How to overcome mistakes
Let's be real for a second. Nobody, no player is perfect. As much as we would all like to be or think we are, we are all imperfect people. We are all prone to making mistakes and have made plenty of mistakes at some point in our lives. It is part of our nature. The goal is to learn from your mistakes and make sure you do not repeat them.
Here are 3 things you need to remember about making mistakes:
You cannot learn anything by being perfect. So, when you make a mistake, you must admit it, take responsibility for it, correct it, learn from it, and make sure you do not repeat it again.
Making mistakes is BETTER than FAKING perfection.
The biggest mistake you can make is being afraid to make one.
If the best goalkeepers in the world (Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Buffon, Manuel Neuer, etc.) allow mistakes or errors to completely take them out of the game (e.g., Lead them to lose their concentration), then their careers would be different. They would not be considered professionals. Developing a unique “short term memory loss” process to overcome mistakes and refocus, QUICKLY, is essential for goalkeepers of all ages and levels to perform better and grow as players.
How can you develop that process? Start with the following 3 suggestions:
Do a simple physical action. For example: Clap your hands 3 times.
Paired with a physical action should be your mantra. You need to come up with a mantra that will enable you to get back in the present moment and expel all negative talks/thoughts. For Example, whenever you make a mistake, as you clap your hands 3 times, you can say something like: “It’s OK! Let’s move on!” “Can’t dwell on this! Let’s keep going!” or “On to the next one, I got this!" It does not have to be too complicated or complex. Make it something short and simple to bring you back in the present moment quickly.
Be aware of your reactions when you make a mistake or have negative self talk. Then, ask yourself: How is this reaction serving me? Reflect on your answer. If it is not enhancing your performance or serving you in any way, then it is time to make a change. Change that reaction to something positive and uplifting.
Remember this: Mistakes and success go hand in hand. For goalkeepers, mistakes can come in all forms (e.g., Lack of concentration during a catch, bad pass, bad form during a dive, etc.). However, do not forget that every player makes mistakes. Strikers miss shots, midfielders lose possession in the middle third, and defenders miss-clear the ball at times. As stated earlier, even though making mistakes is part of the game of football, so is success. For goalkeepers, it can come in all forms. It may be an upper 90 save that helps keeps the your team in the game or maintains your team’s advantage in the dying minutes of the game; quickly distributing the ball to a player and starting a counter attack that leads to a goal (This is still one of my favorite examples of this. Watch this: Allison Becker's assist to Mohamed Salah) or making a breakaway save that bails your defender out.
In conclusion, you must learn how to overcome your mistakes quickly if you are to find success as a goalkeeper. Try to develop your unique “short term memory loss” process when you make mistakes so you do not let an error eat you up during training, let alone during a game! You cannot do anything about the past. You cannot change it. So, focus on the present. Focus on the moment. After practice or after the game, take time to reflect and assess what went wrong. Continue to build your confidence. Hard work, focus, and believing in yourself will help reduce the amount of mistakes you make.
Train the brain and the body will perform better!
