Sport Psychology Myth Busting
In recent years we’ve seen so many professional athletes talking about the work they do with sport psych professionals. They talk about the impact it’s had on their game. And that sport isn’t just physical, it’s mental too.
Sport psychology is rapidly growing, and for good reason too. It’s no longer about just practicing more or putting in more reps. We’ve finally recognized that the mental side of sport plays a huge part in the way athletes perform and the results they get.
Just in the past five years more and more college and professional teams are hiring mental performance coaches to work with their athletes. The beauty of this is that it not only helps athletes perform better but it also helps them outside of sport as well!
But even with all of this growth in sport psychology there are still some assumptions that I want to make sure we clear up.
Here are 4 Myths about Sport Psychology I’m busting today:
Working with a mental performance coach or sport psychologist means you have a problem.
Even though most athletes will wait until they are struggling with something to work with a mental performance coach, they don’t have to!
So many professional athletes work with mental performance coaches. And these are athletes at the top of their game, playing at the highest level possible and they are working with a mental performance coach. Why? Because they recognize that just like they are continually putting in the physical reps, they’ve also got to continually put in the mental reps to be at their best consistently.
2. Mindset skills are one-time use.
You don’t go to the gym once and expect yourself to be as strong as you want just from that one day. You go consistently, multiple days a week, for weeks, and continually work to build your strength. It’s not an overnight thing.
The same goes for mental skills. They aren’t one-time use. You can’t use deep breathing once and expect yourself to stay calm all of the time after that. You can’t use a positive statement once and expect yourself to be confident in yourself 100% after that. It takes repeated use and implementation and over time you see those results.
3. Mental performance coaches have a magic wand.
This is the idea that meeting with a mental performance coach is enough to get the results you want. But the reality is that it requires you to put in the mental reps outside of sessions. It requires you to be open and ready to try new things. And it requires you to become more aware of your mental habits and be willing to make changes.
When you can do all those things while working with a mental performance coach I can guarantee you’ll get the results you want.
4. You either have a mental skill or you don’t.
This is one that drives me crazy. Let’s use confidence as an example…
Some people think that you just have confidence or you don’t. And if you don’t…bummer I guess. This is simply NOT TRUE. Every single mental skill a mental performance coach works with you on is something that can be learned and improved. Does it require you to focus on it and work on it? Yes! But if you’re willing to put in the mental reps and develop the skills you will build your confidence, mental strength, composure, focus, and the list can go on.
With the growth of sport psychology I think it’s important to make sure these myths are squashed. Because I truly hope for a day where every competitive team has a mental performance coach on staff. When organizations, high schools, club teams, and coaches have someone that they trust and can refer their athletes to.
Because sport isn’t just about the physical game. Sport is just as much mental as it is physical.
And when athletes work with a mental performance coach they:
Improve their performance
Feel confident in their game
Play consistently at their best
Process and manage emotions in a healthy way
Enjoy their sport more
AND more importantly they learn tools they can implement into their lives outside of sport that improve their overall wellbeing as well.
This is why I do what I do. I want to help grow the field of sport psychology and provide athletes with these tools. Because when I was an athlete I didn’t work with a mental performance coach. And now as I look back I can see how much it would have benefitted me, both on and off the field.
In the Athlete Ascension Program, we go through my process that will take you beyond your full potential.
We elevate your mindset so that you have all of the tools you need to bring your best!
We release unneeded pressure and ensure that you are having fun and enjoying playing!
And we implement all of it so that your elevated mindset becomes a habit and part of who you are.
Let’s work together in the Athlete Ascension Program and go beyond your full potential!