Negative Internal Chatter is Rampant in Tennis & Golf

Posted October 10, 2011

One of the top challenges for golfers and tennis players that has a HUGE negative impact on performance is negative self talk. Negative self talk is a form of internal distraction and includes should have, what if, over analyzing body mechanics and choking. Negative self talk is critical and self defeating. It is counterproductive and produces anxiety.

When a person experiences something they perceive as more demanding than what their capabilities can manage, they are said to have state (situational) anxiety (negative self talk is the cognitive part of anxiety). This anxiety leads to negative thoughts that lead to stress typically in the form of worry. Worry occurs when there is a discrepancy between what you hope will happen and what you perceive is occurring or will occur.

Discrepancy Theory states that self concept is the difference between self perception and ideal circumstances. What this means for golfers and tennis players is that there is usually a discrepancy between what they can actually do and what they think they can actually do. Athletes compare themselves externally to others and internally through their own self perception.

How does it show up?

Negative self talk is a self fulfilling prophecy which leads to negative things happening, i.e. in golf ‘I am going to shank the ball’ or in tennis ‘I am going to have a low first serve percentage’.
One negative thought leads to another which hinders performance because golfers and tennis players also have tight muscles, shallow breathing, increased heart rate, etc. which can lead to accidents and injuries.
Catastrophe theory-as negative cognitive thoughts continue things continue to spiral out of control and most golfers and tennis players cannot regain. This leads to dropout and loss.
Your body moves in the direction of your thoughts. If you are thinking can’t then you won’t.

What are some tips for reducing/overcoming?

Getting into a positive frame of mind: at the end of each day take 30 seconds to think about the small, positive successes. Get in habit of switching how you perceive things: from negative to positive.

Thought stopping: is the process of ceasing negative thoughts and replacing them with rational, positive beliefs. This technique prevents athletes from dwelling on non productive thoughts and helps you focus on ‘the job at hand’.

Identify a particular negative statement you make in a particular situation (e.g. before getting on the tee or on the court I often say to myself “what if I can’t keep up”).
Specify a term of cue you will use as a signal to stop your negative thoughts (e.g. ‘strength’, take a deep breath and hit your shot)
Athletes have to change the minds blueprint from it’s automated response.
Replace the negative thought with a realistic, positive and constructive self-statement (e.g. ‘I’ve been training and there’s no reason why I will not perform well’ or ‘It doesn’t matter whether or not I can keep up. I’m going out to do my best. I can achieve this by focusing on each shot’).
If you are thinking positively you can’t be thinking negatively.

Think fun – highly skilled golfers and tennis players have a sense of enjoyment and fun during competition. Most of them look forward to the challenge of pressure situations.

Breathe – breath control and focus produce energy and reduce tension. If you are focusing on your breath you can’t be thinking negatively.

Use positive key words or phrases – saying and thinking personally generated, positive words or phrases can be energizing and activating. Some examples are: I can do it; push to the top; strong; fast; tough; etc.

Use imagery – imagery helps generate positive feelings, energy and feelings of success. It involves visualizing something that energizes you when you need energizing or slows you down when you need to be more calm. A tennis player might imagine placing a serve or hitting cross court while a golfer might imagine a perfect 160 yard shot from the tee or making a 15 foot putt.

If you need help developing a plan to be more positive, I am here to help! Email me for a FREE initial consultation: drmichelle@drmichellecleere.com

I hope you have super great Monday!

Dr. Michelle

anxiety, breathe, dr. michelle, fun, golf, golfers, imagery, internal distractions, negative thinking, negative thoughts, negativity, positive, self fulfilling prophecy, tennis, tennis players

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.