Hey y’all! 2025 is finally here, and I’m sure many of you have entered with a list of new resolutions and goals. If you’re an athlete, and are yet to come up with resolutions for this New Year, or are curious to add more to your list, I have a few suggestions for you in this blogpost. Keep reading and let me know what you think.
Best New Year Resolutions For Athletes
- Focus On Mental Training
- Train With Intent
- Track Your Habits
- Make Time For Recovery
- Read A Book
- Write In Your Journal
- Add Variety To Your Training
- Show Gratitude Everyday
- Give More, Take Less
- Celebrate!
Focus On Mental Training
Don’t think I’m saying this just because I am a Sport Psychologist. But seriously, focus on your mental training this year. Many talented athletes fail to reach their mark because they focus on their physical skills alone and have forgotten to put time and effort into their mental training. If you are confused as to how to go about mental training, drop a message at mindyourwicket@gmail.com
Train With Intent
Training with and without intent can make a huge difference in your mindset and your performance. The next time you are going to train, ask yourself, “What am I training for today?” Create a SMART goal for yourself, short-term and long-term and train specifically for that with the help of your coach, your trainer and your sport psychologist, and see the difference.
Track Your Habits
I have to admit that I tend to struggle with sticking to habits. Tracking my habits is part of my New Year Resolution list, and I think it would be terrific for you as well. There are plenty of ways to do so, but my favorite ones are:
- Set an alarm/reminder on your phone
- Use an app like Habitica or Streaks
- Create a vision board with a calendar
- Have an accountability buddy
- Take pictures or videos of your habits on a daily basis. You can also document your journey on social media to motivate yourself, and inspire others.
Make Time For Recovery
Please, please, please make time for recovery guys! There are so many injuries which can be avoided if athletes simply ensure that they are well-rested. Remember that every moment of rest is an investment in your strength and your health.
Read A Book
Pick up a book, any book, and read it. It does not need to be a science journal, or anything to do with sports; any book will do. The more you read, the more you learn and the better your mind can visualize and perform. And if you have been reading my material, you know the high level of importance I give to visualization for athletes. Have a goal to read at least one book a month this year.
Write In Your Journal
Just as reading is important, writing down your thoughts is also important. When you write, you not only give space to vent, but also allow your thoughts to be more articulated. This means that you will be able to understand yourself better, while also creating a first-hand record about your personal and professional life.
Add Variety To Your Training
If you’re a cricketer, try incorporating badminton into your training. If you are a runner, try playing football sometime. If you are a basketball player, try playing some ping-pong. When you bring variety into your training, your mental performance not only improves, but you can also say hello to better physical agility and stamina.
Show Gratitude Everyday
Another fantastic habit to start this year is to show gratitude every day. There are numerous things we often take for granted, like good food, clothing, friends, etc. that we need to show gratitude for every day. This is not necessarily a religious thing, but try it regularly and you will see yourself flourishing both on and off the field.
Give More, Take Less
This is another one of my resolutions this year, to give more. Most of us are often takers and keep sponging off the universe. Try to do more giving this year, not just in terms of your money, but your time, your energy, and everything in between.
Celebrate!
Finally, make it a resolution to celebrate more this year. Don’t just celebrate when you score well in a tournament or a game, but celebrate every little accomplishment. Your celebrations do not need to be so grand and expensive. Eating a dessert that you like, going out to the beach for a fun day, or even buying some gear that you had your eyes on, all these are great examples.
If you have any comments, leave them at mindyourwicket@gmail.com
References
https://olympics.com/en/news/athletes-share-new-years-resolutions-paris-2024
https://www.verywellmind.com/why-new-years-resolutions-fail-6823972
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