Mental Toughness in Sports PDF

MENTAL
TOUGHNESS
LOEHR
Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 0: Introduction 0-1
Introduction
The Ultimate Challenge
Insecurities Mental Strength = Acquired Mental Skills:

Doubts  Concentration
Inadequacies  Controlling Attitude
Fears  Managing Pressure
 Thinking Right
 Controlling Energy
 Staying Motivated
 Visualizing.
AET
 Meeting ultimate challenge & building mental strength
 Excellence + Joy + Fulfillment + Struggle
 Step by step procedure … for understanding and
controlling the critical mind-body connection.
 Shorten the Mental Toughness process
A Personal Journey
In the Past …. Now …
I feel Obligation I look forward

I feel Expectation I feel like a kid
I feel Commitment I am excited
I feel Fear I feel lucky to have a chance to do what I am doing
I was too busy trying to perform well to enjoy myself

I was too busy trying not to look stupid
During performance, I always got caught up with what it was
going to be
I hated losing My focus now is in the MOMENT

I was playing “not to lose”  I savor the moment
 Every moment is of every performance …
 is something to be fully experienced and enjoyed
 I take each moment for what it is
When I lose this moment When I do this (savor the moment),

I think about winning and losing  I experience = calm, strength & energy
I think about what I should have done or not done  I feel more positive
All the negatives come charging back.  I feel more in control
 Things start to flow automatically
 No tension
 No anxiety
 No fear
 I am right here and now
 I am loving every minute of it
 I just do
I try to get psyched I just do:

I try to concentrate  I’ve got excess energy
I try to perform well  I’m mentally on target
My mind and body does not click.  My mind and my body seem to click
I am fighting myself  I’m no longer fighting myself
I’m fighting against the current  I’m flowing with the current
Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 0: Introduction 0-2
In the Past …. Now …
I kept getting in the way I don’t get in the way as much anymore.
 I was determined to succeed
 I wanted to win at all cost
 I wanted to prove to myself and everyone I could do it
My motto: Key
 try harder  Try softer
 be stronger  Be calmer
Problem:
 I tried too hard
 I was forcing it
These makes a situation worse:

 Trying to play better
 Trying not to get angry
 Trying to concentrate
 Trying not to be nervous
Trying Harder ≠ giving 100% effort Giving 100% effort
I worry about the guy on the other side I worry about me, not him !
 He is easy
 I am my own toughest opponent.
Keeping the feelings (pumped up, positive, confident, Savoring the Moment …. 2 benefits:
invincible) is a problem …  It brings me back to what I am doing  makes it fun again
Something wold happen (even something little), and suddenly  It is easier to keep that feeling (pumped up, positive,
the feeling would be gone. confident, invincible), and when I lose it, I can get them
So I try harder, but feeling never came back. back the same way.
When I lose these feelings, I act “as if” I had them …. And they
come back!
I thought: that those feelings come only when I play well. Truth: I play well because I have those feelings
When I feel right, I perform right
(When I don’t feel right, I don’t perform right, no matter how

hard I try)
These right feelings come

 when I live in every moment
 when I love and savor every moment
 when I am in the NOW
Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 1. Mental Toughness 1-1
Mental Toughness
No One Ever Told Me
I was overwhelmed by
 frustration,
 anger,
 self-doubt
I fought myself every inch of the way
During competition, my inner world was frantic mix of

 Panic
 Rage
Panic … tied up with fears:

 Fear of looking bad
 Fear of losing to someone I shouldn’t
 Fear of choking
 Fear of winning
Rage … reflect
 Frustration (with myself)
 Disappointment (with myself)
(These Negative) Emotions would build inside me.
The results:
 mistake after mistake
 Failure after failure.
The solution I know:

 Try harder
Physiology What is important during competition

 Muscle tight  Relaxation
 Brain fast and frantic  Calmness
 Quiet
9 Mental Toughness and Consistency
Feel out of control

 I feel like I am playing Russian Roulette
 I don’t know if I will play poorly and be blown away
 I don’t know if I will play well and be spared
We rarely play to our full potential. This causes:

 Guilt
 Self-doubt
 Anger
 Self-criticism
People become casualties of sport (e.g. quit) Mental Training

 Frustration = Reaching and performing at potential consistently
 Mental anguish
Consistency
= ultimate measure of mental toughness in athlete.
= earmark of a champion
Consistent Performance requires 2 things

(1) Good technique and form
(2) Good mental skills
Playing well is the result of creating a particular

atmosphere within yourself.
Players who can consistently create this special

atmosphere or climate within themselves perform
consistently.
MENTAL TOUGHNESS IS LEARNED, NOT INHERITED.
Mentally tough competitors have following learned

mental skills:
 Self-Motivated and Self-Directed
 Positive but Realistic
 In Control of His Emotions
 Calm and Relaxed Under Fire
 Highly Energetic and Ready for Action
 Determined
 Mentally Alert and Focused See next page
 Dogged Self-Confidence
 Fully Responsible
Your INNER STRENGTH makes the ultimate difference.

9 Mental Toughness and Consistency (con’t)
Learned Mental Skills of Mentally Tough Athlete:
Self-Motivated and Self-Directed

 Direction comes from within
 Does not need to be pushed, shoved or forced
 He’s involved because he wants to be.
Positive but Realistic

 Not a complainer, criticizer, fault finder, destroyer
 a builder
 Eyes are fixed on success
 Eyes are fixed on what can happen
 Eyes are fixed on what is possible
In Control of His Emotions

 There will always be Powerful Triggers of Negative Emotions
(e.g. bad refereeing, stupid mistakes, obnoxious opponents,
poor playing conditions,
 Negative Emotions (anger, frustration, fear) must be controlled,
or they will control you
Calm and Relaxed Under Fire

 Does not avoid pressure
 He is challenged by pressure
 Being put to the test is not a threat
 Being put to the test is a challenge
 Being put to the test is opportunity to explore self-potential
Highly Energetic and Ready for Action

 He is his own igniter
 He can ignite himself in spite of fatigue, personal problems, or
bad luck
 No matter how bad he feels, or how meaningless the situation,
he is capable of getting himself pumped up and energized for
playing his best
Determined
 He is relentless in the pursuit of his goals
 Setbacks are taken in stride as he inches forward
Mentally Alert and Focused

 Capable of long and intensive periods of total concentration
 Can tune in to what’s important (even under pressure)
 Can tune out what is not important (even under pressure)
Dogged Self-Confidence
 Unshatterable sense of self-confidence
 Strong belief in himself and in his ability to perform well
 Does not fall victim to other’s self-defeating thoughts and ideas
 Not easily intimidated
Fully Responsible
 Takes full responsibility for his own actions
 There are no excuses: either he did or he didn’t
 Ultimately, everything begins and ends with him, and he is
comfortable with that.
 He is aware that his future is in his own hands.
12 The Contest Within Yourself
You will always be your own toughest opponent
The greatest obstacle between you and your goal is YOU!
Focusing on winning and losing the external contest To perform at your best, have one focus:
too often leads to performance paralysis. Doing the best that you can
Fears of winning and losing lead to: Focus on

 Muscle tightness  “doing the very best you can”
 Excessive anxiety  “winning the contest with yourself”
 Poor concentration
How to Win the match with yourself:
(1) I gave my best effort every moment. I gave 100%
(2) I maintained predominantly positive, healthy and

optimistic attitude with myself
(3) I accepted full responsibility for me today,

for what I did and didn’t do
(didn’t blame parents, weather, bad equipment,
cheating opponents or anything else).
Winning the contest with yourself is hard work – it is the

ultimate challenge
Key: The conquest of self
You will be victorious more consistently

when you consistently win the inner contest.
The contest of me against myself

16 A Formula for Success
4 Step formula for Success:
Step 1: Self Discipline
Step 2: Self-Control
Step 3: Self-Confidence
Step 4: Self Realization
Step 1: Self Disciplined

 Do whatever you have to do
 Make whatever sacrifices are necessary
to get the job done, the best you know how
 Giving up things you like … in order to achieve a
higher goal.
Step 2: Self-Control
Self-Discipline leads to Self-Control
As you discipline yourself,

you experience steady increases in self-control,
 Control of what you do
 Control of what you think
 Control of how you react
Step 3: Self-Confidence
Self-Control leads directly to Self-confidence
What Tracks is for Trains (without it, train goes nowhere)
Self-Confidence is for Athletes (without it, athlete goes

nowhere)
Self-confidence = the unshatterable belief in yourself,

comes from knowing that you are in control
Step 4: Self-Realization
Self-Realization
= Being the best that you can be
= manifestation of your talents and skills as an athlete
Self-Realization flows directly from Self-Confidence.
Once you believe in yourself and feel good about yourself,

you are opening the doors to your full potential.
17 The AET Model
Summary of AET Model

 Mental toughness is learned, not inherited
 The ultimate measure of mental toughness is
consistency
Mental Toughness is Learned, not Inherited
Mental Toughness is an acquired skill
You either learn to be mentally tough, or you don’t.
Process of getting Mental Toughness:

 Hard-work
 Understanding
 Practice
The point: if you want to be Mentally Tough, you can !
Consistency
Target of AET = increased performance consistency

Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 2. The AET Model 2-1
The AET Model

2.1 Origin of AET 19
The success of AET is due to the fact that it comes from the players
and coaches themselves
It is not “armchair” theory
Performance Consistency is the result of Psychological Consistency
Consistency on the outside requires consistency on the inside.
The ability to establish and maintain a stable internal climate during

competitive play (leads to) competitive success.
An Individual’s Performance depends on the success they have in

creating and maintaining a particular kind of mental climate within
themselves.
To the extent that an athlete was unable to When athletes are performing well, they invariably are experiencing a
establish this particular mental state, highly distinct and specific mental state.
performance suffered.
The Level of Performance is an accurate reflection of the kind of
internal climate existing within the performers themselves.
Right Internal Conditions lead to Peak Performance.
Playing well or Playing poorly is a natural reflection of the mental

state.
When the right internal conditions are present, playing toward the
upper range of your capabilities occur automatically.
Ideal Performance State – an ideal performance climate (internal)
There is a connection between this internal state and playing well.
The Component Elements of the Ideal Performance State are

fundamentally the same for all athletes and across all sports.
The Ideal Performance State is most accurately described in terms of

specific feeling states experienced by the individual performers.
The most important mental skills required in competitive sport are

those associated with creating and maintaining the Ideal
Performance State during play.
Controlling the Ideal Performance State is directly related to the

acquisition of a core of essential mental skills.
These skills are the direct focus of the AET procedures.
Mental Toughness requires a high degree of control over the Ideal

