Sponsored Content Powered by the experience and values of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, TrueSport provides educational resources focused on Sportsmanship, Character Building & Life Skills, and Clean & Healthy Performance that support the whole child and help teach the life lessons that can be learned through sport. Read TrueSport stories How to Combat an Excuse Mentality by Guest Post TrueSport September 27, 2020 | 2 minutes, 8 seconds read Check out more TrueSport video content on the TrueSport SportsEngine Play Channel Athletes with an excuse mentality fear negative outcomes and make excuses to avoid responsibility. According to Patrick Cohn, PhD, sports psychologist and founder of Peak Performance Sports, an excuse mentality results from allowing circumstances to dictate your actions instead of taking control of them.The effects of an athlete with an excuse mentality can ripple throughout a team and disrupt the dynamics between teammates. Keeping the team accountable to one another is key in teaching athletes how to take responsibility and avoid the trap of making excuses.Here are four practical tips for combating the excuse mentality on your team:Focus on StrengthsTo encourage athletes to take responsibility, Dr. Cohn recommends focusing on their strengths.“Focusing on strengths will help you see what you can do, right now, to turn things around instead of getting stuck on what has already happened,” he says.For example, when a basketball player is struggling to make baskets, help them focus on making great passes instead of making excuses about it being tough to score. Read the Original Article at TrueSport TrueSport supports athletes, parents, and coaches. Discover how > About TrueSport TrueSport®, a movement powered by the experience and values of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, champions the positive values and life lessons learned through youth sport. TrueSport inspires athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators to change the culture of youth sport through active engagement and thoughtful curriculum based on cornerstone lessons of sportsmanship, character-building, and clean and healthy performance, while also creating leaders across communities through sport. For more expert-driven articles and materials, visit TrueSport’s comprehensive library of resources. This content was reproduced in partnership with TrueSport. Any content copied or reproduced without TrueSport and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s express written permission would be in violation of our copyright, and subject to legal recourse. To learn more or request permission to reproduce content, click here. tags in this article Athlete Issues & Advice Parent TrueSport