Planning for Mistakes
How much of your brain space is wasted on thinking about mistakes?
This might be worrying about making a mistake in the future. Before a competition you feel anxious because your mind is thinking about what might happen if you mess up. You start the game timid because you’re afraid to make a mistake. Then, the “what if’s” begin to run rampant.
“What if I mess up?”
“What if I don’t make the play?”
“What if my team loses because of a mistake I made?”
It can also be dwelling on a mistake after you make one. You’re instantly negative with yourself and putting yourself down. You begin to question your decision making because the last time you made a mistake. You are in your head, overthinking every part of the competition. You try to avoid making plays or getting the ball because you don’t want to make another mistake.
Chances are that if you worry about mistakes before the competition, you are dwelling on mistakes in the game. Your brain space is completely consumed with trying not to make a mistake and dwelling on mistakes once they happen.
When your mind is in this place you aren’t able to perform your best. You’re so focused on not making mistakes you actually make more mistakes. You feel inconsistent. And your confidence fades.
If this sounds like you, the best thing to do is have a plan! Plan for the anxious and ruminating thoughts. Be in control of your brain space!
Having a plan puts you in control when you feel the worries spiraling out. You can stop and reign yourself back in. It allows you to let go of past mistakes if they occur so you don’t hold onto it. And it will put you in control of picking yourself up when things don’t go your way rather than putting yourself down.
Creating a plan for mistakes:
Flip your “what if’s”. If you tend to worry before a competition and have a lot of “what if’s” choose to flip them. When your mind offers you the thought “What if I make a mistake?”, counter it with the thought “What if I make the play?”. You get to choose which one you're going to focus on. Choose one that frees up your mind to thinking about performing at your best.
Have a refocus cue. A refocus cue is a routine you can use when you find yourself dwelling on a mistake. It allows you to let it go and reset your mind. There are 3 parts to a refocus cue; a physical action you take, a mental phrase you say to yourself, and one deep breath. For example, after a mistake you might tighten your ponytail (physical), say to yourself “Next play.” (mental), and take one deep breath. Remember to keep this cue consistent and use it when you catch yourself dwelling.
Have a positive self-talk plan. Create a list of thoughts to go to when you feel that you are getting down on yourself. If you notice that negativity has crept in and you are beginning to doubt yourself, turn to your go-to positive thoughts. These could be thoughts that remind you of your strengths, past accomplishments or big plays you’ve made, or a positive phrase to lift you up.
Having a plan in place when your mind is caught up in mistakes is essential to get you out of your head and into the game.
Using these tools will give you the confidence to play your game even after a mistake has been made. It will allow you to manage anxiety and worry. And it will free up your brain space so that you can focus on performing your best.
In the Mindset Mastery Program, we focus on having mindset plans in place so that you know what to do when adversity arises in sport. You don’t have to stay stuck in your head. Instead you’ll have the mental tools to get you out of your head and performing at your full potential.
Ready to get your plan in place? Schedule a consultation!