Calling all athletes, this post is for you! As a sports performance counselor, I know there is a huge mental aspect to playing sports. I work with many athletes on supporting their mental game before, during and after their season. Let’s be honest, the mental side of the game is real! Certain things that occur during your game or performance can create different emotions that you as an athlete have to manage quickly as different situations and outcomes in the game arise. In this post, I want to talk about having a positive mindset and also about specific mental skills that can help an athlete play at their peak performance. Setting aside time within your physical practice routine to learn ways to train and support your mind is highly effective in getting in the zone and staying there. Below are 5 tips to help any athlete perform better!
Tip 1: Positive Mindset
Mindset is everything. Staying positive helps you remain calm and focus on what’s in front of you. Focusing on the negative encourages doubt and decreases your confidence, which decreases your performance.
Tip 2: Forget the Last Play
Forget the last shot, goal, fumble or swing. You can’t change what already happened, you can only focus on what is in front of you. Stay Present. Focus on what you are doing at this moment, right now.
Tip 3: Confident Self-Talk
Telling yourself you can succeed because you have the ability to perform at an optimal level is powerful. Using positive self-talk increases your attention and your ability to remain in control of the situation. Negative self-talk impedes your progress and your confidence, which can be detrimental to your game.
Tip 4: Every Play Counts
Surrendering is not an option. It is important to train yourself to refocus quickly. Stop thinking about what just happened. Start focusing on what is in front of you and what the next play is going to look like so you can keep your mindset strong to perform.
Tip 5: Envision the Play
Visualization is a powerful tool. Use it. Before taking the shot, visualize what the play is going to look like. Breathe and focus your mind so you can perform at the level you know you are capable of.
At Elite Psychology and Wellness, we are highly experienced and trained mental health & sport performance counselors who are ready to help you perform and succeed at your optimal level.
We help you be the best athlete you can be! Give us a call today!