Performance State. The more you practice, the better you get.
Maintaining the right internal climate when things are going your way
is tough enough.
The real test of mental skills come when the pressure is on, when the
world is against you, and when everything has turned upside down.
2.2 The Ideal Performance State
Composite
 I felt physically very relaxed, but really energized and pumped up.
 I experienced virtually no anxiety or fear, and the whole
experience was totally enjoyable.
 I experienced a very real sense of calmness and quiet inside, and
everything just seemed to flow automatically.
 I really didn’t have to think about what I was suppose to do; it just
seemed to happen naturally.
 Even though I was really hustling, it was all very effortless.
 I always seemed to have enough time and energy and rarely felt
rushed – almost at times as if I were performing in slow motion.
 I felt like I could do almost anything, as if I were in complete
control.
 I felt confident and positive.
 It also seemed very easy to concentrate.
 I was totally tuned in to what I was doing.
 I was also super-aware – aware of everything but distracted by
nothing.
 It almost seemed like I knew what was going to happen before it
actually did.
Critical Understanding
1. Your level of performance is a direct reflection of the way you feel
inside.
2. When you feel right, you can perform right.
3. Playing well is a natural consequence of the right kind of internal
feelings.
4. Playing as well as you can at the moment occur automatically
when the right emotional balance has been established.
5. In the final analysis, mental toughness is the ability to create and
maintain the right kind of internal feeling regardless of the
circumstances.
6. The most important step you can take to perform to your best is
to create a particular climate within yourself and maintain it, no
matter what !
Which Comes First?
The internal state comes first.
When the right internal climate takes form, playing well occurs
naturally and spontaneously.
The wrong climate is like trying to get a seed The right climate helps to bridge a gap, the gap between what you can
to grow in frozen soil. do as an athlete, and what you actually do.
The climate and the conditions just won’t As soon as the conditions are right – the right combination of
allow the seed and soil to properly connect. temperature, water and so on, - the connection is easily made, and the
potential of one with the other can be realized.
2.2 The Ideal Performance State (con’t) A Closer Look at the IPS
12 aspects of ideal climate:

Aspects Feelings
Physically When you feel relaxed and loose
relaxed
Mentally Calm When you feel a sense of calmness and quiet inside
Low Anxiety When you feel no anxiety or nervousness
Energized When you feel charged with high energy
Optimistic When you feel optimistic and positive
Enjoyment When you feel a genuine sense of fun and
enjoyment in your play.
Effortless When your performance feels effortless
Automatic When you feel automatic and spontaneous in your
play
Alert When you feel mentally alert
Mentally When you feel mentally focused and tuned in
Focused
Self-confident When you feel highly self-confident
In control When you feel in control of yourself.
AET = to help you achieve control over this special mental IPS state.
The training procedures and concepts are designed

To help you acquire the necessary mental skills
That will enable you to
 Identify your IPS
 Trigger your IPS
 Maintain your IPS
Regardless of the circumstances of play.
1 Physically Relaxed
Athletes do not perform well when: Athletes perform best when:
 Muscles feel moderately of slightly tight  they’re feeling loose
 they are experiencing no nervous muscle tension
2 Mentally Calm
Athlete do not perform well when When Athletes are performing well,
Mental State is  They experience a sense of calm and quiet inside.
 fast  They experience things going in slow motion.
 accelerated  “Everything seemed to slow down, and I had all the time in the
 racy world to make my move”
3 Low Anxiety
Athlete do not perform well when Athletes perform best when:
they feel:  They feel no anxiety whatsoever
 nervous (even a little)
 anxious (even a little) No one performs well under pressure.
To be a good performer, you must be able to take tough and difficult

situations and make them PRESSURE FREE.
Their greatness is in their learned ability to take the pressure off.

2.2 The Ideal Performance State (con’t) A Closer Look at the IPS (con’t)
4 Energized
Athletes do not perform well when Athletes perform best when:
Source of Energy (feelings of):  They feel pumped with positive energy
 anxiety  You can never get too much positive energy
 fear
 anger Source of energy = JOY
 frustration
Having right energy source leads to Feelings of:
 Enjoyment
 Fun
 Loving what they are doing.
Unique combination = positive energy + profound sense of inner calm!
5 Optimistic
Even slightly negative and pessimistic feelings Feeling positive and optimistic to perform well …
make staying loose, calm and positively … Makes staying loose, calm and positively energized possible.
energized impossible.
6 Fun / Enjoyment
Principle: what you can enjoy, you can perform.
Principle: if it’s fun, you can perform.
You play well because you had fun!

(We do not have fun because we play well!)
Having fun and enjoying yourself:

 is key … to staying relaxed, calm, unanxious, positively energized
and optimistic.
 Is boundless energy source
 Is a highly controllable feeling
Learn to:
 Love to struggle
 Love the battle
 Love the confrontation
7 Effortless
When things don’t go well … try harder! When things don’t go well … try softer!
But trying harder leads to: I give 100% to the task, but I must also:
 Physical: Tight muscle  let go and “let it happen by itself”
 Mental: Fast and frantic mental state
Playing well is effortless!
Playing well occurs when:

We give 100% to the task of letting it happen by itself.
Learn to
 try softer
 try easier
When we play well, time seems to slow … and it all becomes easy.
2.2 The Ideal Performance State (con’t) A Closer Look at the IPS (con’t)
8 Automatic
Playing by Thinking Playing by Instinct
Paralysis by Analysis Syndrome Let go and play automatically.
Think my way: Learn to:

 into brilliant performance  Turn on the automatic
 out of performance problem  Play by instinct (swifter and more precise)
9 Alert
When athletes are in IPS, they experience
 Extraordinary awareness
 Aware of their own bodies
 Aware of position of players around them
 Who’s likely to do what
 Where they are
 What they are doing
 Ability to anticipate well
 To read what is about to happen
 To respond intelligently to the present
10 Mentally Focused
Central to Performing Well:
 Focus ones attention to a specific target
 Resist being distracted from one’s target
Attentional Control is not possible when: (1) Attentional Control comes from
 mind is in turmoil = right mixture of calmness + high positive energy.
 Mind is not properly energized
(2) Athletes who perform well
Athletes who do not perform well: … typically are not trying to concentrate.
Are trying to concentrate
Concentration occurs naturally … when inner conditions are right.
Concentration rarely increases
with conscious acts of trying harder.
11 Self-Confident
Self-confidence
 the feeling that you can do it
 the feeling that you can be successful
 the feeling that keeps you calm and poised (in midst of turmoil)
This feeling of self-confidence can be cultivated and controlled

(learned)
12 In Control
The feeling of “I am in control of me”
When athletes are in IPS, they experience

 Feeling of inner strength
 Feeling of self-control
 Feeling of being in control of the situation, rather than the
situation controlling you.
In competition:
 There are a lot of things we cannot control
 But we can (in fact) stay in complete control by controlling our
emotional response to those events!
2.3 Pressure, Pressure, Pressure

Nobody plays well under pressure
Skillful competitors play well in pressure situations precisely because

they have eliminated the pressure.
The fans may be wild, but the players who are doing well are in a
completely different place psychologically.
Although they were intellectually aware (thought) they were in a

tough situation, they didn’t feel the pressure inside (emotion).
So, athletes perform best in pressure situations when they are able to
successfully maintain their own Ideal Performance State.
Why Don’t they Feel The Pressure?
Pressure is something you put on yourself.
People view: The only difference … between playing a sports competitively … and
 Playing for fun = easy playing it for fun … is pressure.
 Playing competitively = too much hard
work. But the game is played exactly the same way in both cases.
 Keep score the same
 The rules don’t change
 Often playing the same people
You can structure situations in your thoughts The only difference is the difference you make in your head! E.g.:
so that it is impossible to play  “One counts, and the other doesn’t”
relaxed, calm and positively energized.  “My ego is really on the line in competition”
 “What will people think if I lose when it counts”
Competition Competition:
 Hard  Just as much fun
 Threatening  Fust as pressure free (like social play)
 Frustrating
 Unnerving When this happens, we become a mentally tough competitor.
Pressure comes from within, not from without.

 In the physical world, there are no concrete, physical forces
working on us.
 Situations are not nervous or anxious – people are
 It’s your interpretation of what is out there … that gets you in
trouble!
 Once we realize the above, we can start shutting pressure down
2.3 Pressure, Pressure, Pressure (con’t)
Disciplined Thinkers
Undisciplined Think: Mentally tough competitors manage pressure well …

 Thinking the wrong thought … Because they have become disciplined thinkers.
 Quickly lead to pressure problems.
They recognize a connection between:
E.g.  What they think, and
 “If I don’t sink this putt, I’ll lose $10,500”  How much pressure they experience during play.
 “If I don’t complete this pass, we’ll never make
the playoffs.” Changes that occur in the head (thinking)
 “The whole game rests on me – if I don’t hit … Will lead to …
these two free throws, what will everyone say?” Changes that occur in the body (action)
Sample Thoughts That Produce Pressure Sample Thoughts That Reduce Pressure
 The pressure is awesome  Pressure is something I put on myself.
 What if I don’t do well?  I’m just going to do the best I can and
 What if I blow it now; I’ll never be the same let the cards fall where they may.
 I’ll never live it down if I lose  I’m simply going to focus on doing my job the best I know
 If I don’t do it now, I’ll lose everything how.
 My career is on the line  I’m going to have one hell of a lot of fun out there, no
 Just think of what I’ll lose if I don’t pull this one matter what.
out.  Even if I’m not the greatest today, It won’t be the end of
 I’ll drop from second to tenth if I don’t win this the world
one.  Winning and losing is for the fans; I simply perform.
 I love tough situations; the tougher the situation, the better
I perform
 I’m going to be OK, no matter what.
Negative words: Positive words

 What if  I’m simply going to
 I’ll lose  I simply perform
 If I don’t  Do the best I can
 If I blow it  Focus on doing my job
 One hell of a lot of fun
Threat v Challenge
Fold Under Pressure Thrive under Pressure
Face adversity. Become Face same adversity. Become

 Bitter  Stronger
 Frustrated  Mentally tougher
 Negative  More determined
 Pessimistic  Play becomes more inspired and enthusiastic
Finds all kinds of reason why he can’t perform In spite of confusion and craziness
 Coach  Continues to move forward
 Management  No gripe about reasons
 Salary
 Lousy team, etc
How does he construct the situation in his head? How does he construct the situation in his head?
Mentally structured the situation to be = Threat Mentally structured the situation to be = Challenge
(this mental construct is under our own control) (this mental construct is under our own control)
This Control … is acquired by structuring

our thoughts and ideas
in positive constructive directions
If perceive situation as Threat

 We will have IPS problems and
 IPS will be unrealizable fantasy
The more threatening the situation,

