Mental Moment-Athletes are Impacted by their Thoughts and those of Coaches

Posted March 5, 2013

In Coaches, Professional & Olympic Athletes

Nothing happens without the brains involvement. The brain fires to the muscles telling them how to respond.

Flow

There are moments as an athlete that you are in a state of flow. In that state performance is effortless. This is really the state you want to be in as much and as often as you can.

For most athletes those moments are few. What is more common is that athletes have a lot of unconscious and subconscious thinking that effects their performance; usually in a negative way.

Athletes

You move in the direction your brain tells you to. For example, if you are thinking that it’s time to pick up the pace your brain will fire up the pistons. If you start thinking there is no way you’ll catch the pack your brain will send that message to the brain. As a result your turnover will slow, your heart rate will increase, your pulse will rise and your muscles will tense. Your thoughts determine the outcome. Fortunately you can learn to have control over those thoughts.

Coaches

Coaches also have an impact on your performance by what they say (or don’t say). Even athletes with the highest confidence and self-esteem are effected by what coaches say or don’t say.

You are at the end of basketball season and things have been going well; by your standards and the coaches. You are playing the first game during March Madness. You still feel like you are playing well but accidentally turnover the ball. You hear the coach yelling at you ‘what is wrong with you; that was a stupid pass’. You start thinking ‘that was a stupid pass’. You turnover the ball again. You think ‘what is wrong with me; why am I playing so poorly’. The rest of the game you are flooded with negativity that translates into poor performance.

As an athlete you are impacted by your thoughts and the thoughts planted into your brain by coaches but you can learn how to change your thoughts and how to deal with what coaches say.

Happy start of your week!

Dr. Michelle

Photo credit: bigbluebooyah.blogspot.com

athletes, coaches, flow, negativity, self confidence, self-esteem

Dr. Michelle Cleere

Dr. Michelle Cleere helps top athletes, musicians, and executives in competitive fields unlock the power of the mind and create the mental toughness to be the best. She gives her clients the mental tools to deal with performance anxiety, gain more confidence, and build resilience. Check out her credentials.