From missed shots to new victories: Lessons from elite athletes

Elite athletes are not defined by physical fitness alone. Their ability to manage pressure, doubts and failure can be just as important, a Generali project featuring Slovenian sports figures argues.

In the project, “Train Your Body, Train Your Mind,” Goran Dragić discusses his achievements and mistakes with former alpine skier and Generali ambassador Štefan Hadalin. Coach Aleš Živanović also shares his views on mental preparation and resilience.

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We still talk too little about athletes’ mental preparation, even though it is just as important as training the body.

The campaign uses videos and interviews with Slovenian volleyball players, skiers, cyclists, former professionals and coaches. It focuses on persistence, confidence, concentration, emotional regulation and ways to prevent mistakes from becoming overwhelming.

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The fact is that as a player, you can influence only your behavior, your emotions and your attitude.

Hadalin says, “We still talk too little about athletes’ mental preparation, even though it is just as important as training the body.” Živanović adds, “The fact is that as a player, you can influence only your behavior, your emotions and your attitude.”

Dragić says the hardest moments of his career taught him the most: “If I look back on my career, I most often remember the difficult moments. Not in a negative sense, but because they taught me the most.” The project also stresses the role of supportive environments in athletes’ careers and after they leave professional sport.

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If I look back on my career, I most often remember the difficult moments. Not in a negative sense, but because they taught me the most.