The more serious the problem.
Inevitable Problems:
 Problems with muscle tightness
 Problems with controlling anxiety
 Problems with staying calm
 Problems with attentional control
Threat v Challenge (con’t)
Physiology of Threat
In reality, the situation is NOT Threatening

 A third set tie breaker in tennis for $10,000
 An overtime free throw for the championship
But athlete can perceive the situation as a THREAT To serve the ace or to sink the free throw, we need
(the trigger of THREAT)  Calmness
 Relaxation
Threat triggers Flight or Fight response (physiology)  Positive Energy
 Pounding heart  Self-Control
 Rapid breathing
 Trembling body To be successful, we must insulate ourselves against
 Elevated blood pressure that trigger of THREAT.
 Heightened fear or anger
 Braced and tight muscle We can control our internal reactions to changing external
 Tunnel vision events:
 Adrenaline pumping  We are not helpless victims of our biological instincts
 There are no actual physical forces in the world
Once Threat triggered, impossible to reach IPS ! compelling us to react to stress in a particular way.
Controlling the trigger means …

controlling the way we think …
about the situations we face … as competitors.
KEY = transform potentially threatening and difficult situations

Into exciting self-challenges
KEY
 Focus on eliminating the pressure
 Stop thinking about performing well under pressure
 Stop thinking about choking under pressure
This skill (of eliminating pressure) separates superstars from

the troops. They have:
 the ability to take the pressure off.
 The ability to transform crisis into opportunity
 The ability to turn threat into challenges
All that stands between you and that ability …. Is your head !
Raging Bull or Possum You Gotta Love Adversity !
External Situation Adversity:

(Neutral)  Nobody is there for you
 The weather is so rotten, you can hardly stand up
 Sick all week and got no practice
Perceived as a THREAT  Opponents get all the breaks, and you get none
 Everyone has written you off
 Your personal falls apart
THREAT= automatically Triggers off unproductive  You are injured and you are not sure if you can or can’t
Fight or Flight Response
( 2 Types)
Raging Bull Possum Adversity triggers feelings of :

 Pounding heart  Shut down alarm  Anger
 Rapid breathing response  Resentment
  Play dead inside
Trembling body  Frustration
 no lose temper
 Elevated blood  Nervousness
 don’t feel anxious
pressure
 stay loose
 Heightened fear Produce overwhelming FEELINGS of PRESSURE
or anger Performance = miserable
 Braced and tight In TOP COMPEITTORS, these produce
muscle Reason:  Feelings of challenge
 Tunnel vision Absence of energy + fire  Feelings of inspiration
 Adrenaline  Feelings of determination
Looks like:
 Lazy
 Feelings of positiveness
Performance = bad
 Unmotivated
 Not playing with heart In Short, you gotta love adversity!
 Not caring
The greater the adversity …
Athlete response The more you feel the challenge …
 Forceful The more you fight.
 angry
Transform adversity and pressure into challenges / inspiration:
 Rather than dread playing the other person – love it!
 Rather than panicking when it goes against you – get
inspired!
 Rather than playing timid when door starts to close on you
– you summon all the positive forces and charge forward!
The Importance of Rituals
Rituals can become powerful triggers for creating IPS.
Rituals
 Help in deepening concentration
 Turning on the automatic
 Raising intensity
 Staying loose, etc
When game goes badly or When game goes badly or when we start feeling pressure,
when we start feeling pressure, we must keep to our rituals
we short circuit our rituals  take more than enough time to prepare prior to execution
 we bounce the balls less  complete our pre-performance ritual in its entirety
 we take fewer deep breaths
 we visualize differently Develop rituals!
 we cut down the time by half  Rituals that help me feel loose, confident, energized (1,2,3)
 Pre-Performance Rituals (1,2,3)
2.4 The Right Energy Positive v Negative Energy
Negative Energy Positive Energy

 Fear  Confidence
 Anxiety  Determination
 Negativism  Self-belief
 Sel-Doubt  Joy
 Momentum
 Team Spirit
 Positiveness
High
High Negative Energy High Positive Energy
Unpleasant B A Pleasant
D C
Low Negative Energy Low Positive Energy
Low
High
Nervous Alert
Fearful Energetic
Anxious Lively
Angry Stimulated
Frustrated Vigorous
Upset Enthused
Vengeful High Team Spirit
D C
Bored Tired
Disinterested Fatigue
Annoyed Weary
Irritated Exhausted
Out of Gas
Low
High
rigid Tight Muscles Relaxed Muscles NO
inflexible Accelerated Mental State Calm Mental State Fight or Flight
no mental focus Tunnel Vision Focused Reaction
Concentrated
D C
Inconsistency Low Muscle Tension Relaxed Muscles Attention wanders
Unpredictability Variable Calmness Calm Mental State Distracted easily
Distracted easily Unfocused Unfocused Effort to focus
Poor Concentration Poor Concentration
Low
High
Moderate Performance Peak Performance
#2 chance good performance #1 chance good performance
D C
Very Poor Performance Poor Performance
#4 chance good performance #3 chance good performance
Low
2.4 The Right Energy (con’t)

Positive v Negative Energy (con’t)
High
I really want it I really want it
I’m not enough I’m Challenged
I won’t be able to I can do it!
- THREAT - - No Threat -
D C
I’d rather be doing about I want to, but not all that much
anything else.
This is boring
- Mild Threat - - No Threat -

Low
High
High
HighNegative
NegativeEnergy
Energy High Positive
High Positive Energy
Energy
Anxiety Calmness
Fear Strength
Anger Power
Frustration Control
D C
No Fun Calmness
No Energy Pleasantness
No Fire Lacks Power
No Life Lacks Depth
Low
High
Takes time
Best Performance = 60% only Takes effort
Highly Motivated to do well Highly Motivated to do well
Perceive Event as = THREAT Perceive Event as = Challenge
Emotions: Emotions:
Anxiety Calmness
Fear Strength
Anger Power
Frustration Control
Hate Fun
Tension Enjoyment
Resentment Determination
Negativism Self-motivation
Love what you are doing
JOY
Optimism
Challenge
High Team Spirit
Unpleasant B A Increase Power Pleasant
D C Increase Intensity
Low

Intensity is Simply High Energy
HIGH NEGATIVE Loss of Calmness Determination HIGH POSITIVE
INTENSITY Tight Muscles Aggressiveness INTENSITY
Poor Concentration Effort
“I’m going for it”
High
High Negative Energy High Positive Energy HIGH INTENSITY
(HIGH ENERGY)
D C
Low Intensity
(Low Energy)
Low
High-Octane Energy
Think of Human Body = sophisticated high-performance engine … that need good high-octane fuel to run !
40/60 Mix 50/50 Mix 75/25 Mix 100/0 Mix
(catastrophe ! ) (borderline) (so so) (best)
NEGATIVE ENERGY POSITIVE ENERGY

Low-Octane Fuel High High-Octane Fuel
D C
Low
Level of Performance = Poor Level of Performance = High
Poor judgment
Tight muscles
Early fatigue
Poor concentration
Loss of control
Trick = keep Positive Energy up!
Low-Octane High -Octane

Negative Activators Positive Activators
Anger Fun
Resentment Joy
Anxiety Love
Hate Determination
Fear Optimism
Tension Enjoyment
Negativism Pride
Threat Self-Challenge
Frustration Team Spirit
Self-motivation

An Ancient Understanding
Universal Life Force (Ranch = Life Force Particles)
 KI (Japanese)
 CHI (Chinese)
 Soft Energy (Loehr)
Negative KI (KI-) Thoughts- Actions- Results- Positive KI (KI+)  Thoughts+  Actions+  Results+
 Health
 Harmony
 Fulfillment
KI- Negative Energy Positive Energy Ki+

Anxiety Joy
Anger Fun
Hate Love
Fear Challenge
Negativism Optimism
Frustration Determination
Distrust Enjoyment
Thoughts- Fast & Frantic Mental State Calm Mental State Thoughts+
Poor Concentration Good Concentration
Action- Tight Muscles Relaxed Muscles Actions+
Results- Low-Level Performance High-Level Performance Results+

Ski Racer Externals: Externals:
Wind is bad Wind bites,
Course is in poor condition snow is blinding
Feelings: Feelings:
Concerned Loving every minute of it.
Nervous Feeling Wired
Feeling Supercharged
Thoughts: Thoughts:
Competition is particularly tough “This is my moment”
Tired of waiting around This is what I was born to do!
“How can anyone perform under these No matter what, this is the greatest!
conditions?”
Body: Body:
Cold feel tingling sensation up and down neck
Swimmer Feelings: Feelings:

Feeling short fused (“striking rattlesnake”) Looking forward to today
Feeling Pressure. Feeling psyched just to have the chance!
Thoughts: Thoughts:
I have no clue how I got here For first time, got chance to compete with 5 top state swimmers
I’m outclassed. I don’t belong here Got opportunity to swim against John Taylor!
“Just don’t look bad” “What a great opportunity!”
“Just don’t let anyone down”
Today will be done with and I can start Body:
sleeping and eating normally again! Objectively speaking, not as good as others, but this does not
phase me out.

Football Externals: Externals:
Humiliated by other team last time. Humiliated by other team last time.
Made your team looked really bad Made your team looked really bad
How to Deal IPS
with Prior Loss Feelings: Feelings:
Angry (at prior loss) (Last time: allowed self to be hopelessly intimidated)
Personal vendetta (tomorrow’s game) This time, I am going to hold my own.
Detest several of those other players
Thoughts: Thoughts:
Committed to getting even (revenge time) This time will be different
They won first game unfairly. I have one central focus =
They won first game by luck. “doing my job the best I know how, no matter what!”
Body: Body:
Just thinking about it … I get all tied up inside I am better prepared, I have worked harder
I know what I am capable of!
Baseball Externals: Externals:

Slump for 3 months now New coach does not like me
Pitching and batting lousy
How to Deal
with Jerks Thoughts: Thoughts:
Convinced new coach does not like me Not sure why coach does not like me
“This guy is a real jerk” (pitching style? Personality? What?)
“He took all the fun out of playing”
Feelings: Feelings: IPS

Feel defensive (Existing Feelings of anger, resentment, upset)
Develop strong feelings of resentment Get hold of feelings + Turn situation around
Feel strong dislike for coach Feel determined that this guy is not going to undermine my
enthusiasm and desire for the game.
Learned a long time ago how important being positive is to my
playing well.
Convinced: enthusiasm, sprit and hard work will pan things out.
Body: Body:
Hard to give best effort …. Because deep
inside, we want to make this guy look bad.
Basketball Externals: Externals:

Did not win State Championship last year Win State Championship last year
Everyone said we have best chance No one gave us a chance
We had the shooters, we had the talents Team did not have height or shooters
Team Spirit
Feelings: Feelings:
Players never came together as a team Feel Momentum building from very first game
Individuals trying to be stars Feel Team Spirit
Everyone jealous of everyone else Feel Invincible
No one went out of way to help anyone else Feel Supercharged
Someone was always criticizing something Feel closeness
Nothing was every right Everyone was helping each other, building them up, making
Bench was always quiet, even when close to them feel good inside.
winning.

