Perfectionism In Sports Many athletes believe the pursuit of perfection is critical for success. These athletes feel the quest for perfection results in better and better performances. But does perfectionism improve performance? Striving for perfection in practice, yes. Trying to perform perfectly, no… The need to perform perfectly creates a tremendous amount of stress for athletes. Perfectionists are … Sport Psychology Article…
Where Do Negative Beliefs Come From? Negative beliefs prevent some athletes from achieving the success they dream about. These athletes are plagued with negative beliefs about their talents and ability to perform in competition. These negative beliefs, self-labels, and irrational thoughts can overwhelm athletes often before the competition even begins. By the time the competition starts, lack of … Sport Psychology Article…
Perfectionism In Athletes When competing, do you hold yourself to the standard of perfection? If you hit a bad shot or make a bad play… do you put yourself down? Does your performance steadily spiral downward? Has there been a time when competing and you placed so much pressure on yourself to play the perfect game or have … Sport Psychology Article…
How To Play Well When You Feel Uncomfortable Does your performance suffer when you’re not “on,” you feel uncomfortable, or don’t have your “A” game that day? Do you struggle with staying confident and grind out the competition if your game is off or the competition is strong? I often work with perfectionists that have trouble staying composed … Sport Psychology Article…
Changing Beliefs for Perfectionists Athletes who are perfectionist can struggle with low confidence in both practice and competition. Perfectionists demand a lot from themselves about the quality of their performance. They have high expectations. This can lead to self-doubt when these athletes do not perform up to their high standards. Perfectionists also have a hard time transferring the … Sport Psychology Article…
In this week’s sports psychology podcast, mental game of sports expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn, answers a mental toughness question from a sports parent whose daughter’s pregame nerves prevent her from performing at her best. Dr. Cohn discusses some possible causes of feeling tight and anxious before competition. He shares how fear of failure and perfectionistism may play a … Sport Psychology Article…