Psychological Factors in Sports

Do you ever believe you are your thoughts? Do you often take your thoughts way too seriously?  If so you’ll enjoy today’s podcast episode as my guest, Keagen Hadley author of Torn: Overcoming the Psychological Challenges Post-ACL Injury talks about using Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a potentially helpful solution.  Specifically we discuss cognitive defusion as a way to help you create distance from your thoughts.

Key Learning Points:

• Cognitive Fusion is concerned with the mess our thoughts in relation to our identity can have where our thoughts can often dominate our reality.
• Examples include; “I am broken”, “I am rubbish…”
• Mastering cognitive defusion can help you create distance from your thoughts and see things from a fresh perspective.
• Cognitive defusion goes on to promote psychological flexibility and empowers you to relate to your situation and thought processes with greater openness and adaptability. 
• One approach you could take to help you is to smile at yourself and your situation as it can help you make peace and shift your perspective.
• When you perform and see red mist, slowing down, taking a slow walk can also be a useful way to take the sting out of the situation. 

Connect with Keagan Hadley

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BOOK: Torn Overcoming Psychological Challenges Post ACL

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To Listen to the Full Podcast Episodes

Ep092: Dr James Hegarty – ACT in Sport, Improving Performance through Mindfulness

Ep124: Dr Keagan Hadley – Long Term Injuries: How to Confront Difficult Thoughts and Emotions

Ep205: Dr Carl Bescoby – Rehabilitation And Returning To Sport: How To Support Injured Athletes

Ep235: Trevor Jones – How To Use ACT To Improve Your Coaching In Sport #BITESIZE

Ep236: Dr James Hegarty – How To Use ACT and Mindfulness When You’ve Got Lots Of Time To Think #BITESIZE

How often in sport do you see an athlete make the wrong decision under pressure? Often I’d say! Even at the highest level in elite professional sport.  Indecision, overthinking, paralysis by analysis, having too much time to think of the consequences, a lack of trust in skills or fear are often the reasons for poor decision making. 

In this short bite-sized episode, Paul Phillips an author and culture developer and I discuss overthinking in sport where we share some helpful tips so that you can deal better with pressure in the moment. 

Key Learning Points:

• Helping athletes generate behaviours before thoughts and emotions is a helpful skill.
• James Clear’s two-minute rule in the book Atomic Habits is a useful approach to take when you are feeling indecisive.
• In rugby the size of an opponent can trigger fear responses, overthinking and poor decision making.
• Visual, kinaesthetic and auditory cues and triggers are helpful in overcoming fear,
• Using metaphors such as images of animals or superhero’s is a helpful trigger for adults and children.
• Spending time with process training, practicing and rehearsing pre-shot and pre-performance routines are hugely beneficial.

Connect with Paul Phillips

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Book: How to Create Culture: In Rugby Union

Connect with David Charlton

Sign Up to The Mental Edge

Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub

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To Listen to Podcasts To Help Overthinkers

Ep092: Dr James Hegarty – ACT in Sport, Improving Performance through Mindfulness

Ep156: Ruth Chiles – There is Hope: How to Overcome Focal Dystonia

Ep161: Paul Phillips – How to Create a Culture of High Performance in Professional Rugby Union

Ep221: Jeremy Snape – How To Use Pre Performance Routines When The Pressure Is On

Ep224: Aaron Walsh – How To Help Professional Rugby Players Perform Better Under Pressure

Helpful Resources For The Overthinker

Blog – Overthinking on the Rugby Pitch

Blog – Do You Start Matches with a ONE-NIL DOWN Mindset?

Blog – 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Bowl Every Delivery

Blog – Is Your Head Focused On The Right Things

How to Trust Your Skills When You’re a Goalkeeper

What is the most mentally challenging position on the football or soccer pitch?  Many people would argue it’s the goalkeeper.  Common psychological challenges goalkeepers face include; coping with mistakes and bouncing back strongly, dealing with tough and physical opponents, playing the ball out from the back with their feet in uncomfortable situations, communicating effectively with team-mates, selection issues and dealing with time on the bench.

Today, Andy Elleray, an author and goalkeeping coach, who has worked for clubs such as Chelsea and Bristol Rovers tells me about mental toughness and how it applies to goalkeeping sharing some advice, I also provide a suggestion on how goalkeepers can help themselves remain calm and composed when faced with difficulties on the pitch.

Key Learnings

• All goalkeepers make mistakes.
• Being able to accepts making mistakes and move on is a skill that goalkeepers can develop.
• Helping goalkeepers master the controllables is essential.
• Trigger words or physical triggers (using sweat bands or super-hero bands) can help goalkeepers move on more quickly from mistakes.
• Try the calm and composed face exercise to help you.

Connect with David Charlton

Sign up to The X-FACTOR regular emails helping football and soccer players to get the most from their talent 

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Connect with Any Elleray

Website

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Twitter: @andyelleray / @lilys_goal 

Relevant Podcast Episodes

Ep08: Brendan Pearson – Academy Football, Professional Football, Injuries and Early Retirement

Ep087: Carl Bell – From Professional Football and Goalkeeping to Physiotherapy

Ep093: Dan Abrahams – How to Overcome Mental Blocks in Football

Ep151: Compilation – Football Psychology: 50 Ways You Can Improve Your Performance

Ep165: Andy Elleray – How To Master the Mental Challenges Goalkeeping Throws at You

Other Valuable Football or Soccer Resources 

Goalkeeping Psychology | Mental Skills for Goalkeepers 

Soccer Psychology | Mental Skills for Football

Youth Sports Psychology | Mental Skills Training for Kids and Parents

Frequently Asked Questions about Football or Soccer Psychology

Frequently Asked Questions about Goalkeeping Psychology