“Trying Not To” Rarely Works
“Trying No to” rarely produces the results you want Lesson:

(1) Decide what you want to feel
(2) GO AFTER IT!
High
High Negative Energy Focus on Increasing High Positive Energy

Perceive Event as = THREAT Positive Energy Flow Perceive Event as =
Example: Focus on playing Challenge
smart
Emotions: Confident Emotions:
Anxiety aggressively Calmness
Fear “Trying Not To” be Strength
Anger Fearful Power
Frustration Angry Control
fails Nervous
Hate Fun
Tension Example Enjoyment
Resentment Playing Not To Make Mistakes Determination
Negativism Playing Not to Look Bad Self-motivation
Love what you are doing
JOY
Optimism
Challenge
High Team Spirit
D C
Low
Momentum as Positive Energy FLow

High
High Negative Energy M+ High Positive Energy
M-
M+ M- M+
D C
Low Negative Energy M- Low Positive Energy
Low
Negative Momentum (M-) Positive Momentum (M+)
M- = intensifying loss of IPS feelings M+ = intensifying feeling of IPS positive feelings
M- Experience = Feelings of increasing M+ Experience = Feelings of increased

 Low confidence  confidence
 Negative thoughts  optimism
 Negative energy flow  energy
 Frantic mental state  alertness
M- “we’re stalling” “we’re falling backwards” M+: “we’re rolling!”
Mental Toughness and Momentum

Flow of Momentum
We can LEARN to control this Flow of Momentum.
KEY = practice maintaining internal IPS climate

KEY = practice maintaining flow of positive energy KI+
 Patience
 Poise
 Wait to get momentum back
2.5 The Right Attitude
Attitudes = Thinking Habits

Attitudes are the “stuff” of which Champions are made
Mentally Tough Competitors are Disciplined Thinkers
Attitudes = habits of thoughts

These habits of thoughts make or break the competitor
Thinking Right
Ideal Performance State … leads to our Best Performance
IPS …. Linked to flow of positive energy (from before)

IPS + flow of positive energy = tied to particular mental attitudes.
Right Attitudes
 stimulate the flow of positive energy (energizing attitudes) [step-up]
 helps control flow of energy in positive direction (controlling [direction]
attltudes)
Controlling Attitudes Energizing Attitudes

(direction) (step-up)
1. Pressure is something I put on myself 1. I will always give my best effort
2. Winning will take care of itself; I simply 2. I take pride in what I represent
perform 3. I am going to thoroughly enjoy myself as I perform
3. Hard work can be fun 4. Having fun is an important key to playing well
4. When I enjoy, I can perform 5. My attitude is offensive rather than defensive
5. Choking is not a weakness of character 6. I strive to be positive and enthusiastic, no matter what
6. I accept full responsibility for myself 7. I’m willing to pay the price, no matter what
7. I simply focus on doing the very best I can at 8. I will be successful
every moment
8. Mistakes simply represent feedback and are a
necessary part of learning anything well.
Reduce Your Negativism
Absolute Rule
To achieve your fullest potential as a competitor,

Your must reduce your negativism to a minimum.
Negativism Control your Negativism (Programming for Success)

See how negative the inner voice (i.v.) is?
How often am I consumed in negative thinking? To achieve our IPS, we must Control our Negativism (3-steps)
Step 1:
Inner Voice + Habit of Negative Thinking  Listen to what you are saying and thinking
Powerful forces tt block realization of our potential Become aware of thinking and inner voice
Be sensitive to any negativism
Negativism erodes our INNER STRENGTH! Start blowing whistle on yourself as soon as any negative input is
 Undermines our confidence generated.
 Undermines our enthusiasm
 Undermines our willingness to invest & persist Step 2:
 Undermines our beliefs in ourselves ! As soon as become aware of any negativism, shout STOP (i.v.)
You’ll be amazed that it actually stops !
Negativism = programming for failure.
Step 3:
Negativism = very very harmful! Replace the negative talk (or negative thought)
with something positive and constructive.
What goes on in mind is reflected in body!
Negativism is Controllable! Start taking charge!
2.5 The Right Attitude (con’t) The Attitudes of Success
Attitude towards Fun and Enjoyment

Attitudes towards Winning and Losing eliminate What I can enjoy, can perform
most of the energy stemming from negative Having fun makes playing well possible (not vice versa!)
activators such as Anxiety Tension Fear Ability to enjoy myself in competition = fundamentally important
Make having fun a high priority during play,  I can enjoy and
Most Anxiety Tension Fear stems from concerns have fun no matter how difficult the situation may be.
about
- Losing Impact on IPS
- Winning With proper attitude towards fun, athletes report that they:
- Looking bad - Stay relaxed
- Playing Poorly. - Experience no anxiety
- Remain calm, alert energized
As such, athlete must look for other sources of Having fun is a powerful source of positive energy
energy (energizing attitudes): The more fun they have, the more energy they have.
 Attitude of having Fun “I love what I’m doing – its great!”
 Attitude of Self-Challenge
Wrong Attitude Towards Winning Right Attitude toward Winning and Losing
(Attitude of Self-Challenge)
 Winning is everything Winning is important goal for me
 I must win at all cost Obsession with winning is self-defeating
 I have value only if I win * My #1 effort ≠ winning
 I can’t tolerate the thought of losing
 I am useless if I lose* My #1 effort , my focus, my goal
 Winning is good and Losing is bad = performing to the very best of my ability at any moment
 I am strong if I win and weak if I lose = doing the best at the moment
 I am a success if I win and a failure if I lose. * Winning will take care of myself. I simply perform.
Reality:
* = The statements I feel sensitive about I am performing against myself, not someone else.
I will always be my own toughest opponent.
Impact on IPS
Winning the contest with myself and my external world becomes
This attitudes are triggers of negative energy !
possible when I learn to establish the right internal conditions.
This energy is extremely difficult to control.
Wrong attitudes to winning leads to:
Impact on IPS
 Over-arousal
Provides a non-interfering target for the athlete, target of “doing
 Negative performances
the best he can”
 High levels of fear
- Lowers of tension and anxiety
 No relaxation - Helps produce mental calmness (important to performance)
 No mental calmness - Help improves athlete’s concentration and focusing efforts
- Reduces tension and anxiety levels during play.
Note:
Winning is, in fact, everything!
But fact: an athlete that is preoccupied (obsessed) with winning

… will show deterioration of performance.
Better performance comes when:

- Focus on performing to your best
- Proceed to establish and maintain right internal conditions
(- reduce focus on winning).
2.5 The Right Attitude (con’t) Attitudes Towards Mistakes
Wrong Attitude Towards Mistakes Right Attitude Towards Mistakes
 Mistakes cannot be tolerated Mistakes are a necessary part of learning anything well.
 If I’m tough, I’ll never make mistakes Mistakes are inevitable part of participation.
 If I punish myself for making mistakes, If I don’t make mistakes, I won’t learn.
it will prevent me from making those same Mistakes simply represent feedback.
mistakes in the future.
 If I don’t get upset with myself, I will just keep If I become upset (emotion), I cannot listen or adjust,
right on making inexcusable mistakes. I am therefore bound to repeat.
 Dumb mistakes makes me furious
Right Internal Climate -> minimized mistakes.
 Winners just don’t make mistakes *
 To be a winner, I must stop making mistakes
 I must be perfectly competent and adequate *
Impact on IPS
Impact on IPS
Attitude “Mistakes are necessary part of learning anything well”
Mistakes are inevitable part of participation
 Stays calm and relaxed
Attitudes such at the above leads to:
 Stays positive and optimistic
 Anger
 Continues to experience enjoyment in play
 Self-doubt
 Negative attitude.
 Over-arousal
Attitude Towards Pressure
Wrong Attitude Towards Pressure Right Attitude Toward Pressure.
 I have little or no control over how much I understand that pressure is something I put on myself
pressure I feel.
Pressure (and any resulting anxiety) comes from the way I choose
 I’ve never held up under pressure well to see the situation.
Whether a situation is seen as a THREAT or an exciting SELF-
 Certain people, places and events are CHALLENGE is within control (my choice)
threatening to me. That’s just the way I am.
When I see the situation as a THREAT,
 I know I don’t perform well in those situations, negative activators come to the surface: Tension, Anxiety, Fear.
but it’s not as if I choose to react that way. It
just happens. When the same situation is seen as a SELF-CHALLENGE,
positive energy is released, producing opposite reactions
The ultimate challenge of handling pressure

is the challenge of mentally reconstructing the event or situation
so that it is seen as a positive self-challenge
rather than as a threat.
Transforming crisis into opportunity begins and ends in my head.
Impact on IPS Impact on IPS

With the above attitudes, an athlete can find Ability to see situation as self-challenge (rather than a threat)
himself  results in high positive energy
 vicitimized by pressure situations.  Leads to lower anxiety and fear
 Over-arousal  Lead to mental calmness
 Threat and Fun … is not compatible.  Leads to appropriate relaxation
 Enhances having fun and remaining optimistic
 Challenge and Fun … highly compatible!
2.5 The Right Attitude (con’t) Attitude Towards Control
Wrong Attitude Towards Control Right Attitude Towards Control

 Winners never “choke” when it counts  Choking occurs when I perceive a situation to be a THREAT
 Winners don’t fold under pressure (thus triggering my fight or flight response).
 “Choking” is a sign of weakness  Choking is nothing more than my failure to maintain the
 “Choking” is a true reflection of character right internal conditions.
 To “choke” is the worst thing that can happen  Choking is an indication that I am out there trying, taking a
 If I “choke”, I am not trying hard enough risk. That’s the only way I will ever learn to control it.
 If I “choke”, I am not giving enough effort.  I understand that finest athlete can “choke” on occasions.
 I can and will develop substantial control over choking
 Most things are caused by events and  I understand I will never be immune to choking
happenings outside myself  The more I fear choking, the more likely it is I will experience
 Luck of fate determines my future in sports it.
more than anything else.  Choking is not a weakness of character
 My opponent seems to get all the good breaks,  Choking is not a flaw in my personality
all the good luck.
 When things go bad, I have little control over
them.

