accomplishing small tasks — which we discuss in Chapter 3 — can be very motivating. At times, training for 3-6 months can feel like a long time and your motivation may wax and wane. However, if you focus on accomplishing tiny, “baby” steps today, your motivation and confidence grow. Go inch-by-inch and eventually you will go a mile.