The first place I start with my individual students is introduce my formula for success and eliminated unhealthy expectations. The three tenants include: (1) Identify and eradicate expectations that limit success. (2) Replace expectations with manageable objectives instead of "strict" expectations.
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Mental Game Skills
Cue Yourself to Focus
The more I work with athletes from a variety of sports, I reach the same conclusion. The most important principle in focus is that ability to focus on the process in the present (here and now.) However, it is not as easy as may be implied. You must define what to focus on - called performance
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3 Steps to Refocusing
I teach a simple three-step process to help athletes regain focus when off-task. You will not always play in the zone and focus 100% of the time. There will be times that you have to refocus such as when you start to think about who is watching you perform. Using the three R's help you refocus when
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Confidence is a Mindset
What is self-confidence? Confidence is a belief in the strength of your ability to perform a task. It's a mindset that says, "I can do this." Confidence is not the same as self-esteem. Self-esteem is based on your assessment or appraisal of your person. The opposite of confidence is doubt,
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Confidence is a Choice
You always have choices to make prior to any competition. Confident athletes choose to focus their thoughts on things that help them feel confident. Great athletes enter competition thinking about why they deserve to win and they feel confident. The belief in their skill, work ethic in practice and
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The Self-talk of Champions
Every person carries on an internal dialog, which we call "self-talk." Self-talk can be positive - "I will run well today" - or negative - "I hope I don't embarrass myself and finish dead last today." Some athletes have positive self-talk and pick themselves up after a mistake, while other athletes
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Beware of Negative Self-Labels
"You are what you think you are" holds true in sports! Negative self-labels are very unhealthy for athletes. Often they are very subtle and difficult to identify. What is a negative self-label? A negative self-label is a name you give to yourself (or adopt from what others tell you) that influences
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Kids Who Resist Mental Training
Parents, young athletes come up with a lot of reasons for resisting mental training. They’ll tell you that their coaches and peers will think they’re weak if they embrace mental training. They’ll tell you they’re already tough. Your athletes will say their coaches don’t think mental training is
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