The Importance of Letting Go of Past Games
Do you find it difficult to get over a bad game or a loss?
Do you rehash your performance over and over in your mind, beating yourself up over every little mistake?
If you or your athletes keep replaying mistakes in your mind, it chips away at your confidence and interferes with your ability to perform to your capabilities in the next game.
It is absolutely normal to be upset over a loss and mistakes. You shouldn’t feel that there is something wrong with you after you played less than your best.
The problem is when you can’t let go of those negative thoughts and feelings… Or when you start doubting your ability to perform in the present… Or ask yourself, “Why does this always happen to me?”
Prolonged negative reactions to bad play becomes a mental burden or a weight that weighs you down and interferes with your game.
Of course no athlete wants to remind themselves of mistakes, but if you don’t take proactive steps to “let go” of bad games, you are doomed to repeat those same mistakes in future games.
Letting go of the past is not simply a matter of forgetting the last game…
Letting go requires that you make a conscious choice where to place your focus.
By allowing the past to occupy your present, you double your opposition in the next game. Not only will you be competing against the other team, but you will also be battling the negativity you created in your own mind.
The goal is to focus on your next game with optimism. You want to assess your performance so you can improve your game, but not to dwell on mistakes and missed opportunities.
John Salley is a former NBA player who understands the key to longevity in sports. Salley is a 3-time NBA Champion winning with three different franchises in three different decades.
Salley commented, after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost Game 1 of the NBA Final to the Golden State Warriors, on how athletes need to move on after mistakes and losses.
SALLEY: “I didn’t read the newspaper when it came to sports. There is no reason to read the sports section if you are a professional athlete. They are writing about what you have already done, so there is no reason for you to rehash it. You are already rehashing your mistakes in your brain. It’s like being on Broadway, do your show, go home and back again and do it tomorrow.”
How to move forward after losing:
If you want to play your best in the present, you need to turn the page on the past.
To move forward, see the past game as a footnote in yesterday’s newspaper. Imagine yourself flipping the papers of yesterday’s news and refuse to review what happen yesterday.
The key is to objectively assess your performance or statistics so you can develop a future practice plan–without dwelling on your short comings or losing.
Boost Your Self-Confidence With Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach, Dr. Patrick Cohn, can help you or your athlete(s), ages 12 and up, overcome mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our students saying?
“Ive noticed a dramatic improvement in my confidence during performance and the results prove it! I can’t wait to use Dr. Cohn’s mental game strategies as I compete with the best racers in the pro-ranks!”
~ Matt Boni, Motocross Champion
For All Athletes – Learn Confidence-Boosting Techniques!
D you have a negative self-image of yourself as an athlete that stifles confidence?
No matter ow positive you try to be, are you unable to shake the doubt that rushes into your head when you size up your competition?
Have you labeled yourself as a loser, poor closer, or mediocre athlete and these labels keep you stuck in a rut of self-pity and indecision?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, check out The Confident Athlete!
The Confident Athlete CD and workbook program is a 14-day plan for ultimate self-confidence. This program is ideal for any athlete or coach that wants to discover proven confidence-boosting techniques guaranteed to drastically build self-confidence and improve sports performance.
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
Check out all of the products in The Confident Athlete Series!
What are customers saying?
“We love ‘The Confident Athlete.’ My 10-year-old daughter is an equitation rider and show jumper. We started your program as soon as we received it and got to lesson 6 just before a major competition. Natalie came 4th in the children’s open equitation and 3rd in the children’s show jumping champs. An amazing achievement on which many people commented… As a parent, it has been great for me as I now am more capable of assisting her in her mental preparation. Thanks so much!”
~Beth MacLarty, Sports Parent
“We are amazed at how much ‘The Confident Athlete’ program has helped my niece play her best tennis during matches. She literally made it to the farthest round of a tournament (semifinals) after finishing the CDs/workbook. We are going to do all 3 in the series.”
~Jason Bourguignon, Uncle
For Young Athletes and Parents – Learn More About How to Help Kids Improve Confidence Quickly!
We’ve got a great program for you called “The Confident Sports Kid: A 7-Day Plan for Building Ultimate Self-Confidence.”
The Confident Sports Kid is a 7-day program for sports parents and kids to boost young athlete’s performance, happiness and success… in sports and life!
The Confident Sports Kid is two programs in one. There’s a manual and CD for parents/coaches, and a workbook/CD for young athletes.
Packed with mental strategies that you and your kids can start using immediately, this program teaches your athletes how to identify confidence busters, proactively deal with them, manage expectations that undermine confidence, and mentally prepare to stay confident when faced with adversity.
What’s more, our program teaches you, as sports parents and coaches, how you may be hurting your kids’ confidence and gives you instructions for changing your behavior in ways that will improve your athletes’ performance, confidence and enjoyment.
Learn more about one of our most popular CD programs in The Confident Sports Kid Series…
The Confident Sports Kid: A 7-Day Plan for Building Ultimate Self-Confidence
Check out all of our products in The Confident Sports Kid Series!
What are parents and coaches saying about our program?
“I just listened to ‘The Ultimate Sports Parent Program‘ on a drive back from North Carolina. Every parent should be required to listen to it! I thought it was great. Thank you.”
~Rita, Sports Parent
“Dr. Patrick Cohn and Lisa Cohn are to be congratulated! Together, they offer a wealth of knowledge, information, and practical mental tools for sports parents on the substantial “mental game” challenges and pressures facing today’s young athletes.”
~Marc D. Anderson, LCSW, MGCP, Mental Game Coach
For Mental Coaches – Add More Value To Your Mental Training Programs!
This workbook series was designed for coaches and mental coaches to use with their athletes.
The Athlete’s Mental Edge workbooks complement your existing mental training program. Each of the 15 workbooks in the Athlete’s Mental Edge System teaches your athletes a specific mental skill to improve their performance.
For mental coaches, this system is ideal for between session education.
For sports coaches, you’ll be able to conduct 15 team seminars using the workbook system.
In the Athlete’s Mental Edge workbook system, you receive 15 easy-to-read, practical Mental Edge Workbooks on PDF, as well as 16 coaches’ game plan MP3 audio files.
Athlete’s Mental Edge Workbook System
What are coaches saying?
“Congratulations on your Mental Edge workbooks. I have been through the package and it looks great! The MGCP program just got a lot better. Your workbook program makes it much more tangible and easier to use the mental strategies. This is the missing link in the MGCP program!”
~Bob Simpson, MGCP
“I am impressed with the willingness and openness of Dr. Cohn to share all of his assets (intellectual, products, etc.) with the MGCP students. You have developed an incredible model/package for mental training. Even though we are paying for your service, you are passing on a legacy built on your contribution to the world of sports. Thank you for that.”
~Tony Melito, MGCP