A very well known sport psychologist, Dr. Adam Nicholls, found that “performance is impaired more by the expectation that failure will indicate one’s lack of competence than by the mere expectation of failure to complete a task.” Athletes can become much immersed in the expectation others have on them to the point that their performances become one of not wanting to fail others more than accepting one’s potential. Athletes do not want to disappoint parents …
It is commonly said that experience is a great teacher. But, to what extent is it really? Learning Sports If experience is the only factor to help us become better athletes, then all we need to do is to continue competing and, when we get older, we will be great athletes. As you can see, this does not really make a lot of sense. In a recent NBA game played between the Los Angeles Clippers …
It is commonly said that experience is a great teacher. But, to what extent is it really? If experience is the only factor to help us become better athletes, then all we need to do is to continue competing and, when we get older, we will be great athletes. As you can see, this does not really make a lot of sense. In a recent NBA game played between the Los Angeles Clippers and the …
Athletes compete to win. They work hard to do the best they can and, when they finally lift up the trophy, the joy pours through their veins. It is true that professional sport psychologists emphasize learning through its process rather than focusing on whether we win or lose. However, as challenging as this is, it is difficult to disengage from a sports culture that puts a lot of weight on winning records. Stacy Lewis, currently …
What if I told you that seeking perfection may hurt your chances of eventually getting it? We spend a lot of time learning, a lot of time practicing, and a lot of energy competing. We strive to be the best. Reaching the number one spot is what motivates many athletes in pursue of their dreams. Unless you sweat it, there is no way you can achieve it. There are many motivational quotes and inspirational phrases …
Any sport psychologist will tell you that thinking about the mechanics of your swing or stroke are a sure recipe for disaster. Regardless of the sport you practice, your peak performance will be achieved once you let go of your thinking process and allow yourself to fully trust in your swing or stroke. Do you remember when you first started to ride a bicycle? At first, there was a lot of instruction coming from a …
Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy, fantastic Irish golf players credited to the use of sport psychology strategies for their latest successes. Padraig claimed working on the “mental edge” of his game that led him to play more consistently. He has just won the Honda Classic at the PGA National, which was his first win in American soil since 2008. Rory, during an interview just before teeing off at Doral, shared that his best golf comes …
Sports Motivation 101 means, keep your dreams alive!! Yes, many of us have frequently been told to keep our dreams alive, to envision what we want to achieve and imagine how those dreams would become reality one day. There is clearly no shortage of self-help books or motivational speakers voicing the importance of visualizing what we want to achieve by keeping our dreams alive. There is certainly a lot of truth to that. The wonderful …
Athletes are motivated by many reasons. We see athletes competing to win gold medals, to achieve number 1 world rankings, or to win the local basketball tournament. When a new sports season begins, athletes see themselves achieving their goals. They cannot wait to hold the trophy and receive congratulatory comments from a lot of people. But, is imagining holding a trophy, also called an extrinsic motivation, enough to motivate an athlete? It is clear that …
Strategies to help football players find ways to contain hyper-arousal on and off the field! Football is one of the biggest American pastimes! It is a physical and aggressive game. Players wear helmets and all kinds of pads and are still bound to get broken bones, dislocated shoulders and concussions. Despite the fact that the chances of going pro are slim to nil, a truly dedicated football player is not deterred by the aggressive nature …