This is how it looks: You’re about to “perform.” (We’re talking anything from speaking in front of a crowd, to running a 10-K, to having a tricky convo with your boss, to wowing on a first date.) You feel the familiar sensations that sweat forms on your neck and your heart beats quickly. You need to remind yourself of this. I can do it. I’m not afraid of a challenge. Now, slowly shift your breathing. Inhale, then exhale for twice as long. You may be clenching or clenching your jaw; let that go. This will make you feel calmer and more confident, right?
This type of self-assurance practice includes the exact tools you’d learn in the realm of sports psychology, or performance coaching. Experts have taught athletes how to use these skills in their sport and in the real world for decades. But it’s becoming more and more common for these professionals to work with people outside of sports altogether—helping them to find accomplishment in many aspects of their lives.
According to Andrea Wieland, PhD, president of Winning Systems, Inc. and former associate athletic director for sport performance at the University of Pennsylvania, the demand for sports psychologists in all fields is high. She says that the application is common in military environments, with performing artists (think Cirque du Soleil), in business, and in medicine. So, interestingly (but perhaps not that surprisingly given the info just discussed), in response to the growing appeal, “more colleges and universities are offering a master’s degree in sports psychology,” Wieland adds.
Sports psychs can provide support for the many people who are trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The end goal is to implement mental toughness skills so you can face high-stress situations and challenges more effectively—both to optimize performance and to improve overall well-being (we’ll get into the nitty-gritty later!). “Especially now, these skills are more valuable to the everyday worker because of the uncertainty and difficult situations and pressure that have arrived in people’s lives,” says Lennie Waite, PhD, a Houston-based former Olympic athlete and a sport and performance psychology specialist.
Waite, to be completely honest, considers the word sport in the name somewhat limiting, as it can deter or confuse people who are attracted to these psychology tools but aren’t, say, leaders in athletics or C-suite business professionals. (There’s a common myth that it’s not “for” them.) “Yes, the techniques were developed for high-performing athletes, but they’re transferable to many other environments,” Waite says.
What are you waiting for? IsSports psychology, ultimately? Let’s dig into how these professionals help you rewire your thinking to emulate an achievement and confidence mindset—and how you can do it on your own.
The Gist of It All
Performance coaching and sports psych (the two terms are often used interchangeably or in tandem, FYI) overlap with positive psychology (PBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT). Here’s the nuance: “Sports psychology techniques are focused more on mental skills training and performance enhancement,” Waite says. This means that instead of getting a diagnosis for a clinical disorder from the doctor, you can get a diagnosis from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5, like generalized anxiety or OCD, she says, “it’s more focused on finding out what an individual’s goals are and helping them close the gap between where they are and where they want to be.” So, to be clear, it’s not used to manage serious mental health issues on its own, the way standard therapy might be—but it does implement some of the same skills.
What you learn in this type of coaching (see “Psych Yourself Up”—ahead!) Wieland says that this coaching helps you to shift from feeling out of control to focusing more on the things you can handle. You can manage fear and stress better and feel more in control of you own life. “When people feel they have mastery over themselves—over their minds, bodies, emotions, energy—their mental health and lives feel more in control.”
Putting sports psych into practice
Let’s say you’re a budding triathlete who works in marketing. Self-doubt overtakes you before races—Before big meetings where you have to present and lead in front your colleagues or in job performance discussions with your boss. You’re reading this article and see yourself in the pages. You might start by finding a performance consultant (more details on the next page). Then your coach would likely conduct a thorough assessment so they can personalize your sessions around the necessary areas—be it something obvious like quelling anxiousness ahead of public speaking, or something more nuanced, like learning to better regulate your response to negative feedback.
From there, alongside your coach, you’ll work to implement mental tools to overcome those issues, as well as “rehearse” the challenges and envision your success at them. Your coach may ask you to consider the methods you used to get your head into the game at a race-starting swimming event, and then suggest ways to apply that knowledge to your Zoom presentations.
Lisa Bonta Sumii LCSW, founder and CEO at AthMindset LLC and a mental health and sports performance specialist for a professional football team in Oakland, California, explains that the frequency you meet with your practitioner (either in person, virtually or via text) is up to you. She even offers clients “micro-sessions” of 25 minutes.
Apply from the Gym To Your Life
The ultimate goal is? To face your hurdles feeling equipped and empowered, as opposed to feeling bogged down by stressors, and then having to climb out of the mess as it’s happening. That’s why Bonta Sumii’s recommendation is to have a relationship with a performance coach in place, like how every woman has a gynecologist. Just as you go to the doctor’s for an annual checkup and work out to keep your body healthy, you might also visit a performance coach to help keep your mind in tip-top status—on its own or in tandem with traditional therapy and other practices in your toolbox. “We all know the difference between physical health and physical illness, but mental health and mental illness have been synonymous for so long,” Bonta Sumii says. “It’s important to promote spaces and conversations where people can learn and practice the language of mental health.”
What’s more, those with the healthiest mind states tend to be the ones constantly striving (in a good way!) Waite states that they are driven to succeed and are action-oriented. “Performance coaching helps create structure, pathways, and support mechanisms for people to enhance their strengths and make them more effective overall.” Game face, On.
