The Sports Psychology Monthly Minute is. monthly article on some of the latest in sports.
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Performance is about more than just giving your best on game day. Performance is an ongoing process, and it starts with a mindset. A performance mindset is the combination of beliefs and habits that you bring to your performance every day. It’s also the recognition that your actions have consequences, both positively and negatively, on your performance as well as your future opportunities. In other words, it’s how you think about performance both during practice and before games. An athlete with a strong performance mindset will take responsibility for their own preparation, make adjustments when they need to, and m`aintain confidence even in challenging circumstances. With a strong performance mindset, athletes are ready to perform their best at any time. Here’s a step-by-step guide to building a performance mindset:
Build a strong foundation of habits.
Athletes have a lot of habits—both good and bad—that affect their performance outcomes. For example, if you always eat the same type of food before a match, you are creating a pattern that your body will follow during competition. The same goes for certain pre-performance routines, expectations of teammates and coaches, and thoughts about your abilities. The key is to build habits that support your performance. For example, if you always study video of the opposing team before a match, you are creating a pattern that will help you perform during the game. The more you can build on your good habits, the stronger your overall performance will be.
Recognize that you are in control of your habits.
Sometimes, it’s easy to feel like your habits are controlling you. You’ll find yourself thinking things like, “I just do that automatically” or “I’ve always done it this way.” While habits themselves are automatic, they are also something that you can control. If you notice that a habit is having a negative effect on your performance, you have the power to change it. If you’re tired of always eating the same unhealthy food before a match, try switching things up and see how you feel. Depending on the habit, it might take a little bit of time before your new behavior becomes automatic. But, over time, you’ll find yourself in control of your habits again.
Commit to developing the skills you need for your sport.
Athletes who commit to developing the skills they need for their sport tend to perform better. For example, if you want to be a better offensive player, you need to practice your offensive skills. If you want to be a better defensive player, you need to practice defensive skills. If you want to be a better goalkeeper, you need to practice goalkeeping skills. In other words, you need to commit to the practices you need to improve. It’s not enough to go to practice and expect to get better. You need to put in the work during practice so that you get better.
Know that confidence is a skill, and develop it accordingly.
There is a lot of research that suggests that generally high self-confidence is associated with better performance outcomes. All the same, confidence is a skill that you can develop. This means that you can choose to have high confidence even in challenging circumstances. In fact, studies show that people who have high self-confidence while also being realistic about their performance outcomes tend to perform better than those who are overconfident. If you’re feeling a lack of confidence, it’s important to remember that it’s a skill you can develop. You can do things like: – Think about your previous successes – Visualize how you want to perform – Practice your skills – Get feedback from your teammates – Review video of your past performances
Remember that your actions have consequences—both good and bad.
Every decision you make has consequences on your performance. For example, if you decide to sleep eight hours a night, recover well between practices, and eat healthy food, you are making positive choices that will affect your performance. On the other hand, if you decide to stay out late, not rest between practices, and eat unhealthy food, you are making negative choices that will hurt your performance. It’s important to remember that your actions have consequences and that you are in control of them. If you want to perform better, you need to make good decisions. It’s also important to remember that all choices have consequences. This means that making a poor decision one day does not mean that you have to make it every day for the rest of the season. You can choose to make a different decision the next day and still be successful. You just need to make better decisions overall over the long run.
Take time to recover after games as well as during practice days.
At the end of the day, sports are physically and emotionally taxing. If you fail to take time to recover between games, as well as after games, you are likely to experience negative consequences. For example, if you don’t take time to recover between games, you are more likely to suffer an injury that might prevent you from playing in the future. If you don’t take time to recover after games, you are more likely to experience emotional and physical fatigue that will affect your performance. In other words, recovery is an important part of every athlete’s schedule. Whether you are competing in a single game or an entire season, it’s important to take time to recover between games. And, when a game is over, it’s time to get the rest you need to be ready to perform again the next day.
Conclusion
Athletes who want to perform well need to make performance a priority. They need to focus on the little details that make a big difference in their performance. This includes having a strong mindset by building habits, committing to skills, and taking time to recover. Athletes need to be committed to their sport and understand that they have control over their actions. They need to recognize that confidence is a skill and take time to recover after games and during practice days. With a strong mindset, athletes are ready to perform their best at any time.