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As an athlete, the focus is often on training the body. Yet the mind is just as important, and having confidence, clear goals and focus are vital to success. Below, we give the benefits of three different skills that can keep your brain disciplined both on and off the track and activities to help you improve.

Work with probability for problem-solving

Probability is determining how likely an event is to happen or not. For example, the meteorological office will give a probability calculation of how likely it is to rain, or snow. Others may give the probability of a certain politician being elected.

The beauty of probability is that determining it relies on numerous factors, all unique to the event itself. A good way to do this is through casino games that require skill, such as poker and blackjack. Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo famously turned to poker to keep his brain active. Managing to juggle these different factors and work out answers is the core of problem-solving.

Problem-solving is vital to the success of an athlete. You need to know that you can manage multiple goals before and during a race. You may need to make split-second decisions, often under pressure when the calves turn to rubber and the lactic acid kicks in.

Online casinos are the easiest to use if you want to use probability as a way to work on this, as they can be accessed from home or your training facility. They are now available in both the UK and Ireland, and you can find out more about them here. Many will often have attractive bonuses so you can play using the house’s bankroll for a short time. Other than this, try to find board games and puzzles that involve a degree of probability.

Consider learning a language for motivation

Learning a language has multiple benefits. Getting into a language will always come in handy, particularly if you are going to international tournaments. From full conversations to a polite thank you, a language will always endear you to the native speakers and hosts in a country.

Learning word and phrases are fine, but it is the grammar that will test your mettle. Languages like German will have similar structures to English, but get into far-flung vocabularies like Japanese and Hungarian and you will start to sweat in a way you have never done so before. All of this sparks motivation, essential for setting goals and achieving personal targets which can later be transferred to the track or field. It also increases your ability to handle pressure.

Motivation is a key component that you need as a runner. From those who are just starting a couch to 5km to professional athletes, motivation is crucial to get you moving. Very often, the hardest part is getting up on those dark mornings and lacing up your sneakers. Language learning will teach you how to set goals and gradually make improvements, as well as being a practical skill off the track.

Listen to music for focus

Listening to music is something you probably do quite a lot. You may put headphones on in the gym or have it playing in the car going between events. However, to get the best results you should try to engage with the music you don’t usually listen to and push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Constantly listening to grime? Then create a classical playlist and try it out. Always into heavy rock? Then download some jazz and see how you find it. Don’t just listen passively either or use music as an aid to running. Make sure it has your full attention, and train yourself to listen intently to the interplay between instruments and the different harmony.

All of this will help keep your focus in check, letting you avoid distractions that could interfere with performance. Staying focused from the start to the end of the competition is essential, and listening to music could help you do this. Yet it can also help runners and athletes off the track, as it is easy to get distracted by other pressures like family life and finances which may disrupt training.

These are not the only ways to increase discipline, and you may combine some of these or find other methods altogether. Once you get into the habit of practising skills that help to discipline the mind, you should see your performance increase.