{"id":11098,"date":"2024-06-06T14:54:18","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T18:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=11098"},"modified":"2026-01-29T10:51:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:51:26","slug":"helping-athletes-be-more-hungry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-be-more-hungry\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping\u00a0Athletes Be More Hungry"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/hungry-for-more.jpg\" alt=\"Helping\u00a0Athletes Be More Hungry\" class=\"wp-image-11100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/hungry-for-more.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/hungry-for-more-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Constantly_be_Improving_Your_Game\"><\/span>How to Constantly be Improving Your Game <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-be-more-hungry\/#How_to_Constantly_be_Improving_Your_Game\" >How to Constantly be Improving Your Game<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-be-more-hungry\/#Difference_Between_Satisfied_and_%E2%80%9CHungry%E2%80%9D\" >Difference Between Satisfied and &#8220;Hungry&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-be-more-hungry\/#Maxeys_Motto_for_Motivation\" >Maxey\u2019s Motto for Motivation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-be-more-hungry\/#Related_Youth_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Youth Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-be-more-hungry\/#10-Minute_Pre-Game_Prep_Digital_Download\" >10-Minute Pre-Game Prep (Digital Download)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Many athletes reach a point where they believe they have maxed their potential or can no longer improve. Some set career goals, and when they accomplish their objective, they become satisfied and lose their motivation to achieve more. <strong>Athletes need to be more hungry <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, maybe your young athletes set a goal of playing in college. Throughout high school, they consistently pushed themselves in practice.&nbsp;In the summer, they attended clinics to sharpen their skills.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During practices, they were motivated to refine their mechanics to maximize performance. During the offseason, they ran regularly to improve their conditioning and started a weight training regimen to increase their physical strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During their senior year in high school, college coaches expressed an interest in having them join their team.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, their work paid off during college tryouts, and their dream became a reality; they made the team!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, after they achieved their goal, their performance leveled off. Instead of resetting their goal or furthering their game in college, they were just happy to be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A \u201csatisfied\u201d mindset often leads to regrets after an athletic career ends. Many athletes agonize over what could have been during their post-athletic careers. They wonder, \u201cWhat could I have achieved if I had continued to work on my game?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Difference_Between_Satisfied_and_%E2%80%9CHungry%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Difference Between Satisfied and &#8220;Hungry&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The opposite of a \u201csatisfied\u201d mindset is a \u201c<strong>hungry<\/strong>\u201d mindset. In a \u201chungry\u201d mindset, sports kids continually want more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They want to achieve greater heights, contribute more to their team and maximize their athletic potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Athletes with a \u201c<strong>hungry<\/strong>\u201d mindset ask themselves, \u201cWhat can I specifically do to further my game?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a clear guiding principle, kids\u2019 progress can stagnate, leading to a plateau in performance. It\u2019s crucial to have a guiding principle that keeps pushing kids forward, even when they accomplish a long-term goal set early in their career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Maxeys_Motto_for_Motivation\"><\/span>Maxey\u2019s Motto for Motivation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey averaged 25.9 points and 6.2 assists during the 2023-24 NBA regular season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maxey, now in his fourth season in the league, was named an All-Star for the first time and earned the Most Improved Player award for the 2023-24 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maxey\u2019s motto motivates him to strive to improve his game daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy goal is to get one percent better every single day,\u201d Maxedy said. Maxey has a \u201c<strong>hungry\u201d mindset, <\/strong>one he has cultivated throughout his athletic career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen I got drafted I said I\u2019d work extremely hard and I\u2019d make sure it\u2019s not a regret,\u201d Maxey said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI really meant those things. I wanna keep building and keep getting better every single day\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s something that I preach. Something that I live by and it\u2019s not fake or something I started last year. I\u2019ve been saying that for a very long time. My pop\u2019s been on me about it. He always said proper preparation prevents poor performance so, for me, it does really mean a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To consistently improve, kids need motivation and a driven mindset. Taking an active role in fueling their motivation keeps athletes\u2019 drive alive for long-term athletic success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Help sports kids create a motto, a guiding principle, that motivates them to push themselves mentally and physically, such as \u201cone percent better every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Asks kids to write the motto on their equipment or an index card that they can place in their equipment bag. When training is monotonous or boring, they should remind themselves of the motto to keep their motivation high, and help them constantly be <strong>more hungry. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Youth_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Youth Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/using-neuroscience-to-improve-athlete-performance\/\"><strong>Using Neuroscience to&nbsp;Improve&nbsp;Athlete Performance<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/help-kids-improve-their-focus-before-competition\/\"><strong>Help Kids Improve Their Focus Before Competition<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/can-sports-improve-self-esteem\/\"><strong>Can Sports Improve Young Athletes\u2019 Self-Esteem?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-2af4b66a-7a25-46fc-b627-e07fc2853075\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-Minute_Pre-Game_Prep_Digital_Download\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/10-minute-pregame-prep-digital\" title=\"10-Minute Pre-Game Prep (Digital Download)\">10-Minute Pre-Game Prep (Digital Download)<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\" id=\"block-59efff1d-7aae-4218-86ef-46a87932eb50\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/pregame-prep-small.jpg\" alt=\"Pregame Mental Preparation for Young Athletes\" class=\"wp-image-11162\" style=\"width:170px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>&#8220;<strong>10-Minute Pregame Prep<\/strong>&#8221; teaches young athletes how to manage the expectations they feel, cope with pregame pressure, and take charge of their confidence before a game or competition\u2013in just 10 minutes a day! 8 ten-minute audio lessons included and 8 parent manuals on each lesson. Our most popular program for young athletes and their parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your kids learn many sport-specific examples of things kids should be concentrating on\u2014the thoughts, feelings, cues, or images to focus their best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The audio guides young athletes through eight short lessons that will help them boost their pregame mental preparation and success in sports. Your kids listen to the audio and then complete the exercises for each of the eight lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-8433f154\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-25\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-medium-font-size has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/10-minute-pregame-prep-digital\" style=\"border-radius:9px\">BUY NOW<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to Constantly be Improving Your Game Many athletes reach a point where they believe they have maxed their potential or can no longer improve. Some set career goals, and when they accomplish their objective, they become satisfied and lose their motivation to achieve more. Athletes need to be more &#8230; <a title=\"Helping\u00a0Athletes Be More Hungry\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-be-more-hungry\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Helping\u00a0Athletes Be More Hungry\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[253,510],"class_list":["post-11098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-young-athletes-improve"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11098"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13053,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11098\/revisions\/13053"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}