You are the architect
The science of mental training
"He’s a tough one." "She lacks self-confidence." "I've never had great self-esteem."
We hear these phrases constantly. They all convey a persistent belief: that our mental capacities are fixed traits, characteristics we either possess or don't, like the color of our eyes.
This view is scientifically false and incredibly limiting. Mental strength is not a gift. It's a set of capacities that can be trained, developed, and strengthened.
Recent decades of neuroscience discoveries confirm it: we are not spectators of our mental abilities—we are their architects.
Neuroplasticity: Our brain constantly rebuilds itself
Modern research shows that our brain continuously reshapes itself according to our experiences and training. This is called neuroplasticity—the nervous system's ability to physically reorganize itself based on practice.
Richard Davidson's work, particularly on meditation, demonstrates that certain mental practices durably modify the activity and structure of brain regions linked to emotional regulation (Davidson & Begley, 2012). In other words, our thoughts and experiences leave a biological imprint.
Mental capacities are not set in stone. They evolve, provided they are trained. Let's see how this applies to four essential capacities for any athlete.
Four trainable mental capacities
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is not an objective assessment of our worth, but rather the relationship we maintain with ourselves.
Kristin Neff's research (2011) has shown that self-compassion—the ability to treat ourselves with kindness in difficulty—can be cultivated through simple protocols, with measurable effects on anxiety and well-being. Concretely, this involves working on our internal dialogue.
An effective practice consists of reformulating our self-talk after a failure: write down what you would say to a friend in the same situation, then reread it to yourself.
Keeping a journal helps identify and gradually soften patterns of self-criticism.
🧭 Put it into practice
After a missed session or a DNF, note what you would say to a teammate in that situation. Then reread that phrase as if it were addressed to you. You've just trained your self-esteem.
Self-confidence
Albert Bandura (1997) conceptualized self-efficacy—the belief in one's ability to succeed at a specific task.
Confidence doesn't arise from positive thinking, but from concrete evidence of success. Each micro-experience of mastery reinforces the conviction that we can succeed again. This construction of self-efficacy can take a very tangible form.
In sports, this means building progressive stages: a bit longer, a bit faster, a bit more difficult.
Keeping track of these successes in a journal helps anchor the learning and reinforce confidence.
🧭 Put it into practice
Before a demanding event, reread notes from your previous training sessions where you overcame a difficulty. This process strengthens your self-confidence.
Concentration
In a world saturated with distractions, concentration becomes a training in itself.
Neuroscientist Amishi Jha (2015) has shown that just a few minutes of daily focused attention exercises are enough to improve working memory and attentional stability. The training consists of developing this capacity for attentional return.
The goal is not to eliminate distractions, but to learn to bring attention back to the chosen point—breath, stride, pedaling cadence.
Each voluntary return is a repetition, a strengthening of the attentional "muscle."
Taking a minute after each session to note a moment when attention drifted, and how it was brought back, develops metacognition: the ability to observe one's own mental processes.
🧭 Put it into practice
During your next long outing, on a climb or an endless ascent, observe when your mind wanders elsewhere. Consciously bring it back to the rhythm of your breath or your cadence. Each return is a repetition of concentration.
Resilience
Resilience is a cognitive and emotional skill.
Carol Dweck (2006) distinguishes two mindsets: fixed ("I am this way") and growth ("I haven't mastered this yet"). This nuance opens the door to learning.
Martin Seligman (2011) has shown that optimism can also be trained. By identifying our automatic explanations in the face of failure—"it's permanent, it's my fault"—it's possible to reformulate them in a more precise and realistic way. In practice, this translates into observational and reformulation work.
After an underperformance, write down your interpretation in black and white, then revisit it: what were the contextual factors? What is the contrary evidence?
Each reevaluation develops the cognitive flexibility that supports resilience.
🧭 Put it into practice
Replace "I'm not good at climbing" with "I haven't yet mastered long ascents." That little word, "yet," transforms a permanent label into a process capable of being modified.
The training process: essential principles
These four capacities seem different on the surface, but their training rests on common principles, solidly established by research.
Regularity trumps intensity. Ten daily minutes are worth more than two occasional hours.
Gradual progression. Effective learning builds through accessible stages.
Self-observation. Keeping a mental training journal helps identify internal patterns and objectify progress.
Self-compassion. Self-criticism hinders progression; compassion makes it sustainable.
The long game. Significant effects appear after eight to twelve weeks of regular practice.
🧭 Put it into practice
You can start now by making the effort to note each day a mental or emotional observation related to training: motivation, fatigue, desire, doubt. Rereading these notes over time reveals the cycles of your mental state, like an internal compass.
You are the architect
The myth of "innate mental strength" is comfortable: it relieves us of responsibility for change. But it also deprives us of the power to act.
Science is more demanding, but infinitely more liberating: we can train our mental capacities. Self-esteem, confidence, concentration, and resilience are not gifts, but examples of adaptive skills.
Every day, our thoughts, reactions, and choices shape our inner architecture. The first step is not to transform everything, but to observe.
Observing your thoughts, noting your reactions, recognizing moments when you return to yourself: this is already training.
Your brain rewires itself with each repetition. The question is therefore no longer whether you can change, but will you choose to do so.
Références
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
Davidson, R. J., & Begley, S. (2012). The Emotional Life of Your Brain: How Its Unique Patterns Affect the Way You Think, Feel, and Live - and How You Can Change Them. New York: Hudson Street Press.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House.
Jha, A. P., Morrison, A. B., Dainer-Best, J., Parker, S., Rostrup, N., & Stanley, E. A. (2015). Minds "at attention": Mindfulness training curbs attentional lapses in military cohorts. PLOS ONE, 10(2), e0116889.
Neff, K. D. (2011). Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. New York: William Morrow.
Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. New York: Free Press.