With above wrong attitudes The above right attitude:
 Athlete often feels helpless as he struggles  Produces poise and control
 “not to choke” during competition.  Learn to control “choke”… by recognizing “choking” is
 Pressure situations lead to anxiety and fear merely failure to maintain one or more critical elements of
 Athlete begins to dislike competition IPS
 During competition, Athlete is quickly
threatened, loses confidence and generally
plays poorly.
Positive Attitudes
Wrong Attitudes (Negative and Pessimistic) Right Attitude towards being Positive and Optimistic
 I can only be positive when I am doing well,  Having the correct attitude requires me to make a choice.
but when I start to make stupid mistakes, it is  I have made the choice to have a positive attitude.
impossible to play well.  Being positive and optimistic is important to performing
 Some athletes are just naturally even- well.
tempered and positive.  Maintaining a positive and enthusiastic attitude is a learned
 I’ve always been a little negative, but that’s skill, not something that just naturally happens.
just me.  I understand that I can eliminate negativism with hard work,
 I tried being positive, but it doesn’t work practice and dedication.
 I’ve played really lousy, even though I had a  I recognize that eliminating negative mental habits take
positive attitude. time, but I will make time for this learning, and I will be
 It will take some time and convincing to get successful.
me to believe being positive is really all that
necessary.

Negative attitudes lead to poor performance  Positive attitude leads to good performance.
 No relaxation  It is good to spend time, effort and energy to learn positive
 No mental calmness attitudes!
 High anxiety
 Low energy
2.5 The Right Attitude (con’t) Attitude of Excellence.
Wrong Attitudes Toward Excellence Right Attitude Toward Excellence

 I never get the breaks  I will always strive to give my best effort, regardless of the
 Nobody can work that hard circumstances.
 It isn’t really worth it  I am never satisfied with giving less than 100% effort
 So what if I give up, we weren’t going to win  I have pride in what I represent
anyway.  I’m not a quitter, and I’m willing to pay the price.
 I have set a goal for myself, and I am willing to put forth
Impact on IPS whatever effort is necessary to accomplish them
Without element of  I fully understand that success is not waiting for something
 Pride to happen, it’s making it happen.
 Determination  My attitude is offensive rather than defensive
 Excellence  I am active rather than reactive. I’m going for it!
The High Energy and Control Requirements will  My future as an athlete is in my own hands.
probably be noticeably deficient over time.  What I accomplish and what I fail to accomplish is a result of
me.
 I accept full responsibility for myself.
 My destiny is shaped each day by what I dream, what I think
and what I do.
 I will be successful
Impact on IPS
(1) Very powerful source of positive energy
(2) Highly stabilizing control factor over performance.
These attitudes continue energizing performance …

even though things are going badly.
The energy generated from these attitudes …. are the only

satisfactory substitute for the energy lost when the athlete stops
having fun.
These are the attitudes of the true professional, producing an

element of control and consistency in performance that cannot
be achieved any other way.
2.5 The Right So How Do You Acquire the Right Attitudes?
Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thought
Our attitudes (habits of thoughts) are formed principally in

response to the ways in which we consistently construe the
world in which we live in.
If you tend to be a negative and pessimistic thinker, you learned

it.
Habitually thinking about your world in a negative way leads to
the development of very strong and resistant negative attitudes.
These negative attitudes can substantially alter our inner climate.
Your habit of thought are blocking a particular way of feeling.
 If you frequently feel threatened (in competition).

you may more likely think about (competition)
in a threatening way.
 If you rarely feel fun or enjoyment (in competition),

you probably rarely think about (competition)
being fun or enjoyable.
 If you consistently feel very undisciplined and lazy

(as an athlete),
you probably rarely think about how disciplined and hard
working you could be and eventually would be.
 If you consistently feel negative, frustrated and angry

in response to mistakes,
you probably rarely think about how calm and cool
you could be in response to mistakes.
 If you’re frequently feeling negative and pessimistic

How to Acquire the Right Attitudes about yourself and your future,
1. Constantly repeat the attitudes you want you’re probably not thinking
2. Read everything you can that pertains to challenging, inspirational or positive thoughts.
the area you want to change
3. Record the attitude you wish to acquire on Key to Changing Attitudes
tape = Repetitiously think of the attitudes you wish to acquire.
4. Play it back daily
5. Record that statement along with favorite May not believe them when first start.
song
6. Makes signs/posters with key words The daily programming
relating to new attitude (e.g. “I love it!” quickly begins to impact your belief systems,
Place them in strategic places. and eventually you will witness a very real and obvious change
7. As soon as find self thinking wrong in the way you feel.
attitude, say “stop” and replace it with the
right one. The true test for determining attitude change
is the corresponding feeling change
Repetitiously Say Feeling Change

“I can do that” Begin to feel like you really can
“I am getting more disciplined!” Begin to feel like you can become disciplined
In face of adversity, say “I love it!” Begin to feel challenged, inspired, and strong as opposed to feeing
angry or threatened in tough situations
“I love (competition)” Begin to feel more relaxed and calm in competition
2.5 The Right Attitude (con’t) How To Think About Problems and Adversity
Competition = is nothing but a continuous presentation of

problems.
Your emotional response to problems

will bring you either success or failure as a competitor.
If you expect to enter the competitive arena and have everything

go smoothly, you’re in for performance trouble.
You must learn to control your emotional response to

problems.
Ways to Think about Problems

(that will trigger right energy response and sustain your IPS)
 I choose the way a problem affects me in competition.

 The right emotional response to a problem is 75% of the
solution.
 Everyone is mentally tough when there are no problems;
problems are the true test of my emotional skills.
 Problems will bring out my greatness – no problems, no
greatness.
 To become a good competitor, I must become a good
problem solver.
 I never lose; I simply ran out of time before I solved the
problem.
 When I think I’ve exhausted all the options to solve a
problem, I know I haven’t.
 To love competition, I’ve got to love solving problems.
 I’m at my best emotionally when the problems are the
worst.
 I’m getting good at turning problems into opportunities
during competition.
 Give me problems – I need the practice!
2.6 The Right Focus

Thinking …. Separate from …. Doing Thinking …. Merged with …. Doing
We have become masters at living somewhere other than But isn’t it true that we immediately return to that
the present in our thoughts. special focus when the situation suddenly demands our
best response?
We”re just not accustomed to keeping our thoughts and Eg mountain climber @ 2000 foot sheer canyon wall
actions together. Eg race car driver @ 200 mph
Eg karate man breaking blocks.
We fail to be MINDFUL when we perform.
Focus = keeping our thoughts and actions together.
Our thoughts drift to Past or Future, thinking of
 Past mistakes Focus = moment-by-moment
 Winning or losing
 What people will think
 Winning the next point
 What will happen “if”

Incomplete Movements follow Incomplete Attention Complete Movements follow Complete Attention
Usually, we stay with the moment until a certain time only:
 Footall receiver … swm … until ball nearly reach hand … Performing well requires that our focus be
then think of touchdown … and loses the ball moment-to-moment.
 Golfer at delicate putt … swm … until just before putt ….
then think whether it will be good or not .. and miss the The presence of NOW must not be disturbed
mark.  by a thought of what might be
 Archer think RELEASE ….rather than increasing his  or what has been.
awareness that he is releasing the arrow.
The successful competitor must learn to
savor every moment of play as an end in itself.
Top performance requires mindfulness

from beginning to end.
Merge our awareness with what we are doing at the

time.
Each link in the performance chain becomes an end in

itself, with full attention given to the activity until it is
complete.
Rushing occurs when When you successfully stay with the moment,
 we “lose the moment” and  There is no panic
 begin trying to force the future.  There is always enough time
 The finish is as important as the beginning.
2.6 The Right Focus (con’t) From Mindfulness To Flow
When we have Right focus = mindful of what we are doing

Then awareness and action merge.
IPS is tied to this merger.
Consequence = “flow”
Flow becomes possible when

 We act with total involvement
 When action follows upon action with no need for deliberate
conscious intervention.
 Experience of unified flowing from one moment to the next
wherein we feel totally in control of our actions.
Flow
 Flow is that special state where everything we do is right and
easy and automatic
 Flow often accompanies activities that are perceived as being

particularly enjoyable and fu
 Flow results from a narrowing of attention wherein the past and

future are clearly abandoned and the now is all that remains.
 Flow is consequence of the special union of action and

awareness
 Flow most commonly occurs during the performance of well-

practiced and familiar routines, when action and reaction are so
well-practiced that they become purely spontaneous.
 Flow is rarely experienced when a situation demands a response

that is clearly beyond the limits of a person’s skill and talent.
 During flow, movement simply seems to occur by itself, as if

something else were causing it to happen.
 Flow occurs when a person is aware of what he is at that time,

but is not aware of his awareness. As soon as he reflects upon his
awareness, the flow is temporarily lost.
 When we shift our focus to that of an observer, viewing from the

outside, the flow is blocked. Examples of this would be such
statements as:
“I can’t believe I’m doing this” or
“Is this really me?” or
“I’m really flowing”.
Ordinarily, the flow can be quickly re-established by properly
centering one’s attention.
2.6 The Right Focus (con’t) The Right Focus and It’s Effects
We have the right focus when what we are doing is the same as what
we are thinking.
When there is wrong focus (doing ≠ thinking) When the right focus is achieved and maintained, the following
reaction occurs:
1. Mental Chaos
The racy fast accelerated feelings come 1. Mental Calmness – “stay with the moment”
from focusing on such things as winning
and losing, how you look, what’s going to 2. Low Anxiety – being mindful as you act reduces the experience of
happen if, and so on. anxiety to a minimum.
2. High Anxiety – anxiety results from wrong 3. Automatic – The right focus enables me to turn on the right
focus. If you persist in thinking certain automatic. This is important. Performing well occurs
thoughts, anxiety is inevitable! spontaneously, or it does not occur at all. The right focus (staying
with the moment) insures that you will not become involved in
3. Not Automatic – you can’t think or analyze highly deliberate and analytical thinking during play.
your way to top performance.
4. Alertness and Intensity – focusing as you act produces a highly
4. Dull, Boring. intense mental state, the same intensity which accompanies your
best performances.
Goal = one-pointed form of concentration so complete

that a total loss of self-consciousness occurs in the act of focusing.
Active concentration – a state of actively State of passive concentration – a state of automatic mental focus.
“trying” to focus on your target. Leads to
Passive concentration
totally effortless and spontaneous focus
deepest level of concentration
mind is relaxed
mind is “one with the target”
Concentration is a learned skill!
Ability to concentrate is … close tied to …

Ability to control flow of positive and negative energy
If you have trouble managing pressure,

You no doubt have problems managing concentration as well.
High
Anxious
Angry Poor Concentration relax Good Concentration Success
Fear Tunnel Vision
Nervousness Attention becomes too narrow
- focus on own fear/nervous
D C
Bored Poor Concentration Poor Concentration Physically Tired

Disinterested Mixture High Positive Easily Distracted Fatigued
and Low Positive Attention becomes too broad
- cannot limit focus
- become distracted by everything
Low
2.6 The Right Focus (con’t) Concentration Strategies During Play
If you are concentrating and performing well,

don’t think about concentration …. Just perform.
When problems develop, follow these steps

1. Check Energy Level
 Note the kind of energy and its intensity
 Get positive energy flowing as much as possible
 Minimize negative energy to minimum
2. Do whatever you can to be completely calm and quiet inside.
3. Focus your attention on the present moment, not past or future.
4. Actively focus your attention to the target

 Being totally attentive and mindful as you act (active
concentration) will spontaneously lead to
 an effortless and automatic focus (passive concentration).
 This is your automatic goal.
5. Keep your eyes very controlled during play.