These simple actions can improve your mental wellbeing right away. Practicing them *regularly* returns the real results.
BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION
Wieland says that sleep is the most important tool for performance. “It affects your mood, movement, memory, and muscle repair—so improving the quality and getting the right amount of sleep is a great way to feel better on all levels.” And while pro athletes are known to snooze up to 10-plus hours a night (hi, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova), seven to nine tends to be sufficient for most. You should prioritize this to help you get through the hard work and training.
SET THREE CLEAR TYPES OF GOALS
Bet you didn’t realize there are different kinds! Bonta Sumii LCSW says they include performance, process, and result. “Let’s say I’m on a soccer team and I want to win the league—that’s the outcome goal.” To get there, you need process goals that represent a clear route to success. For instance, I want 10 shots on goal each training session. The performance goal measures progress along the way toward the achievement of that outcome goal—which might look like using a centered breath before penalty kicks to improve control. Each one should also be specific, measurable and achievable.
CREATE A PREPERFORMANCE RITUAL
This is your preparation. Ahead of a race, that could be picking out your outfit, prepping the right pre-run meal, and figuring out exactly how you’ll get there. You might also need to paint a mental picture. “When there’s a lot on the line, it’s really important to visualize going through that process and thinking about what emotional reactions are going to pop up, how you are going to control them, and how you are going to stay really focused on the task at hand,” Waite explains.
Also, before you go-time, close your eyes and imagine how your future self will feel. Pull on all of your senses: How do you want to feel, temperature-wise, when you’re lining up at the starting line? Do you want to hear the excitement from the runners around you? Maybe you can even taste that energy gel.“You’re painting the scene about what you feel, hear, even taste, from a first-person perspective,” says Bonta Sumii. Do this several days ahead of your performance and then practice it every day leading up to the game. (Note: This works well for situations such as a first date.
TRY THE SWIMMER’S BREATH
Wieland says that intentional control over your inhalations, and exhalations, is the fastest way for you to calm your physiology (pumping heart and sweaty pits), and mind. “Doing so creates space to make an intentional response, rather than reacting,” she says. “It also brings awareness to your thought patterns so you can reach for a better idea, instead of getting sucked into negative thinking.”
It is beneficial for the central nervous system to breathe out more air than you draw in. This can be done by inhaling, tensing your entire body, and then exhaling. looongExhale until you have to inhale again.
Another strategy that’s a bit more discreet: 4-7-8 breathing. For a few rounds, inhale for four counts and hold for seven. Then, exhale for eight counts. Wieland says that you can focus on the breath at any time, such as before bed, before your alarm goes off, standing in line, or when you are awake.
Jeffrey Westbrook
SPEAK NICELY TO SELF
Positive affirmations can replace self-sabotage thoughts with positive ones. Positive affirmations can be as simple as “You’ve got this” or “You’re good.” Psst: Talking to yourself in the third person (“you”) is more effective than using the first person (“I”), research shows. This also works to regulate emotions after a loss (e.g., you didn’t get a certain outcome or you’re grieving).
GRATEFUL OUTLOUD
You’ve probably heard that gratitude is good for you. “Gratitude is a skill that soothes the soul,” says Wieland. Research shows that gratitude for three things each day can improve your mood and relationships as well as productivity. Research supports the idea of keeping a gratitude journal and expressing gratitude to others directly. Send a text or written note to tell someone you’re thankful for them, and why.
FIND THE SILVER Lining
Waite worked closely with participants to find an upside to the disappointment after the Olympics were postponed for 2020. If a runner has a persistent injury, they would have the opportunity to fully recover. Or if they felt they’d rushed through base training, they could now take a step back and fill in those holes. “There was a silver lining for every single athlete, and I do the same when I work with people in businesses,” says Waite. Perhaps the pandemic gave you an opportunity to reevaluate your career goals if you lost your job.
Teacher Training
It can be difficult to find the right expert to help you implement performance psychology techniques in your life, given the number of mental health professionals available. Here’s your guide:
What’s keeping you up at night? Are you facing a major task? You might be a great candidate for a performance coach. Wieland says that having someone to help you make these skills second-nature can relieve your worry, lack of motivation, and fear of disappointing others.
LOOK AT Certified Mental Performance Consultants (CMPCs) from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (appliedsportpsych.org)
CHECK OUT Restoic app (restoic.com), Topknot (topknot.app), or the Optimize Mind Performance platform (optimizemindperformance.com)
We’re talking prolonged anxiousness, and when typical coping mechanisms (like the ones you just read about!) aren’t helping. Or you worry that your worries are affecting your work and personal relationships. That’s when someone with a background in mental health, in addition to performance skills, may be a better bet.
LOOK AT A LCSW or a PhD (you may also inquire about their coaching experience).
CHECK OUT Psychologytoday.com to easily find a provider in or near your zip code that’s a good fit for you
This article appears in the March 2022 issue Women’s Health. Become a member of Women’s Health+ now.
Source: Women’s Health Mag