by David B. Glover, MS, CSCS
“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford (1863-1946)
Remember the adage, “You are what you eat?”
There is a corresponding adage: “You are what you think.”
In other words, your thoughts influence your feelings, which influence your behavior. Think positively and you’ll have positive outcomes. Think negatively and the opposite holds true.
One of the most consistent findings in sport psychology research is that confidence – a belief in one’s abilities – is a positive a predictor of performance. If you have confidence in yourself then your thoughts positively influences your feelings, which positively influence your behavior.
Now, if you’re like me, you may engage in a lot of self-talk either out loud or in your head. I’m always thinking about what’s happening now, what did happen and what could happen. I also have a tendency to critique myself most harshly.
There’s nothing wrong with self-talk – we all do it – but if it’s not aligned in a positive direction, self-talk can create anxiety, doubt, negativity, etc and ultimately impact your performance in the wrong direction.
The goal then becomes to channel self-talk such that it becomes a positive asset towards improviing performance rather than a negative liability. You can do this by choosing positive, affirmative words that focus on an out come you want to happen instead of an outcome you want to avoid. Phrases beginning with “I do…”, “I can….” and “I am…” are much better than negative phrases like, “I won’t….”, “I can’t…”, “I don’t…” etc.
The challenge is that you may not even be aware you are engaging in self-talk, or if you are, you may not really pay attention to whether it’s helping you or hurting you. This is where journaling can be helpful. Keep a small notebook with you throughout the day and especially close by when training for your sport. Jot down your thoughts – both positive and negative. Tally up the count of each at the end of the day.
Which side do you lean towards – positive or negative?
You might be surprised by the answer…
