NEXT PLAY MENTALITY: WHAT NAVY SEALS KNOW ABOUT MOVING ON FROM MISTAKES
The $40,000 Miss
It was my second year roping in Las Vegas. I was competing in one of the outdoor qualifiers, the ones that run before the big event inside at the Finale, and my partner and I came back third high call. First place was paying $40,000 to the team.
And I missed my steer.
I'll be honest, I don't usually let myself remember or talk about my misses. But this one taught me too much to keep it to myself.
I remember sitting on my horse feeling completely flabbergasted. But almost right away, a second thought showed up: I can't afford to spend one single minute on this. The next morning, I was roping inside at the Finale. Every minute I spent replaying that miss was a minute of energy I'd be stealing from tomorrow.
That moment was my next play mentality being put to the test.
What Is a Next Play Mentality?
The phrase comes from the sports world, and performance coach Alan Stein Jr. is one of its best-known champions. In basketball, when a player turns the ball over, they don't stand there with their hands on their head. They sprint back on defense. The last play is over. The only play that matters is the next one.
For those of us in the arena, the "next play" might be the next steer, the next pattern, or the next stage. But the principle is the same. We can't change the run that just happened. We can only decide what we do next.
And here's why this matters so much. When we replay a mistake over and over, we're not just remembering it. We're rehearsing it. Our brains get better at whatever we practice, and that includes practicing the miss. Rumination doesn't fix the last run. It quietly sabotages the next one.
What Navy SEALs Know About Moving On
This week on the Cowgirl Up podcast, we've been learning mindset lessons from those who serve, and this idea keeps showing up.
Former Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink answers every setback with one word: "Good." He isn't pretending the problem isn't real. He's choosing, in a split second, to stop looking backward and start looking for what he can do with it.
Retired SEAL Andy Stumpf talks about "chunking," breaking an overwhelming situation down into the next manageable step. When everything is going wrong, SEALs don't look at the whole mountain. They look at what's directly in front of them.
People in the military don't have the luxury of dwelling on mistakes. The mission keeps moving, and they have to move with it. Those of us in the arena don't have that luxury either, not if we want to perform under pressure when it counts most.
How I Moved On Without Pretending It Didn't Happen
A next play mentality doesn't mean acting like the mistake never happened. Here's what I actually did that night in Vegas.
First, I let myself feel it. I was disappointed, and I didn't pretend otherwise.
Second, I pulled out one lesson. Just one. I realized I needed to really focus on swinging aggressive. That was the takeaway, and once I had it, the mistake had done its job.
Third, I turned every bit of my energy toward the next day. I doubled down on all of my mental game tools and my preparation for the Finale.
The next morning, I rode into that arena and roped every one of my steers.
I truly believe my ability to let go of that miss and think only about my next runs played a big part in that. Not because I'm naturally good at shaking things off. I'm not! I had spent years training my mind to do it.
Paul said it beautifully in Philippians 3:13-14: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal." That's a next play mentality, written two thousand years ago.
How to Build Your Own Next Play Mentality
Mental toughness training isn't reserved for Navy SEALs or pros. It's built in small, everyday reps. Here are a few places to start.
Give the mistake a job. Ask, "What's the one thing I can learn from this?" Find it, then let the rest go. One lesson, not a list.
Ask what's important now. Coach Lou Holtz called it WIN: What's Important Now. When your mind drifts back to the last run, bring it forward with that question.
Try saying "Good." It may feel silly at first. That's okay. It interrupts your inner critic before it gets rolling.
Practice in small moments. A missed loop in the practice pen, a bad morning, a frustrating day at work. Every small mistake is a chance to rehearse moving on, so the skill is there when the big check is on the line.
In my 1-on-1 coaching, we take this further and build a personalized reset routine, so letting go becomes automatic instead of something we have to think through in the heat of the moment. But the mindset comes first, and you can start building it today.
Your Next Play Starts Now
If you've ever carried a bad run into the next one, or into the next week, you're not alone. I've been there. And I can tell you that a next play mentality can be learned.
This week's power statement on the Cowgirl Up podcast says it perfectly: I stay on mission, one play at a time. You can listen to this week's episodes, Lessons From Those Who Serve, anywhere you get your podcasts.
And if you're ready to build a complete mental game toolkit with a mental performance coach who has been in your boots, I'd love to talk with you. Learn more about coaching [LINK: coaching page] or book your free discovery call here: https://thehub-api.mastermind.com/widget/booking/4lv6jvtWDaKLScRzga20
Next play. Next steer. Next run. Let's go.
About the Author
Laurie Blickenstaff is a Certified Mental Performance Coach, competitive team roper, and the founder of Mental Game 101. After years of struggling with pressure and confidence in the arena, she trained her mental game and went on to win the #7 Yeti World Series of Team Roping Finale in Las Vegas. Today she helps competitors in western sports and beyond build the mindset and mental skills to perform with confidence, consistency, and joy. She hosts the daily mindset podcast Cowgirl Up and lives in Colorado's Vail Valley.