 There is a very close connection between your visual focus and
your mental focus.
 Keeping your eyes on target will help to keep you mentally on
target.
Concentration Strategies Off the Athletic Field
1. Improve your calming and quieting skills

This generally leads directly to improved concentration skills
2. Practice Meditation
Significant number of athletes have reported that in addition to
improving relaxation skills, meditation serves as a form of
concentration practice.
For example, Billie Jean King reports a tennis ball as her object of
focus for fifteen to twenty minutes prior to playing.
3. Any activity that required you focus your full attention as you act
can improve concentration.
Concentration in sport is really the ability to remain totally
MINDFUL during action.
Examples: Focusing fully on your walking as you walk or focusing
fully on your eating as you eat
4. Practice focusing on your awareness, being totally mindful, in

difficult or tough situations.
Numerous opportunities arise each day to rehearse this skill.
Focusing your attention under fire is precisely what is required of
you to perform well in competition.
Special Notes
As soon as you start performing, establish a moment-by-moment
focus – there is no substitute.
Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 3. Primary AET Procedures 3-1
The Primary AET Procedures

3.1 Controlling Your Ideal Performance State
Accelerating the Process AET Awareness Training Procedures

AETP 6 steps process to help us identify our IPS
= designed to speed up the mental toughness process Step 1:
= Helps us to become mentally tougher in a shorter time Describe in writing and in as much details as possible what
period your internal psychological world was like when you
= Helps us to become mentally tougher less painfully performed in your FINEST HOUR.
For this to happen, we make unconscious  conscious Step 2:

Describe in writing and in as much details as possible what
Like going to the professional for coaching: your internal psychological world was like when you
 He makes conscious what has been largely performed in your WORST HOUR.
unconscious
 Start increasing our awareness of things I’m doing Step 3:
right  Fill out the following descriptive information
 Start increasing our awareness of things I’m doing concerning your FINEST and WORST HOURS by circling
wrong the number that best corresponds to how you felt
 This is how he accelerates process of change (beyond inside at that time.
simple trial and error learning)
Complete Steps 1 to 3
KEY to Accelerated Learning = Increased Awareness  Reread what you have written.
 Compare how differently you responded to the 12
Awareness & Self-Control are linked. categories when considering your finest hour versus
worst hour
Most significant self-change first takes root in awareness.  Contrast the differences inside yourself
when you’re playing well to when you’re playing
Awareness provides feedback poorly.
We need this feedback to give us the information we  Become acutely aware of how different and distinct
need to accelerate to new levels of self-regulation and the two feeling states are.
self-control.  As you start tuning in to your inner world of
experience and feeling during play, you are going to
start understanding how changes in your feeling
states directly affect your level of play.
Step 4
Fill out an IPS Monitoring Card similar to the one following
each time you play or practice your sport. Continue this
procedure for the next 3 weeks.
 fill out asap after the game
 do this for next 3 weeks, then one month thereafter
 spend a few minutes considering each item
(accelerate the process)
Step 5
For the next three weeks, you are to substantially increase
your awareness of your positive and negative energy flow
during play and practice.
Step 6
For the next 3 weeks, you are to substantially increase
your awareness of what your internal feeling state is like
as you play and practice.
 you are going to observe yourself.
 most important observation = how you feel inside
affects how you perform outside!
 Every time you play / practice, make a conscious and
deliberate effort to understand how your level of play
is linked to your changing internal feeling states.
Please spend a few minutes considering each item. Please spend a few minutes considering each item.
Please spend a few minutes considering each item. Please spend a few minutes considering each item.
High Negative Energy High High Positive Energy
Unpleasant Pleasant

Low
High Positive Energy
grgy

From Awareness to a 3-Step Emotional Control Process
Ultimate objective = develop control over my own IPS
Increased Awareness
 help us detect if IPS state is present, or not.
 help us detect which element is missing
IPS is nothing more than a particular way of feeling.
At the most basic level, therefore, to become a mentally tough

competitor, we are seeking EMOTIONAL CONTROL.
3-Step Emotional Control Process

 seeks to accelerate control of the PS
 facilitates learning of a very special kind of emotional control.
Step 1
Relax, become very still inside, and practice triggering the following
positive emotions (feeling states): (2 min on each state)
1. Feeling of joy or fun
2. Feeling positive and optimistic
3. Feeling high self-confidence
4. Feeling highly determined
5. Feeling relaxed and loose (muscles)
6. Simultaneously experience calmness, confidence, and high
positive energy (joy or fun)
th
1.5 minutes to get into feeling. (First try 67%, 10 try 100%).
Remember, you control your feelings

by controlling what you think and visualize.
Emotion was triggered by focusing on a specific thought, image,

sound or sensation … that is associated with that feeling.
Triggers: Find my own Trigger,

 Person’s face preferably within
 Particularly fun or joyous place the trading arena.
 A bodily feeling
 Sound of someone’s voice
 Particular piece of music
 Some other pleasant memory
Emotions was elicit by controlling the thought / visualization.
The more vivid the picture and recall, the more intense the emotion.
Objective (of rehearsing feelings of calmness, looseness, confidence

and energy) is to increase your ability to produce them during play!
Ultimate objective = to trigger a feeling state that contains all these

elements simultaneously.
As with physical skills, the more you practice, the better you get.

From Awareness to a 3-Step Emotional Control Process (con’t)
Step 2
Practice the following visualization exercises (4min each/12 total)
1. Playing Well Visualization
2. Visualization plus IPS
3. Future visualization plus IPS
Visualization:
= thinking in pictures rather than in words.
= Use your imagination to reconstruct past experiences thru images.
= Controlled daydreaming (Chapter 4, page 105)
Doing the exercises

 Eyes closed
 Very relaxed and quiet state
 Not likely to be distracted by things/people.
2.1 Playing Well Visualization
Visualization to cover 3 areas:

 Visual recall
 Auditory recall
 Kinesthetic recall
These visualization exercises are very helpful in building mental

triggers for your IPS.
If you work at it, you will develop powerful visual, auditory and
kinesthetic triggers.
Visual recall
Get a picture in your mind … of what you look like when you are
playing well.
When an athlete is confident on the inside, he shows it on the
outside.
When we play well, we carry ourselves better than when we do not
play well.
Auditory recall
Listen to the sound you hear when you play well (internal dialogue)
What is your internal dialogue like?
What are you saying to yourself, and how are you saying it?
What is your internal response when faced with adversity during
play?
Recreate as vividly all the sounds.
Kinesthetic recall
Recreate as clearly as possible in your mind all the bodily sensations
you have when you are playing well.
How do your feet and hands feel?
Do you have a feeling of quickness, looseness, speed or intensity in
your body? Often, your racquet, skates, bat, glove etc have a distinct
feel when you are playing well.
Trader: How does the market feel?
Focus on any bodily sensations associated with doing well.

From Awareness to a 3-Step Emotional Control Process (con’t)
2.2 Visualization Plus IPS
Simultaneously
1. Recreate a time when you were playing very well, and
2. experience the internal feeling state that accompanied it.
As you visualized, you should feel yourself becoming emotionally

aroused – feel
 the confidence,
 the positiveness
 the intensity
2.3 Future Visualization Plus IPS
Switch your visualization to the future.

 Duplicate in your mind, the conditions of play that you are likely
to face in your next competition (opponent, field, weather, etc)
 Create the image of what you are going to experience as vividly
as possible.
 Now simultaneously trigger the IPS emotional feeling state that
accompanies your best performance.
Fully experience that special combination of feelings as you picture

yourself playing at your best.
 See yourself handling difficult situations during play
 While remaining calm, relaxed, focused, positively energized.
 Mentally and emotionally rehearse situations that have given
you trouble in the past.
 Picture yourself successfully working through these tough
situations several times.
 See it happen, feel it happen.
 Don’t worry, it will come!
 Don’t become discouraged or disheartened if you are having
trouble triggering the desired images or feelings
 Practice 10-15minutes 2 times a day
Step 3
From this day forward, every time you play or practice your sport,
you must make a deliberate and conscious effort to create and
sustain the internal climate that accompanies your best
performance. In other words, you are to trigger your own IPS.
 This is the most critical step

 No longer will you show up for practice and play and hope the
mental skills will come.
 You are now taking direct control over the process, practicing
mental toughness every time you play or practice your sport
 There is no difference between play and practice
 Every time you enter your arena, you have an objective to
create and maintain your Ideal Performance State – NO
MATTER WHAT!
 No more trial and error learning about mental toughness
 The objective, purpose and path are clear.
 Make the commitment and start practicing.

