Mental Game Myths and Truths for Coaches and Athletes

Robin S. Vealey, Ph.D.

Department of Kinesiology and Health

Miami University

Oxford OH 45056

vealeyrs@miamioh.edu

Myths about the Nature of Sport Psychology

1. For mentally weak or athletes with problems

2. Involves psychotherapy

3. Is a last resort when nothing else works

4. Is a quick fix prior to championships or when athletes are in trouble

5. It makes athletes think too much

6. It changes athletes’ personalities

(Cohn, 2007; Cole, mentalgamecoach.com; Vealey, 2005)

Hardy, L. (1997). Three myths about applied consultancy work; JASP, 9, 277-294.

1. Cognitive anxiety always hurts athletes’ performance.

2. Outcome goals and ego-orientations are detrimental to sport performance.

3. Internal visual imagery is better than external visual imagery in improving sport performance.

Mental Game Myths

1. Training should emphasize pursuing the “zone” and peak performance.

2. You’ve got to have confidence to perform well.

3. Lock in your focus using technique triggers.

4. You are what you think you are.

Myth #1: Train for the “zone” and peak performance

TIP: Train your…

RESPONSEabilities

No evidence that successful athletes experience the “zone” more than less successful athletes – they just COPE better!

Task-relevant thoughts

Less likely to be distracted

Manage anxiety more productively

Positive, not negative perfectionists (high standards, flexibility to learn from mistakes)

Hope and optimism

Confident focus on enabling feelings and beliefs

View difficult situations as exciting and challenging

Gould et al., 2002; McPherson, 2000; Williams & Krane, 2010

Most Important Mental Game Objective

To RESPOND productively

What happens to you is not nearly as important as how your respond to what happens to you.

Importance of RESPONDING

“Maybe five time a year, you’re going to go out and be magic. And five times a year, you’re going to go out there and feel like crap. And all the rest of the matches - those are what make you a tennis player.”

Brad Gilbert, former professional player and current coach

Plan and RehearsePlan and Rehearse

1. What will it be like? / How will I RESPOND

2. Thinking “on purpose”

3. PRODUCTIVE RESPONSES Not necessarily positive

Responding - not reacting

4. Homework: Pick one critical competitive response. Plan your productive response – mentally and behaviorally train it.

1. What will it be like? / How will I RESPOND

2. Thinking “on purpose”

3. PRODUCTIVE RESPONSES Not necessarily positive

Responding - not reacting

4. Homework: Pick one critical competitive response. Plan your productive response – mentally and behaviorally train it.

What Responses Should You Prepare?Hostile crowd RESPONSESupportive crowd RESPONSE:Not so great warmup RESPONSE:Great warmup RESPONSE:Criticism RESPONSE:Losing RESPONSE:Winning RESPONSE:Rough play RESPONSE:Official mistake RESPONSE:Bad luck RESPONSE:Feeling pressure to perform RESPONSE:Feeling afraid to fail RESPONSE:Playing poorly RESPONSE:Playing great RESPONSE:SURPRISE! RESPONSE:

My Plan for Responding to a Triple-Bogey

1. Fake it until I make it (posture, poise, demeanor, “cocoon”).

2. Cleansing breath (6-2-7) and centering breath (6-2-7).*

3. Patience, mistakes part of game, NOT surprise, shock, dismay (but ACCEPTANCE).

4. Be an ATHLETE.

5. Next tee shot: SOLID

6. Track bad hole recovery score.

*Selk, 2009

Training Responses

1. Learn how to play your “B” and “C” game with your “A” face.*

2. Identify controllables / uncontrollables – focus on controllables, flush uncontrollables.

3. Create team/program mindset: so what, deal with it expect the blows patience; jab and score points vs. knockouts* play smarter, not harder (adjust, compensate,

grind, persist – there are no little things)

4. Contribute what you have that day, struggle well, respond well in failing moments.*Ravizza, 2008

UNCONTROLLABLES

CONTROLLABLES

Object Lesson: BE THE BALL!

Characteristics of the ball that represent mental skill and toughness

1. It bounces. When do you need to bounce? Mentally plan/rehearse for it.

2. It rolls. When do you need to roll? Mentally plan/rehearse for it.

3. It is inscribed with “NEXT PLAY.” What is challenging you right now that could do better by

practicing “NEXT PLAY?”

What is challenging this team right now that could do better by practicing “NEXT PLAY?”

