Having Confidence in Your Skills
Mental blocks are often the most frustrating hurdles for an athlete to encounter.
The thing that makes mental blocks so challenging and irritating is that you know how to perform a skill… You know you have the ability to perform the skill and… You know you have successfully performed the skill in the past.
To illustrate mental blocks, let’s first examine an example outside of sports… Writer’s block is a mental block common among writers. A writer can be tapping away on their laptop, totally in a groove, then all of a sudden, be at a lost for a word…
The more the writer searches for the next word, the harder it is to find the exact word they are looking for. So the writer decides to close the laptop, walk away and, within minutes, the words pop into the writer’s head.
The same thing happens for athletes… mental blocks and slumps get in the way for athletes who are often ill-equipped to handle these hurdles.
When athletes face a mental block, the common response is to figure it out… tinker with technique, over-work, over-analyze and overthink, which just serve to embed the mental block further into the mind of the athlete.
Unlike the writer, an athlete can’t walk away in the middle of a competition, so what’s the solution to overcoming an athletic mental block?
The short answer is STOP overthinking what you are doing or what you should be doing.
Instead of trying to FIGURE THINGS OUT, just trust in your abilities and your training. After all, you successfully performed these skills in the past, so get out of your head and let your body perform like you trained it.
Mental blocks affect athletes at every level…
For example, after missing a couple seasons due to an injury, Indianapolis Colts Quarterback, Andrew Luck had a hard time coming back due to a “mental block” he was facing.
Luck was unable to throw a regulation size football during his on-going rehab, to which he stated was due to a “mental block.” He was seen throwing a smaller sized football that is used for high school games to work through his mental block.
Analyzing and overhauling your technique is not the best strategy to break through a mental block. That is merely a physical response to a mental block.
The best plan of attack to deal with mental blocks is to apply mental strategies (relaxation, self-talk, emotional management, focus, trust).
Mental strategies can not only help you break through blocks but also strengthen your mental game, preventing some mental blocks from popping up in the future.
Overcoming Mental Blocks in Competition:
Mental blocks can lead to anxiety and frustration for athletes, but they are often caused by a lack of trust in your skills.
Lack of trust in your skills can come from fear of injury, fear of failure, or trying to be too perfect.
First, what do you fear might happen if you can’t perform well in competition? For example, are you worried about embarrassment or getting benched?
Next, you have to address the fear head on to help you get back into having a present focus. You do this by uncovering any irrational beliefs that keep you stuck and improving your trust skill.
Boost Your Confidence!
If you’re an athlete who struggles with self-doubt, loses confidence, or cant take “practice confidence” to competition, The Confident Athlete is for you!
Self-confidence is what separates champion athletes from the rest of the competitors…
You can tap into my knowledge and experience to learn how to bring ultimate confidence to competition!
The Confident Athlete CD and workbook program consists of 2 audio CD’s that include 14 days of confidence fueling exercises and a simple to follow workbook that guides you through the 14 days, helps you apply the strategies and customizes the exercises to your personal needs.
Remember, confidence is a choice you make. You have to make a conscious effort to proactively seek confidence building thoughts and behaviors. Confident Athletes are proactive when it comes to confidence!
Learn more about one of our most popular CD programs in The Confident Athlete Series…
The Confident Athlete: A 14-Day Plan For Ultimate Self-Confidence
Take control of your mindset and performance today!
What are mental game customers saying about our confidence boosting program?
“My son finished the entire Confident Athlete Program. The CD Program helped TREMENDOUSLY. He used it to keep positive thoughts flowing. He was able to focus on his fight instead of on his negative thoughts. He fought at his very best. We are thankful to God for leading us to your web site. The CONFIDENT ATHLETE was perfect.”
~Wanda, Sports Parent
“I enjoyed ‘The Confident Athlete’ very much. I particularly liked the format, the ease of the program, and the 2 CDs that accompanied the workbook – 10-20 minutes a day was simple to adhere to and put in my busy schedule. I love the part about confidence with grace, and what I want to portray and feel the minute I step foot into Los Angeles for nationals. I love the affirmations, the relaxation techniques, and just the entire perspective of the program.”
~Sarah, US National Aerobic Gymnastics Team
“I first purchased The Confident Athlete to see how the program went and immediately saw results. I then purchased the rest of the confident athlete series and have noticed a dramatic improvement in my level of play or should I say consistency. I currently play NCAA Division 1 baseball for Lamar University, and even my coaches have noticed a change in the way that I approach the game. My attitude and confidence at the plate.”
~Tylor Prudhomme
(Listen to his success story)