Mental Skills for the Adult Athlete

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Mental Skills for the Adult Athlete

• Ron Chamberlain, Ph.D.
• Sport Psychologist-Brigham Young University

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Were all Performers

• Teachers
• Students
• Parents
• Spouses
• Friends
• Employees
• Athletes
• Musicians

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Ready to Play

• The shaping of psychological readiness is one of
  the main tasks in preparing athletes for
  competition.
• V.A. Romanov-Soviet Sport Psychologist

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Ready to Play

• Im responsible to have the team ready to play.
  I dont think we were ready to playI dont know
  why we werent. I told the guys 100 times this
  week that Utah is a very good football teamand I
  believe that!
• -Nick Saban-Alabama Football coach following
  Sugar Bowl loss

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Ready To Play

• Activation
• Emotion
• Focus

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Activation

• Physical Energy
• Mental Alertness
• Activation words
• Relaxed, smooth, energized, explosive, quick,
  fit, athletic, alert, loose, powerful, calm,
  comfortable, healthy, active, fast

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Activation
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Ready To Play

• Activation
• Emotion
• Focus

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Exuberance
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Disappointment
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Excitement
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Performance Enhancing Emotions

• Confidence
• Optimism
• Competitiveness
• Enjoyment
• Satisfaction
• Excitement
• Enthusiasm
• Determination
• Connection
• Peace

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Key Emotions to Manage in Performance

• Anticipatory Anxiety
• Fear
• Worry
• Doubt
• Uncertainty
• Pressure
• Frustration
• Anger
• Discouragement
• Disappointment

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Emotional Management

• Get comfortable
• Being uncomfortable

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Preferred Psychological State

• 5-7 words that describe you when you are at your
  best prior to and during performance
• Think back to your best performances to recall
  your PPS
• Combination of activation and emotion
• Preferred not ideal psychological state

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Ozzie SmithsPreferred Psychological State

• Care free
• Confident
• Loose
• Energized
• Childlike-enthusiasm
• Curious
• Fun

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Your PersonalPreferred Psychological State
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Ready To Play

• Activation
• Emotion
• Focus

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Focus

• Here and Now
• Task Relevant Cues
• Be where you are-meaningfully engaged with what
  you are doing

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Playing the Piano

• Its an amazing thing. You sit down, very
  nervous, with every body part twitching, and it
  seems everyones staring right through you.
  Then, you hit the first note, second, thirdAnd
  by the time you get to the fourth no ones in the
  room anymore. Everythings black and its just
  the music, Engulfing your soul. Suddenly, after
  this weightless flight, you hit the last note
  And you wakeEveryone ClapsIve never been
  happier than at my piano.
• By Mia Vera, 13 Denton Texas

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Focus
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Focus on the "positive" sign in the center of the
image.   You will notice that the circle of
violet circles disappear completely and become a
single green spot.
In life, if we focus on the positive, the
multitude of dizzying problems around us
disappear and are reduced to that which we can
manage ... one at a time.
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A-Rod
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Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod)

• Just as I believe in dreams, I believe in the
  power of positive thinking and visualization.
  Some nights when I go to bed I tell myself, maybe
  150 times, I hit the ball solid. I hit the ball
  solid. I hit the ball solid. What do I do for a
  living? I hit the ball solid! Then I see the
  results from my minds eye out. I see myself
  from the fans perspective. From the managers
  point of view in the dugout. I picture myself on
  the field from different angles. I believe a
  champion wins in his mind first, then he plays
  the game, not the other way around. Its
  powerful stuff!
• (Mind Gym by Gary Mack)

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Programming the Mind for Success

• Words
• Authority figures shape us through their words
• Self-talk
• Automatic thoughts
• Pictures
• Modeling (observational learning)
• Imagery (visualization)

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Negative Programming

• Im so stressed
• I hate Mondays
• I would be more confident if coach believed in me
• Im no good in math
• I cant remember names
• I dont make birdie putts
• I always blow it under pressure
• Im shy
• I can never play well when it really matters
• Im fat
• Im tired
• Im overwhelmed
• School is so hard for me
• No one believes in me
• Im so pathetic
• Whats wrong with you
• Life is difficult and hard
• I just cant seem to get along with others
• I hate my coach

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Positive Programming

• I am confident
• Im strong and powerful
• I love to compete
• I am prepared and ready to perform
• I bounce back quickly from mistakes
• Im in control
• Im decisive and aggressive
• I find great satisfaction in working hard
  everyday
• My dreams are becoming a reality
• Im grateful for my talents and do my part to
  develop them
• Im humble and teachable
• I love to perform
• I lead by example
• I lift those around me to higher levels of
  performance
• I enjoy life
• I am upbeat and positive
• Everyday I choose to make the world a better
  place for others
• I live in the present
• Im kind and compassionate

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Positive Programming Exercise

• 15-20 statements that describe the
  person/performer that you would like to become
• Brief
• Present tense
• Positive
• Read these statements out loud at least twice a
  day
• Repetition is the key
• This exercise works on the principle of
  congruence. The mind prefers harmony instead of
  dissonance and your behavior will begin to change
  to match your programming
• You will become much more aware of your negative
  programming and can change your automatic
  thoughts from the past

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The Man Who Thinks He Can

• If you think your beaten, you areIf you think
  you dare not, you don't!If you like to win, but
  think you cant, It's almost certain you won't.
  If you think you'll lose, your lost For out in
  the world we find Success begins with a fellows
  willIt's all in the state of mind! If you
  think youre outclassed, you are Youve got to
  think high to rise.Youve got to be sure of
  yourself before you can win the prize.Life's
  battles don't always go To the strongest or
  fastest man  But sooner or later the man who
  winsIs the man who thinks he can!

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Imagery
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Michael Jordan

• I have used visualization techniques for as long
  as I can remember. I always visualized my
  success. It wasnt until later in my career that
  I realized the technique is something that most
  people have to learn. I had been practicing the
  principles naturally my entire life.

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Michael Jordan

• The process of seeing and feeling success before
  it happened put me in a positive frame of mind
  and prepared me to play the game.

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Tiger Woods

• My dad explained to me that the starting point
  of every shot is behind the ball. You must
  visualize the shotthen commit to the shot you
  want to hit and trust your swing to deliver it.

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Wayne Gretzky

• We taped a lot of famous pictures on the locker
  room door of champions holding the Stanley CupI
  really believe if you visualize yourself doing
  something, you can make that image come trueI
  must have rehearsed it 10,000 times. And when it
  came true it was like an electric jolt went up my
  spine

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Jack Nicklaus

• I never hit a shot, even in practice, without
  having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my
  head.

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Imagery

• Structured daydreaming
• Using all of your senses to create or recreate an
  experience in your mind
• Make it vivid and emotionally meaningful
• Success imagery builds confidence
• Coping imagery builds resilience
• 10-minutes a day 60 hours a year

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Imagery

• Relax the Body, Calm the Mind
• Create the Setting-Using all Senses
• Focus-See it, Feel it, Trust it

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3 Controllables in any Performance

• Attitude Effort Focus Maximized Potential