How to Perform Well Under Pressure Are you able to convert pressure into energy, enthusiasm, or excitement during high-level competition? Athletes who choke under pressure usually make the moment bigger than it is. In other words, they assign more significance to big tournaments than other competitors. When you view a major competition as the most important part of … Sport Psychology Article…
Play for Yourself, Not to Please Others In this sports psychology video, Dr. Cohn helps an athlete make a tough decision of whether to quit her sports or not. You’ll learn that finding your own motivation and joy in playing your sport is more important than playing for other people. In this video, learn about how to decide … Sport Psychology Article…
Managing Negativity From Others What are the main distractions that affect your performance? In what competitive situations do you find focusing more difficult? Distractions can be described as unneeded noise in your mind Some noise is internal such as your self-talk. You had probably experienced times when you thought, “I’m not good enough,” “I always choke,” or “Other … Sport Psychology Article…
Learning Mental Toughness Skills What is the core characteristic of mental toughness? The term “mental toughness” is used by a lot of athletes… Everyday you watch or listen to professional coaches, athletes, or commentators talk about mental toughness. As much as the term “mental toughness” is used, athletes and coaches still have difficulty elaborating on mental toughness and … Sport Psychology Article…
Growing and Learning From Costly Mistakes What effects do game-ending mistakes have on your confidence? For most young athletes, losing is difficult, but making a costly mistake late in a competition can hurt their confidence. For example, a gymnast may become frustrated by a bobble in their routine. However, missing a landing to finish a routine and receiving … Sport Psychology Article…
Mindset Training to Perform at Your Best What is the opposite of mental toughness? The counter to mental toughness is mental fragility. The mentally fragile athlete tends to experience apprehension in big moments, become overwhelmed when playing tough competition, and feel inadequate compared to other athletes. Mentally fragile athletes are anxious even before the competition starts and have … Sport Psychology Article…