How to Have Stable Confidence Do you buy into the negativity from other people? Do you lose confidence when others critique your game? Just this week, I received a message from a soccer player who said: "I'm often challenged mentally during practice if a teammate tells me how I can't do a certain thing, such as properly marking my opponent. I end up questioning my ability to do so, … [Read more...] about Athletes Who React Poorly to Criticism
Mental Game of Sports
Are You Good Enough to Start on Your Team, but Don’t?
How to be Mentally Prepared on the Bench One of the most challenging situations for athletes is knowing you're good enough to start, be on a relay team, get more playing time, or make a travel squad yet you are not given an opportunity by the coach. Not getting a chance to contribute to a team can erode confidence. And confidence is the very thing you need when it's time to show others you … [Read more...] about Are You Good Enough to Start on Your Team, but Don’t?
Coping with Pregame Anxiety
How to Stay Relaxed before a Competition “I feel like I’m going to be sick to my stomach.” Have you ever had this feeling prior to a competition? Have you ever been so anxious that you feel physically sick in the locker room before a game or competition? For some athletes, this feeling repeats itself as they carry it into each competition. This anxiety can hurt your performance because … [Read more...] about Coping with Pregame Anxiety
BIG Competitions Mindset for Athletes
How to Approach an Important Competition Do you wish you could play BIG in BIG moments? All athletes want to come up BIG in BIG moments such as: The gymnast who hopes to nail her routine in a championship meet.The golfer who dreams of sinking a birdie putt to win a golf tournament.The basketball player who wants to sink the final shot to win a playoff game.The baseball reliever who dreams … [Read more...] about BIG Competitions Mindset for Athletes
Why Top-Seeded Teams Lose
How to have a Champion Mindset for every Competition There are no guarantees in sports. Being the top-seed does not guarantee victory… Being ranked higher than your opponent doesn’t guarantee winning… Having a faster seed time entering a competition doesn’t mean you are assured winning a title… Being the defending champion does not guarantee a repeat. Yet so many top-seeds suffer … [Read more...] about Why Top-Seeded Teams Lose
How UVA Handled Pressure Successfully
Are you Successful under Pressure? Each individual athlete responds to pressure in his/her own way. Kobe Bryant stated he played his best when the pressure was on, "Everything negative – pressure, challenges – are all an opportunity for me to rise." Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. implied he doesn’t feel pressure, “There is no pressure when you’re making a dream come true.” Younger … [Read more...] about How UVA Handled Pressure Successfully
How to Thrive as an Underdog in Sports
The Underdog Mindset in Sports The definition of underdog is a team or individual that has a small chance of winning a competition. Here are a few examples when you may be considered the underdog: Playing against an undefeated team this seasonCompeting against higher ranked or seeded opponentPlaying against a team that you have never beatenCompeting against physically stronger or faster … [Read more...] about How to Thrive as an Underdog in Sports
How to Improve your Visualization Skills
Visualization Skills for Athletes Being focused in the present moment is essential for athletic performance, but many athletes struggle with maintaining this type of focus, especially after making mistakes. Often athletes make faulty predictions based on past outcomes. These faulty predictions are accompanied by negative images where the athlete sees themselves messing up in their next game … [Read more...] about How to Improve your Visualization Skills
Anticipation and Mental Preparation
The Importance of Having a Plan B ‘Expect the unexpected’ is a notion that is good in theory but rarely put into action by athletes. The unexpected happens all the time in competition but rarely are athletes prepared to deal with it. Many athletes train and practice expecting to perform under ideal conditions but, when things go slightly wrong, it can generate so much anxiety and ruin … [Read more...] about Anticipation and Mental Preparation
Overcoming Mental Blocks in Competition
Having Confidence in Your Skills Mental blocks are often the most frustrating hurdles for an athlete to encounter. The thing that makes mental blocks so challenging and irritating is that you know how to perform a skill… You know you have the ability to perform the skill and… You know you have successfully performed the skill in the past. To illustrate mental blocks, let’s first examine … [Read more...] about Overcoming Mental Blocks in Competition