The Power of Your Physical Presence
Weak competitors: How an athlete appears on the outside is often an accurate picture
 Lack strong and positive physical presence of how he or she is feeling on the inside.
 Project feelings of low intensity  Walk differently
 indifference  Carry head and shoulder differently
 Lack of confidence  Looks of intensity
 Negativism  Looks of determination
 Poor self-image  Looks of confidence
 Uncertainty  Looks of calmness
 Absence of inner strength
Outstanding competitors:
 Have very powerful physical presence
Improve competitive toughness
 Physically exude confidence
By improving physical presence.
 Strength
Questions to ask for improvement purposes:  Calmness
Do you like what you see?  Energy
Do you like the image of yourself as a
competitor? Once we have a clear picture of what needs to be added to improve
Do you physically project strength, confidence a competitor’s image, we start practicing and rehearsing.
and positive intensity?
How do icons communicate power and Desired images:
confidence?  Fighter
What do you need to add to improve your  Strength
presence?  Confidence
 No meekness
 No politeness
The reason we display outward negative Why is physical image so important?

emotions: To let everyone around us know that Simple Principle. Powerful Results.
we are really much better than what we are  Because of the powerful link between the mind and the body.
playing.
 We cannot affect one without affecting the other.
“If I don’t show them I’m upset, they’ll think
 When changes occur in our physical bodies, we will also have
that’s how I play all the time”
corresponding psychological changes.
This strategy undermines us.
Being a mentally tough competitor means controlling how you feel
You end up locking in the negative emotions.
inside (IPS). 3 primary strategies accomplish this.
1. Controlling what you think
You continue to feel precisely like you act:
2. Controlling what you visualize
 Miserable
3. Controlling how you look on the outside (physical presence)
 Upset
 Negative Make a commitment to improve your physical image every time you
play or practice your sport
 Improve your walk
 Your appearance of intensity
 Your looks of aggressiveness

Act “As If” in Adversity
When the feelings aren’t there, act “as if” they were!
You can also fool yourself into You can fool yourself into
 feeling weak,  feeling strong,
 no confidence and  confident and
 negative!  positive!
The “as if” physical acting

often triggers positive changes in the mental state.
When you are feeling down (mental)

When the world has turned against you (mental)
When you’ve lost your confidence (mental)
Fight the feelings by controlling how you look on the outside (phy)
Start manufacturing confidence physically:

 Throw shoulders back
 Pick up your walk.
Remember, you can’t always control how you feel,

but you can always control your physical presence,
and that often gets the job done by itself!
Work hard to develop and maintain the physical presence of a

champion – no matter how you feel!
3.2 Summary Roadmap to Mental Toughness

Mental Toughness:
Emotional Consistency  Performance Consistency
Athletes who have learnt how to trigger a very specific emotional

state (IPS) during play are the best competitors
Unusual response to continuous flow of problems and crises
Respond in ways that keep them

feeling relax, calm, energized, confident and loving it.
How do they do it?

1. Learnt to increase their flow of positive energy in crisis and
adversity rather than decrease it
2. Learnt to think in very specific ways; they have the right
attitude towards problems, pressure, mistakes and competition.
3. Learnt how to focus right (exceptional concentration skills)
How can I do it?

We can enhance our own mental toughness by adhering to these
AET principles.
 Increase your awareness of the emotional state that is
associated with your best performance
 Practice triggering that ideal constellation of feelings on and off

the field.
The more you deliberately practice triggering off your IPS,

the more skillful you will become and
the more emotional control you will be able to exercise
during competition
 Practice visualizing yourself in competition and simultaneously

triggering your IPS.
 Take every opportunity you can in both practice and play to

learn
o how to energize right,
o to think right and
o to focus right
so that your IPS becomes a regular reality
 Remember, the benchmark of all great competitors is how they

respond emotionally to problems and crisis:
o they become challenged,
o they become inspired and
o they enjoy solving problems during competition.
 Improving your skills in

o visualizing,
o muscle relaxation,
o mental relaxation, and
o breath control
will accelerate your program in mental toughness
 Keep a daily record of your efforts.

3.1c 6-Steps
2.2 IPS
2.3 Pressure
2.4 Right Energy
2.5 Right Attitude
2.6 Right Focus
3.1d 3-Step Emotional Control Process

Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 3 Primary AET Procedures S-3-1
Step 1:
Describe in writing and in as much details as possible what your internal psychological world was like when you
performed in your FINEST HOUR.
My FINEST HOUR was the 100m Backstroke in the KL Open.

We were in the Bukit Bintang Swimming Pool.
It was the backstroke event.
It was Wednesday noon, circa 2pm.
Weather was blue sky with some clouds in the air.
Water was nice and blue.
I had black arena swimming trunks.
I was wearing my blue (arena?) shirt
That time I had a crush on Alice
I was nervous before the games because Yau Yee Ming was in the event.
I was confident of taking the others …. But Yee Ming was my main opponent.
The whistle went off and we went into the pool.
I saw the 5m flags. (red, yellow blue?)
I took my lane. Yee Ming was on my left.
The judge went: “On your marks”
We crouched into starting position. I felt myself zero into the starting block / my chest
I remember telling myself: “Just do the strokes. Don’t worry about the rest”
“PHHHHEEEEEEE!” The judge whistled us off.
Splash off! My body uncoiled and I arched into the water, a blur of white.
Kick kick kick kick (underwater)
Surface.
Swim! Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!
Look to the left … .where’s Yee Ming.
Heart sunk … he was ahead (can see his leg wash)
Focus on the stroke. Just count the strokes and follow thru.
The race was a series of blur. I remember going in, turning, then coming out to the last 50 m.
My mind was just asking my hands to keep stroking and my legs to keep kicking.
Turn. Kick kick kick kick (underwater)
Surface. Breathe. Stroke! Stroke! Stroke! Stroke! I was relentless keeping to rhythm.
Suddenly, a miracle seemed to happen …. I looked to my right ….
Surprisingly, I found that I was ahead of Yee Ming! (Just barely)
This is possible! Keep going! Keep to rhythm!
I kept to my stroke rhythm.
It was very shiny all around and I just kept pushing and pushing.
I was not very aware of distance …. I just kept focusing on keeping the strokes!
I felt peaceful … as if things would just work out fine.
I was not even physically exhausted.
I saw the 5m flags … power up …. Push! Push! Push! Push!
There was no panic …. Just a sense of Stroke! Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!
We touched the wall.
When it was done, I had won!
As a result, I became a Selangor Swimmer (100m backstroke) in the Malaysian Open (Ipoh) for that year.
Step 2:
Describe in writing and in as much details as possible what your internal psychological world was like when you
performed in your WORST HOUR.
It was a TABLE TENNIS game with Tang Yew
I thought I was good at table tennis, or even better.
On that day, I got a trashing.
We were playing table tennis, and Tang had developed a new service that was really hard to get.
I found myself falling behind on the scoresheet.
I then started getting angry.
“This is not fair”
“They should outlaw this service”
“How can I lose to my baby brother!”
I got angrier
I started feeling helpless
I started to wish the game would stop
I felt that I was losing face badly.
I felt very, very helpess.
I felt that I was being trashed big time.
I felt stupid.
My mind was everywhere except on the game.
I did not even consider how to return the ball back.
I was just out of my experience.
I felt like I was out of my depth.
I was in heavy negative emotions (panic, anger, fear, frustration)
I don’t think I ever played with my brother after that ever again.
Step 3:
Fill out the following descriptive information concerning your FINEST and WORST HOURS by circling the number that
best corresponds to how you felt inside at that time.
Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 4 Refining Your Skills 4-1
Refining Your Skills

Table of Content
4.1 Visualization 4-1
4.2 Self-Motivation 4-4 4-9 Self-Motivation Training Assignment
4.3 Muscle Relaxation Technique 4-9 4-11 Jacobson’s Exercise (Muscle Relaxation)
4.4 Manage Negative Energy 4-13
4.5 Meditation 4-17 *
4.6 Breath Control Technique 4-18 *
4.7 Activation Training 4-19
4.8 Centering and Dynamic Energy 4-20 * Hara - Ki
4.9 Performance Slump 4-22 * Recycling.
4.10 Preparing for Big Game 4-24
4.11 Building Team Harmony
4.1 Visualization Training
Example of Visualization
Visualization
Sit back, close your eyes and vividly imagine the Fundamental exercise
following scene: Important exercise
Successful Users: Robert Foster (shooting), Fran Tarkenton
nd rd
Bottom of ninth, two away, man on 2 and 3 . Score is (NFL), Jack Nicklaus (golf), Bruce Jenner (decathlon)
5-4 (in opponent’s favor).
To get into playoff, your team must win this game. If not, Visualization is one of the most powerful mental training
season’s over. You are next at bat strategies available to performing athletes.
Although there is tension and excitement everywhere,
you see yourself move confidently from the on-deck We are like image-sensitive computers:
circle to the plate.  Mental images we have about ourselves
These feel real:  What we can do
- The sun is warm against your face.  What we can’t do
- The noise of the fans,  Images serve as blueprints / roadmaps
- the familiar feel of the bat.  Determine
- The excitement of the moment  how we respond and
 our corresponding level of achievement.
In spite of the pressure, you feel confident, alert, eager.
This is a challenge for you, not a threat Thinking it paves the Way of Doing it!
You’ve been carefully studying the pitcher’s delivery.
As you step into the box to take the first pitch, you can Dr. Maxwell Maltz: our brain is incapable of distinguishing
nervousness in pitcher’s eyes.  between something that actually did happen and
Now feel yourself in your ready position  something that was vividly imagined.
See the pitcher’s delivery, see the oncoming ball. Hear
“ball one” from umpire. So, if you can imagine it vividly, actually “see” it, it’s as if it has
Step back, take another practice swing, then assume already happened!
ready position.
The pitch is right. You swing. You can feel the bat as it When you:
collides with the oncoming ball.
 Vividly Imagine yourself playing well in tomorrow’s match
The impact is solid. You know the ball is well hit. Line
nd  See yourself staying calm and relaxed
drive over 2 base.
rd  See yourself controlling your temper
Runner on 3 advance. Score is tied.
In terms of information programmed into your central nervous
systems, it has already happened!
Program in Program in Visualization

= systematic practice of creating and strengthening
strong positive mental images.
Negative images Positive mages = Positive Image Programming.
Negative results Positive results

4.1 Visualization Training (con’t) Exactly What is Visualization?
Visualization:
 Process of creating pictures or images in your mind
 Thinking in pictures
 Use of imagination: “seeing” with the “mind’s eye”
 Recreation of past experience thru mental images
 Recreate the (feelings, sensations and emotions) that accompany images
 Mental reconstruction of experience
 See yourself doing it
 Can simulate the conditions of play more accurately in mind
 Create our own fans / umpires / opponents.
 Mentally practice playing against same opponents, rehearsing specifics of
strategy, and practice all our moves.
Develop strong positive images for as many situations that may arise during
play as you can.
 Being mentally prepared for a game means NEVER BEING SURPRIISED BY
ANYTHING.
 An athlete that is surprised is I n trouble.
 Best chance of not being surprised = when you have mentally rehearsed
successful solution to the many situations that can occur during play
Mental practice / Mental rehearsal:

= picturing yourself doing something in your imagination
= rehearsal of physical performance in your mind.
Understandings:
 Everyone visualizes differently
 Visualization is a learned skill
 Visualization is one of most powerful technique to learn self-control, self-
confidence and mental toughness in sports.
 Visualization is connecting link between mind and body in performance.
Practicing Visualization
 Quiet, non-distracting environment
 Mind is quiet, body is relaxed
 Set aside feelings, thoughts and desires that is unrelated to visualization
 Visualize in color
 Visualize in as much detail as possible
 Utilize your sense of smell, touch, feel and hearing
 Frequent repetition and practice.
Subjective Visualization
– become the performer
- in the mind, physically execute the move
- “feel” the results.
4.2 Visualization Training (con’t)

Visualization Strategies.
1. Practice visualization with all your senses. Recreate people, places and
events
2. The more vivid and detailed your mental images, the more powerful the
effects of visualization
3. Use photographs, mirrors, film or video replay to strengthen and improve

the accuracy of the mental picture
4. Mentally rehearse difficult routines that have given you trouble.

