The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Meditation & Mental Toughness

There is a tendency, as a referee, to be “tough” and put on a brave face no matter what, to push yourself through obstacles, such as making a decision on a Key Match Incident, and to keep yourself moving forward because the alternative of slowing down might mean that you’re “falling behind.” But the problem with that full-speed-ahead approach is that it’s bound to burn you out in the long run, and it’s not going to help you mature as an official.

Genuine Mental Toughness Requires Slowing Down Both Physically & Mentally.

Many of the techniques I work with my clients on, such as controlling the controllables, staying focused in the moment, and emphasising the process over the outcome are unique ways of applying the concept of mindfulness as a referee. But if you really want to grow as an official it’s helpful to understand the broader definition of mindfulness and apply it to life both on and off the field of play so that you can benefit in numerous ways.

So What is Mindfulness?

If you’ve ever daydreamed and got distracted with thoughts while your body was doing something on autopilot then that’s a good example of what isn’t mindfulness, and what it aims to address. When “the lights are on but nobody’s home” so to speak, you are not carrying out your task to your full capacity in that moment.

If you’re in the gym training and thinking about how you really need to have a good performance in your next appointment, how disappointed you are about a mistake you made on your previous visit to that ground, or how you’re struggling at work then your concentration will suffer because your body and mind are in two separate places. Mindfulness helps bring the two back together so that you have more focus, clarity, and are able to perform better out in the middle.

Bring more conscious attention to what you’re doing in that moment.

It’s a concept rooted in the Buddhist tradition that simply asks that you bring more conscious attention to what you’re doing in that moment. Whether you’re brushing your teeth, having a laugh with family, or doing your pre-match warmup, being mindful means keeping your thoughts only in that action at that very moment rather than allowing them to wander elsewhere.

Let’s take the example of your warmup. Doing it mindfully means fully feeling your body with a quiet mind. If it helps you can “think” about how a certain muscle group feels when you’re stretching it, imagine tense areas relaxing, and really appreciating how your body allows you to engage in refereeing, which you love. That’s it. If you start to think about other things then just bring your attention back to the warmup, no need to criticise yourself for those wandering thoughts, just bring your attention back and continue with the mindful actions. Try mindfulness when you do other things too, like walking, eating or playing with your dog.

The more you get into the habit of doing all sorts of things mindfully, the easier it will be for you to access the concentration necessary to reach peak performance when it’s time to blow the first whistle!

Now here’s another practice that will improve your performance: Meditation.

Stay with me here, this isn’t woo-woo stuff. Meditation is a scientifically proven effective strategy that helps increase mental functions, lower stress, and even improve resilience to adversity. And if my word isn’t enough to convince you then consider this, some of the most successful athletes like Kobe Bryant, Joe Namath, Arthur Ashe, Barry Zito, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, and many others meditate. It’s worked out very successfully for them so you may as well give it a try!

Meditation is both incredibly simple and very difficult at first. Here’s what you do, sit and do nothing!

You can start with 5 or 10 minutes every day, and choose a time of day where you can do it consistently. Mornings tend to be best but you should prioritise consistency, so if you’re not a morning person then try afternoons or evenings. Sit down on a cushion on the floor or in a chair, close your eyes, and just focus on your breathing. That’s all, just focus on your breathing. Without altering your breath in any way, feel the breath come in and then the breath go out. If there’s a pause between breaths, notice the pause. As thoughts come in, label them, “thinking,” and immediately bring your focus back to your inhale and your exhale. Use a timer so you don’t have to keep checking the clock.

Mental Toughness is all about training your mind and these techniques will go a long way in helping you reach a new level of performance.

At The Third Team I work individually and in collaboration with different professionals where I have developed workshops and 1-2-1 sessions associated with Resilience and Mental Toughness Development to help referees. The workshops and 1-2-1 sessions are interactive, where referees are encouraged to open up and share their experiences to help themselves and each other.

Feel free to contact me if you’d like to know more about my workshops or 1-2-1 sessions and how I could help you or your officials.

Best Wishes,