Stephen Gostkowski Quotes

When I go out on the ice, I just think about my skating. I forget it is a competition.

Growing up, I did quite a bit of reading on the mental side. My dad, who coached me, had us doing a lot of different types of mental work, like visualization. I read a couple of tennis books that talked about calming your nerves, belief, visualization, relaxing, breathing.

I would not be in the NFL, 100 percent, if it wasn't for basketball. I probably wouldn't be where I am without golf and baseball. Golf, for the mental side of the game, being able to focus on the now and take one shot at a time.

I'm supposed to relax and concentrate on the image of myself out there skating my race.

When I'm starting a race, I just completely narrow down my vision and focus on what's directly ahead of me.

So you have to be more mentally focused in baseball.

A good athlete always mentally replays a competition over and over, even in victory, to see what might be done to improve the performance the next time.

I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon as I see the targets, I tune them out.

There's steps that I've taken already, and each week, talking with the sports psychologist on a routine basis and working with the different programs that we're going through. This is all stuff that you can say you're going to make a difference, but I'm putting it into action.

I learned early in sports that to be effective - for a player to play the best he can play - is a matter of concentration and being unaware of distractions, positive or negative.

Before a match, I need to be alone. I need to reach concentration and focus on the game ahead of me.

There is a need to be the best you can be. You can't panic; you concentrate. When I run up to the hurdles, I'm very nervous, but I'll tend to think about technical things to keep my mind focused.

As a goalkeeper, you've got to have mental toughness, and that's one thing I'm good at.

We must condition the players. They need to get into the right frame of mind in the hours leading up the game.

When I set my eyes on the gold at the world championships, I was able to maintain that focus that whole day. That's what I aim to do in Rio - my focus is gold, so I can keep in that good state; I can't get too complacent. I can't relax; I can't be content. I need to be 100 per cent switched on.

I think the most important asset to kicking is being mentally headstrong.

One of my key mental fitness tips is to make sure you are aware of your target and develop a strategy - a routine that you can depend on while in the race. This is a crucial part of mental fitness and preparation.

Just focus on doing what you love to do and play your best game. Get your qualities out of the pitch, enjoy your game and don't think about the other things.

I just keep myself focused and try to prepare each week for our games.

I focus on each leg and not what the score is.

From the neck up is where you win or lose the battle. It's the art of war. You have to lock yourself in and strategise your mindset. That's why boxers go to training camps: to shut down the noise and really zone in.

My coach has taught me since 5 years old, and he stresses not just the quality of training but the mental part. Technique and the mental game have to mesh, balance.

When I get onto the pitch, I block out everything around it, and I really focus on the pitch.

I learn how to put myself in situations at practice that cause me to zone in on what I'm trying to accomplish at meets. I try to make my practice surrounding as close to competition pressure to focus on what I need to do on the big stage.

I cannot control what goes on in another lane and this is how I focus on the Games. There is no point in being nervous of other swimmers. It's just about focusing on yourself and what you need to do in order to perform at your best.