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By Mitch Lyons
Table of Contents
THREE PRINCIPLES OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Everything is in writing – areas you need to work on, a timeline in which to achieve those goals, and a measure of progress.
1. By setting realistic goals you will create success and increase feelings of self-worth. People who have high self-worth perform better.
2. Create a positive environment to learn faster and perform better.
3. Recognize harmful thoughts and change them. Helpful, positive ones because thought effects performance.
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SIX LIFE-LONG MENTAL SKILLS TO PRACTICE
In life we need to set goals, visualize ourselves reaching those goals, and make all the effort to do so. This will teach you to pay attention to detail, relax, and have faith in your abilities (think positively) which increases self-esteem. You will notice that just by doing these things, you will perform better in all aspects of life.
1. Giving all our effort
2. Creating a positive environment for self and others
3. Focusing on the details (Task-oriented)
4. Setting written goals
5. Seeing and feeling success (Visualization/Imagery)
6. Meditating to help us focus, relax and change our moods
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REACH YOUR MAXIMUM EFFORT LEVEL
This is very important and you have to do this physically, emotionally, and visually. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, dance like nobody’s watching. Well it just means to enjoy and put your heart into it. Similarly, in sports you need to play the first minute as if it’s the last and in life – live like there are no second chances.
1. Each practice is a game – how long can we keep it up!
2. Identify maximum effort when it is happening
3. Demand a choice from them – give it all or not
4. Before each drill – what are we thinking about
5. During the drill – what are we thinking about
6. Are we completing each drill all the way
7. Are we working all sides of the drill game-like
8. It should make you feel good about yourself as a person.
9. Rate your effort after some drills
10. Visualize before practices and games what that effort feels like kinesthetically, emotionally, visually.
11. Do you feel more prepared, more confident? Take notice.
12. It must be a conscious decision to give your all.
13. You want your team to be real, honest hard working.
14. Time your effort in games and practices. How long can you keep it up?
15. If you are sitting out – get involved by supporting and cheering teammates on
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CREATE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT
You want to have pleasant experiences in anything you do. Positive attitudes make the environment enjoyable for yourself and others. All that’s left is to play hard and have fun!
PEOPLE LEARN FASTER AND PERFORM BETTER
IT’S A SKILL TO BE ACTIVELY POSITIVE
CORRECT NEGATIVITY ON YOUR TEAM
MODEL POSITIVE BEHAVIOR BY OVERCOMING ANGER
- Try to think positively and cheer up teammates when people are negative
- Monitor negative behavior and correct it all the time.
- Ask yourself “What am I thinking about?” to see if you are being negative
- At end of game, your coach should first go over what was right and then what was wrong.
- Focus on progress during games and not outcome.
- Play with team for the joy of sport and competition.
- If you aren’t in drills, shout encouragement to teammates.
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VISUALIZE YOUR GOAL
This process takes time. You will start to see yourself performing the way you want. This helps improve your skills. After a while these skills will seen like a natural reflex.
SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR AUTOMATIC RESPONSE
MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN USED ON SMALL, INDIVIDUAL, DETAILED ERRORS
USE VISUALIZATION:
- WITH NEW OFFENSE/DEFENSE/STRATEGY
- BEFORE EACH DRILL
- AFTER CORRECTION TO PICTURE THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT
- DURING A DRILL
- AWAY FROM PRACTICE, WITH GOAL-SETTING
- BEFORE EACH GAME
- DURING THE GAME (“anticipation”)
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