“Act Like Champions” Checklist“Act Like Champions” Checklist

1. I deliberately put myself in a productive mood and focus at the start of practice.

2. I overtly supported my teammates in practice.

3. I overtly challenged my teammates today to get better.

4. I responded and refocused when I got distracted, received critical feedback, or performed poorly.

5. I participated in every drill with 100% effort.

6. I participated in every drill with 100% focus.

7. I improved a critical skill in practice today.

8. I set an A/A goal for practice.

1. I deliberately put myself in a productive mood and focus at the start of practice.

2. I overtly supported my teammates in practice.

3. I overtly challenged my teammates today to get better.

4. I responded and refocused when I got distracted, received critical feedback, or performed poorly.

5. I participated in every drill with 100% effort.

6. I participated in every drill with 100% focus.

7. I improved a critical skill in practice today.

8. I set an A/A goal for practice.

Myth #2: You’ve got to have confidence to perform well

• How do you talk to your athletes about confidence?

• Or do/should you?

• Is confidence CREATABLE?

Myth #2: You’ve got to have confidenceto perform well

“Confidence is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” Pat Summitt

“Confidence is a day-to-day issue. It takes constant nurturing. It’s not… turn on the light switch and say ‘I’m confident,’ and it stays on…” Mia Hamm

TIP: Focus trumps confidence at the moment of performance

1. Focused connection with performance is the most critical mental factor in sport.

2. Confidence is a foundation skill that enables consistency over the long term.

3. But at moment of performance – can perform without it (with preparation and training).

FOCUSFOCUS

Commitment

Confidence

Mentalreadiness

Ongoinglearning

Distraction control

Positiveimages

TIP: Focus trumps confidence at the moment of performance

1. Focused connection with performance is the most critical mental factor in sport.

2. Confidence is a foundation skill that enables consistency over the long term.

3. But at moment of performance – can perform without it (with preparation and training).

Foundation Skills

Performance Skills

Personal Development Skills

Team Skills

Vealey, 2007, in Handbook of Sport Psych (Tenenbaum & Eklund, Eds.)

Identity AchievementInterpersonal Competence

UncontrollableExternal Factors

Physical Skill andCharacteristicsPERFORMANCE

Demographic andPersonality Characteristics

OrganizationalCulture

Vealey & Chase, 2008

Cognition

Affect Behavior

SOURCES OF SPORT-CONFIDENCE

Achievement Self-Regulation Social Climate

TYPES OF SPORT-CONFIDENCE

Physical Skills andTraining

CognitiveEfficiency Resilience

TIP: Focus trumps confidence at the moment of performance

4. “I hope I don’t mess up” is a focus, not a confidence issue

5. Sometimes talking about confidence, or focusing on NOT having it, creates more doubt, anxiety, and fear

6. Training your response-abilities is basis of SELF-confidence (not shot, swing, batting confidence)

Mental Toughness Shield

Earn the right to wear it.Examine it before competing.Honor it in each competition.

Mental Toughness Shield

Earn the right to wear it.Examine it before competing.Honor it in each competition.

Myth #3: “Lock in” your focus using technique triggers• Learners and performer differ in

ideal focus of attention

• Learning involves controlled, conscious processing; performing requires automatic processing

• Explicit attention to step-by-step skill processes disrupts well-learned “proceduralized” performance processes that normally run outside of conscious awareness (Beilock & Gray, 2007)

What should athletes focus on when performing? TIP: Focus on holistic process goals

Conscious Processing and the Process Goal Paradox(Mullen, R. & L. Hardy, 2010, J Sport Exercise Psychology)

1. Three experiments (long jump, free throw, putting) to examine performance as result of holistic vs. part process goals

2. Predicted that skilled but anxious athletes who adopted a global movement focus using holistic process goals would outperform those who used part-oriented process goals

3. Conscious processing performance impairment occurs when athletes attempt to ensure task success by adopting a mode of conscious control over performance

4. Conscious processing uses explicit knowledge and contrasts with more efficient and fluid automatic processing based on implicit knowledge

Part and Holistic Process Goals for Long Jump

Part Process Goals Goal Description Holistic Process Goals

Arch back Arching back at takeoff Drive

Hips up Thrusting hips forward Thrust

Slam foot Planting foot on takeoff Flying

Drive knee Non-take off knee upward Height

Thrust hips Hips forward after takeoff Reach

Throw arms Throwing arms up and forward Spring

Fast knee Driving non-takeoff knee up Lift

Part and Holistic Process Goals for Putting

Part Process Goals Goal Description Holistic Process Goals

Wrists firm Wrist firm through putt Smooth

Firm grip Maintaining firm grip of club Pendulum

Front hands Keep hands in front of blade Glide

Firm through Firm contact through the ball Tempo

Weight to hole Bodyweight on front foot Push

Blade square Putter blade square throughout Through

Short back Focus on short backswing Easy

Results of Process Goal Paradox Study(R. Mullen & L. Hardy, 2010, JSEP)

1. Holistic process goal athletes in all three sports performed better in anxiety conditions than part process goal athletes.

