Have you Thought in a Competition, “We Lost”? Athletes can quickly become tempted to give in mentally when trailing by a considerable margin or competing during unfavorable circumstances, especially when they deem the odds are not in their favor. The question is, how can you flip the script? How can you maintain your focus and mental edge when … Sport Psychology Article…
Do you Contribute to Pressure During Competitions? It’s interesting to think about how we contribute to pressure. Pressure doesn’t merely exist; it is shaped by our thoughts and feelings about competing in certain situations. Pressure is a personal experience, and your relationship to pressure impacts your anxiety and performance levels. What affects your relationship with pressure? *Belief – … Sport Psychology Article…
Mental Toughness When being Criticized Mental toughness is often seen as a physical triumph over adversity. For example, a football player who returns to action in the fourth quarter after limping off the field earlier in the game. Or a gymnast who gets back up on the balance beam to complete her routine after a hard fall. However, … Sport Psychology Article…
Facing the Worst Conditions in a Competition Were you able to concentrate on competing, or did the weather or arena mentally affect your performance? Wind, rain, snow, excessive heat, frigid temperatures, and glaring sun can affect playing surfaces and competition conditions. It is challenging to be your best when weather conditions are not optimal. But why do some … Sport Psychology Article…
How Often have ‘What Ifs’ Bombarded Your Mind? Rarely are what-ifs positive. Athletes hardly ever think, “What if I sink the next shot and win the game in overtime?” or “What if I upset my opponent and win the tournament?” Instead, what-ifs are usually negative: These internal questions are both confidence destroyers and performance-crushers. Even worse are what-if … Sport Psychology Article…
The Best Way to Turn your Performance Around Every athlete experiences rough spots or slumps, which causes periods of under performance. Many times, those athletes get in trouble when they focus on their most recent disappointing results. Many athletes fall into the trap of being mentally “nearsighted.” That is, they are consumed by their recent bad results or … Sport Psychology Article…