EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
F.O.E. Category #3
Listen to Extraneous Variables
Extraneous Variables are external circumstances beyond your control — the referee's calls, mat conditions, tournament format, seeding, weather, travel, or any other factor that affects competition but cannot be changed by you.
The Problem with Focusing on Circumstances
Wrestling is full of variables you cannot control. Bad calls happen. Mats are slippery. Brackets are unfair. The room is too hot or too cold. When you focus on these things, you waste mental energy on problems you cannot solve.
Common Extraneous Variables:
Blaming losses on bad referee calls or poor officiating
Complaining about bracket seeding or having to wrestle tough opponents early
Using mat conditions (slippery, too soft, too hard) as excuses
Letting weather, travel delays, or schedule changes affect your performance
Being distracted by crowd noise, gym temperature, or lighting
Getting frustrated with weight management challenges or weigh-in times
Blaming injuries, illness, or lack of practice time
"Circumstances don't make the wrestler — they reveal the wrestler."
Why Focusing on Externals Hurts You
1. It Drains Your Mental Energy
Every moment you spend thinking about bad calls, unfair brackets, or poor conditions is energy you're NOT spending on wrestling. Your mental battery is limited. Don't waste it on things beyond your control.
2. It Creates a Victim Mentality
When you blame external factors, you position yourself as a victim of circumstances. Victims are prey. Predators don't make excuses — they adapt and overcome.
3. It Prevents You from Improving
When you attribute losses to external factors, you don't learn from them. If you blame the ref instead of analyzing your mistakes, you'll repeat those mistakes. Champions take responsibility even when circumstances are unfair.
4. It Destroys Your Attitude
Nothing kills a positive attitude faster than feeling like everything is working against you. When you focus on negative externals, you create negative emotions that poison your performance.
The Predator Approach
Predators don't complain about the environment. A lion doesn't refuse to hunt because it's raining. Predators adapt to circumstances and focus on what they can control. Here's how:
1. Acknowledge Reality, Then Move On
Yes, the ref made a bad call. Yes, the bracket is tough. Yes, conditions aren't ideal. Acknowledge it, then immediately shift your focus to what you CAN control. Don't dwell on it.
2. Embrace Adversity as Training
Difficult circumstances make you tougher. Wrestling in less-than-ideal conditions prepares you for championships. The wrestlers who succeed despite obstacles are the ones who become champions.
3. Have a "Next Play" Mentality
Bad call? Next play. Slipped on the mat? Next play. Opponent got lucky? Next play. Champions don't waste time crying about what just happened. They focus on what happens next.
4. Control Your Response
You cannot control circumstances, but you CAN control your response to them. Will you get angry and frustrated? Or will you stay calm, positive, and focused? Your response is always your choice.
5. Make Adjustments, Not Excuses
If the mat is slippery, adjust your technique. If the bracket is tough, elevate your performance. If you're dealing with adversity, rise to the challenge. Predators adapt. Prey make excuses.
Real Example: The Champion's Response
Imagine two wrestlers at the same tournament. Both get bad calls that cost them matches.
🐰 Wrestler A (Prey)
Complains about the ref. Stays angry. Loses focus. Wrestles tentatively in the next match. Goes home bitter and blames the tournament.
🦁 Wrestler B (Predator)
Acknowledges the bad call, then moves on. Refocuses on effort and attitude. Comes back aggressive in the next match. Uses adversity as fuel to get better.
📝 EXERCISE: Identify Your Controllables
List 10 things you CAN control in every match, regardless of circumstances:
Examples: My effort level, my attitude, my hand fighting, my pace, etc.
[ Space for your 10 controllables ]
🎯 KEY TAKEAWAY
You will face bad calls, tough brackets, and difficult circumstances throughout your career. Predators don't complain — they adapt, overcome, and dominate. Focus only on what you can control: your effort, your attitude, and your aggressiveness.
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