FOCUS ON THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL

Here are the rest of the notes from the sports psychology workshop for our athletes given by head girls' golf coach Mike Flutie.

Focus on Controllables:

-Concentrating on uncontrollables leads to anxiety, lack of focus on relevant things, and prevents athletic success.

Things You Can Control:

-Preparation
-Practice
-Lifestyle Choices
-Attitude
-Diet
-Rest and sleeping habits
-Dedication to physical conditioning
-Honest self-evaluation of your performance

Things You Can't Control

-Coaches decisions
-Playing Time
-Teammates
-Opponents
-What others say and do

Make Yourself Indispensable

-Be so prepared and good that your coach cannot ever see dispensing of you.
-Your presence makes an enourmous impact and the team is less without you.
-Work so hard on your performance that the coaches have no other option but to make you a key part of the team.
-Don't fear seeking out feedback.

Replace Negative Self-Talk

-Top athletes talk themselves into incredible performance.
-Thoughts prompt EMOTIONS that have bodily or physiological consequences.
-Self-talk is that little voice in your head.
-Self-talk often comes from out past: parents, siblins, coaches, teachers, etc.
-Coaches and parents say, "Change your negative attitude!"
-But how? To what? How can I be positive when I just messed up?

Step 1-State the negative talk as a feeling..."I feel like my shooting sucks."
Step 2-Enlist the power of a "big but."..."But I'm....."
Step 3-End with an "I'm the kind of person who" statement.
EX: "Ifeel like my shooting sucks. But I'm the kind of person who is going to work on it and get better!"

Some Advice:
-You can only fail with your own consent.
-Reject belief in fate that falls upon you based upon your actions.
-Embrace a belief in fate that falls upon you unless you act.
-Belief leads to motivation.
-Motivation leads to action.
-Action leads to result.

"You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day."
-Marian Wright Edelman, American Civil Rights Activist

"The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering thier attitude of mind. As you think, so shall you be."
-William James, Nineteenth-Century American Philosopher