“I’m going to fail” “I’m not going to make it through” “This is going to hurt”
The thoughts we have during competition and training can have a huge impact on how we perform. Thoughts enter our mind constantly and most of the time we allow these thoughts to control our actions. It’s no surprise then, that when our thoughts are negative we are unable to perform at our best.
The problem is that this process happens so quickly, a lot of the time we are unaware of the thoughts we have and how they affect our behaviour.
The first step to overcome this is to observe the thoughts that we have whilst competing. What thoughts come up the most? How do they make us feel and act? By developing this awareness around our inner mental experiences, we have more power to do something different.
If you notice that your negative thoughts take over, for example when you make a mistake and you struggle to get back to your natural performing ability, observe these thoughts for what they are. They are unhelpful thoughts. They are uncomfortable to have. At first, observing these thoughts will be difficult but you do not have to let them take control. Instead, you can simply observe the thought as it arises and CHOOSE to do something differently in the moment.
This is called unhooking from unhelpful thoughts.
When we UNHOOK from our thoughts we can see the bigger picture more clearly. It is easier to see what we need to do in that specific moment and we can take valued action. Observing our thoughts rather than getting hooked by them allows us to create distance and space so that we can make more meaningful decisions. The thoughts lose their meaning so we have room to choose to take effective action.
Here are 3 ways to try unhooking from your thoughts:
1. Sing the thought in your head to a familiar tune over and over again – you will soon find that the thought loses it’s meaning and doesn’t affect you so much.
2. Imagine you are watching a stream with leaves floating along it. When you notice the unhelpful thought pop up, imagine placing it onto a leaf and watching it float away.
Keep repeating this as long as the thoughts appear.
3. When you have the unhelpful thought repeat it to yourself adding the statement: “I’m having the thought…” then repeat it again adding the statement “I notice I am having the thought…”
Practice these techniques to find the one that works best for you. Practicing outside of the sporting context first of all will help you get used to using the technique. You can then train yourself to use the technique when you need it in competition.
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