2. For skilled athletes who perform under competitive pressure, using a holistic process goal that focuses attention on global aspects of a sport skill is a more effective focus strategy than using a part process goal.

3. Process goals that are part of athletes’ preperformance routines should be holistic in nature to prime automaticity (NOT focus on parts of the movement).

Choking Results from self-focused

attention brought on by anxiety

Athletes revert to controlled (as opposed to automatic) processing

Loss of “instinct” or “autopilot” mode

Occurs when athletes think too much

Choking as “Paying” Attention

Athletes choke because they “pay” attention to how they’re performing…

And boy, DO THEY PAY!

What TO Think About and How to Train It1. Focus on what to do NOT HOW to do it

2. Focus on goal, not technique

3. Use holistic MOOD (“strong”) or RHYTHM cue (“smooth”), NOT technique cues (“fast arm”)

4. Use external focus of attention (vs. internal) – develop trigger to get your attention going OUT

5. Become accustomed to the overattention to performance that accompanies high stress situations• Videotape while they practice• Perform in front others judging you

6. Implicit teaching and focus (“hit it in the woods”)

Myth #4: You are what you think you are.

1. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)*

2. Mindfulness-based behavioral therapy that challenges mainstream Western psychology

3. Does NOT have symptom reduction as a goal.

4. Trying to get rid of “symptoms” is what creates the problem.

5. ACT’s goal is to TRANSFORM OUR RELATIONSHIP with our difficult thoughts, so we perceive them as harmless (even if uncomfortable)

Hayes, S.C. et al., 2012, Accept and Comm Therapy

Tip: You are definitely NOT what you think you are!

1. No need to try to reduce, change, avoid, suppress, or control thoughts.

2. Make room for them and allow them to come and go without a struggle.

3. See thoughts as thoughts (not YOU), accept them, and be less fused with what the thought implies.

4. Thoughts and feelings are something athletes HAVE rather than something that they ARE.

Hayes, S.C. et al. (2012).Struggle Switch

Control of Thoughts and Feeling Questionnaire(Harris, R., 2008)

1. Anxiety is bad.2. Anxiety is neither good nor bad. It is merely an uncomfortable

feeling.

3. Negative thoughts and feelings will harm you if you don’t control or get rid of them.

4. Negative thoughts and feelings won’t harm you even if they feel unpleasant.

5. For me to do something important, I have to get rid of all my doubts.

6. I can do something important, even when doubts are present.

Control of Thoughts and Feeling Questionnaire(Harris, R., 2008)

4. Negative thoughts and feelings are a sign that there is something wrong with my life.

5. Negative thoughts and feelings are an inevitable part of life for everyone.

6. The best method of managing negative thoughts and feelings is to analyze them; then utilize that knowledge to get rid of them.

7. The best method of managing negative thoughts and feelings is to acknowledge their presence and let them be, without having to analyze or judge them.

ACT Strategies/Exercises

1. Name tag identifying negative thought/evaluation about yourself

2. Repeating negative evaluation 20 times

3. Replace “I am” with “I’m having the thought that I am”

4. Practice a sport skill while saying “I can’t [pass this serve].”

ACT Strategies/Exercises

5. Take your mind for a walk

6. Clarify the difference in having a thought vs. BUYING a thought (think if someone else said that to you – how would you respond?)

7. Replace the word “but” with the word “and.”

8. Hold that thought lightly, as you might hold a butterfly that has just landed on your finger.

When It Goes Sideways: ACT!

A Accept the discomfort, negative thoughts and feelings

C Center yourself (6-2-7 centering breath and poised posture)

T Take action toward valued life goals (Trust your

training)

Summary: Mental Game Myths and Tips

MYTH #1: Training should emphasize pursuing the “zone” and peak performance.

TIP: Train your RESPONSE-abilities.

MYTH #2: You’ve got to have confidence to perform well.TIP: FOCUS is more important than confidence at the moment

of performance.

MYTH #3: “Lock in” your focus using technique triggers.TIP: Focus on holistic PROCESS goals, such as mood or rhythm.

MYTH #4: You are what you think you are.TIP: Accept that you have many thoughts – they’re just

thoughts, not YOU.

Key Objective of the Mental Game: Beyond Occasional Magic to Everyday

Coping/Responding

Key Objective of the Mental Game: Beyond Occasional Magic to Everyday

Coping/Responding