Simone Biles, Iga Swiatek, Russell Wilson — these very different athletes have one thing in common: They have each sought help from sport psychologists to regain focus, manage anxiety, stay motivated and cope with setbacks.
A growing number of athletes and teams are relying on sport psychologists, in part because of the research that suggests mental skills can improve athletic performance. But these strategies aren’t just for elite athletes. With a little practice, they can be applied to any endeavor, whether it’s giving a big presentation at the office or taking a driving test.
In one study of more than 44,000 people, those who were briefly trained in sport psychology techniques such as visualization and self-talk performed better on average against a computer-simulated opponent than those who had not received the training.
“Like physical training, the gains come with repetition and reflection,” said Andrew M. Lane, a professor of sport and exercise psychology at the University of Wolverhampton in Britain and the lead author of the study.
We asked Dr. Lane and other sport psychologists to share their best tips for improving performance, no matter the venue.
Don’t lock into one goal.
It’s common to focus on one do-or-die goal, like running a marathon in under four hours. But this creates a lot of pressure, and uncontrollable roadblocks like illness or bad weather could get in the way.
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The post What Sport Psychologists Want You to Know About Mental Toughness appeared first on New York Times.
