LESLEY TIMBOL( ADAPTED FROM DR. PATRICK COHN AT PEAK PERFORMANCE SPORTS, LLC.)
LESLEY TIMBOL( ADAPTED FROM DR. PATRICK COHN AT PEAK PERFORMANCE SPORTS, LLC.)
THE F. O. S. MINDSET
While I’ m addressing competitive bodybuilders, honestly, this applies to anyone striving for excellence.
Have you ever considered how damaging the phrase " to make matters worse " can be?
In bodybuilding, as in life, the phrase " to make matters worse " only serves to catastrophize, which means to blow a negative event even further out of proportion.
Think about the way competitors sometimes talk during prep or peak week. It starts with something small: maybe they tweaked a muscle, missed a meal, or water retention hit harder than expected. Then you hear the spiral: " I’ m already behind on my conditioning, my metabolism slowed down, and to make matters worse, I’ m holding water like crazy heading into show day." Sound familiar?
This mindset traps bodybuilders in a nasty cycle called catastrophizing where they stack every small setback, unlucky break, or imperfect detail into a pre-built excuse for underperforming on stage.
This is where the F. O. S. Mindset comes in: Focus On Solutions.
Adopting a Focus on Solutions mindset gives you back your sense of control, resilience, and competitive edge.
When adversity hits during prep or peak week, lock back into your game plan, your prep protocol, and your mental focus. Instead of obsessing over everything that has gone wrong, stay committed to what you can do right now to peak at your best.
For example: Rather than thinking, " My glutes aren’ t coming in, I’ m flat, and to make matters worse, everyone else looks better," tell yourself: " I’ ve made massive improvements this season. Every day I control my posing, my mindset, my water, and my carb timing. Every day is a new opportunity to bring a better version of myself to the stage."
• What happened last week doesn’ t matter.
• What happened yesterday doesn’ t matter.
• What matters is the actions you take today.
Let’ s be clear:
When you start building a case against yourself, you actually do make matters worse.
Not only does catastrophizing crush your confidence, it keeps your mind anchored to the problem rather than the solution.
To break free from this self-sabotaging habit, you must shift your attention to solutions because while you might not be able to control every factor, i. e., water retention, minor injuries, etc., you absolutely control how you respond and act.