Ice Hockey Systems Question

What common mental qualities do the best goalies in the world have?

Justin Goldman Answer

I would say, one of the biggest things is just, always being in the present.

I know I kind of said that earlier but it’s so important to not dwell in the past. You have to have extreme discipline with your mental and your emotional approach on a day to day basis. 

You have to have a routine, you have to know what your goals are, short term and long term and you have to have dreams. If you don’t have dreams and you don’t have passion, it does not matter how talented you are, you are not going to achieve greatness. 

But I think the best goalies in the world that I have come across, guys like Brian Elliott, who have seen the ups and downs, have been through so many different situations and still continue to grind it out and still continues to rely on his routine, and manage his body and do these little things that it takes to have success at the highest levels. That is why these guys are where they are.

I would say that is the toughest part of becoming a pro goaltender, is being able to trust that process and continue to do it day in and day out, even when things are going great and especially when you are really facing an uphill battle. Whether it has something to do with hockey, or something completely unrelated, that’s just, personal life stuff.

You have to find the way to have the discipline to bring 100% effort every day, every practice, every shot, every game.