Physical practice of a skill, when accompanied by appropriate mental
practice, is far superior to physical practice alone.
Mental practice can help you to learn and master your physical skills.
5. Practice creating and strengthening positive mental images throughout all

aspects of your play.
Work t o eliminate the failure images, and replace them with successful
ones.
6. Mentally rehearse helpful mental and emotional responses to difficult

situations that may arise during play.
Rather than getting discouraged, angry or anxious, see yourself staying
confident, calm and positive.
7. Work hard every day to change and reconstruct your negative and self-
defeating self-images to positive and constructive ones
8. Establish a regular visualization practice routine.

For the best results, visualization should be practice when you are relaxed
and quiet.
Many short sessions (approx 5 mins each) are better than one or two long
sessions.
4.2 Self-Motivation A Systematic Approach
Motivation
If you’re having motivational problems,  the energy that makes everything works.
you are probably having performance problems as  important and powerful source of positive energy (w/o it, no
well. performance).
 Energy and Effort that produces progress, change and top
You are finished as an athlete when: performance.
 You have permanently lost your desire  Gives us “willingness” to put up with frustration, sacrifice,
 When you can no longer find a reason that pressure, fear and hard work
makes sense.
We need an Inner drive (motivation) in order to
 work hard to change poor attitudes,
 to improve concentration,
 to improve self-confidence,
 to improve physical skills.
A Universal Antidote.
Why do athletes lose their motivation? What do we do to maintain high levels of self-motivation, and
What causes players to burn out and lose interest? what can we do to get it back when it is lost?
This occurs because performing no longer fulfills or Universal Antidote = SUCCESS
promises to fulfill their basic psychological needs :  Success is not defined by other people
 The needs for recognition  Success as defined by the individual athlete himself.
 The needs for approval  As you as you see yourself succeeding, moving ever closer
 The needs for self-worth toward the realization of another meaningful goal for you,
 The needs for success. you will stay motivated.
The reverse may occur. Objective = program a Diet of Regular Success.

Playing competitively may stifle or threaten these
basic needs to such an extent that risk > payoff: When ratio of success to failure experiences reaches a certain
 Players recognize it no longer makes sense point, you’re going to start getting interested again:
 Why work so hard, put with hassle, stick my  Risk factor changes
neck out, and get nailed?  Comfort index changes
 Profit potential changes
Young developing talent, force to be neutered =  Genuine appeal comes back
pressure:
 Pressure to win The Meaning of Success
 Pressure from parents
 Pressure from within Success – correctly paired with -
 Effort
For the Veteran, force to be neutered = lack of  Accomplishments
progress  Forward growth
 Perceived back sliding  (not with winning external contest)
 Declining years
KEY to Motivation = Steady Success
For the Professional, force to be neutered = lack of
winning / money Big Success = accumulation of hundreds of little successes.
 Lack of winning
 Lack of money “You don’t sneak up on success. You take it one inch at a time”
 Too much physical punishment
Lack of motivation is a contagious disease. Why stay with it? What’s the payoff?
If you are around people who have motivational Answer = CHALLENGE
disease, we can catch it too!  Having a dream of what you might do or become
 Inch forward each day toward realization of that dream
 Each step is a significant success
 Challenge of exploring and expanding your own limits
4.2 Self-Motivation (con’t) Sticking Your Neck Out.
When you set goals for yourself, you also create

 Problems
 Conflict
 Hard Work
The act of setting a goal in itself is often a conflict because

 you are taking a risk with yourself,
 you are putting yourself on the line,
and that’s not comfortable.
When you set a goal of being a top competitor in your sport in 5

years, You are:
 risking failure
 creating mountains of hard work
 creating problems for yourself
 creating problems of anxiety and tension
 creating problems of controlling your anger and temper
 creating problems of staying positive and optimistic
 creating problems of managing mistakes
 creating problems of handling failure
 creating problems of handling time
 creating problems of handling money
So next time you find yourself in the heat of competition and

 Elbow get stiff
 Hands start to tremble
 Struggle to take a breath
Step back and smile inside because you did it again!
You put yourself on the line.

You took a chance.
And that’s what it takes to be a winner:
 Taking risks
 Making mistakes
 And finally breaking through
The Familiar Agony and Ecstasy
Agony of Sport Accomplish another challenging goal = Ecstasy of Sport:

 Frustration  Joy
 Disappointment  Fulfillment
 Doubt  Satisfaction
KEY = to know that it is coming Solution:

KEY = to understand that it is a necessary part of the  Don’t run from it
process.  Attack it
 Fight it
 Regroup
Then you’ll break through, and find yourself closer to your goal.
Secret to Motivation = many many tiny Successes!
To become a champion,
strive not to surpass your competition, but rather yourself.
Those who consistently outperform themselves
Will ultimately outperform their competitors.
4.2 Self-Motivation (con’t) Guaranteed Program of Success
Experiencing success every day = guarantees self-motivation!
If you follow the plan presented here, you will experience steady
successes and you’ll stay self-motivated!
Step 1:
Have a dream, a dream of what you could possibly achieve as an
athlete.
Every Olympic champion first had a dream of being number one.
What is your dream?

Everything begins and takes shape from a dream.
 Being a club champion
 Becoming a world-class player
 Change long-standing negative picture to a positive one
Condition: It must be YOUR dream (not someone else’s)
No Dreams Your dream

 is your long-term goal Dreams
 Something tangible and real
No Reality  Something to strive for.
Reality
In shaping your dream:
 Talk with top players
 Read their life stories
 Learn from their dreams, hard work, and discipline.
 Have someone to model (a hero)
 Select someone you admire, and imitate his attitude,
dedication and confidence.
Use your imagination:

 See yourself achieving your long-term goal.
 See it become a reality hundreds of times
 See the power of your imagination work.
When a conflict arise between imagination and will,

Imagination wins!
You can will a goal to happen, but unless you can see it, and
dream it in your imagination, it won’t become reality.
To achieve it, you must first conceive it, create it in your mind’s
eye. You must have a dream.
Negative Imagination Use Positive Imagination

Self-Image as someone Negative Imagination Self-image as someone Positive Imagination
 who never succeeds  Who succeeds
 who does not have  Who have what it takes
Negative Dreams Positive Dreams
 what it takes  Who won’t fold when going
 who folds when the gets tough
 going gets tough Negative Reality Positive Reality
Hold on to your dream:
 Make it real
 Make it positive
 See it in your imagination
4.2 Self-Motivation (con’t) Guaranteed Program of Success (con’t)
Step 2
Set Intermediate Goals
Intermediate Goals =
stepping-stones to realization of long-term goals.
What must I achieve during the next 6 months to several years

in order to achieve my primary goal?
These sub-goals should be:

 challenging
 Exciting
 Realistic
Harvard McCleland Ring Game

 Too close = no motivation for success
 Too far = no motivation for success
 Medium (close enough to have a chance, far enough for a
challenge) = greatest motivation for success
In sub-goals, we should be achieving success with most goals.
If not, maybe goals are too high (probably).
If so, then adjust goals, training effort, time commitments.
Don’t set yourself up with impossible tasks.
Step 3
Set Short-Term Goals
The champion and genius in you take form here.
This is the real battleground (rubber meets the road):

 Winner or loser
 Success or failure
 Plan for today and tomorrow
 Plan for next 3 to 6 months.
These are goals that we can achieve (without question)
Examples of daily short-term goals:

1. Complete physical conditioning exercises each day to
improve stamina, strength and flexibility
(Spell out – what exercises, how many, length of time, etc)
2. Spend specific amount of time each day working to improve

weaknesses in physical skills.
3. Complete your mental conditioning exercises everyday

(spell out when, how long, what exercises)
4. Always give 100% effort in practice and play
5. Always maintain a positive and constructive attitude in

practice and play.
Are these Short Term Goals reachable? Absolutely!

Success is an everyday occurrence. (success is fractal)
4.2 Self-Motivation
Training Assignment
1. Develop your personal long-term goals.

Put them down on paper.
In your fondest dream, what would you like to accomplish as an athlete (trader)?
The only necessity here is that this must genuinely be your goal, not someone else’s.
Being realistic is not important.
This is simply your dream and belief in what you might someday be able to accomplish.
My long-term goals (goals that will take five or more years to accomplish)
1.
2.
2. Develop meaningful intermediate goals.

Put them down on paper
These represent stepping-stones to the realization of your long-term goals.
You should be achieving success with most of your goals in this category.
My intermediate goals (goals that will take six months or several years to accomplish)
1. Approximate date when you will accomplish it:
3. Develop meaningful short-term goals.

Put them down on paper
This is a way of keeping a record of your successes.
Post your chart where you will see it, and check it daily.
My short term goals are (your plan of action for today, tomorrow, and the next 6 months)
1. When Where How Many
4. Make a chart similar to the one below for Beginners which includes all of your short-term goals.
This is your way of keeping a record of your successes.
Post your chart where you will see it, and check it daily.
My Short-Term Goals M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M
Practice (2 each week) √ √
Conditioning (daily) √ √ √ √ √
Lesson (1 each week) √
Mental Homework √ √ √ √ √ √
Had Fun √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Others √ √ √
The above chart has been filled out for one week, and the person has had 24 successes.
This ensures success, and that’s the secret to motivation!

4.3 Muscle Relaxation Training

When we are Under Pressure:
 Muscles become tight and rigid
 Muscle enters partial state of contraction
 We will appear rigid, awkward and less skillful
 Mismatch effort and tasks
Top athletes: can detect muscle tension, and make the necessary
adjustments.
Muscle Awareness Exercise: monitor muscle tension levels

 Driving a car- How tightly are you holding steering wheel?
 Writing a letter- How tightly are you holding on to the pen?
 Unlocking a door, etc
We often use far more muscle and strength than is necessary to

complete tasks efficiently and effectively.
Goal of muscle awareness = to match the task with the effort.
When you ‘muscle’ a performance, the natural link system of

your body becomes unmanageable.
 Arms locks with the shoulder
 Hips locks with the legs
 Movements become jerky and uncoordinated.
 body’s natural timing, rhythm and flow become blocked.
Power, Muscle and Relaxation
Hitting Harder
≠ more muscle.
= requires relaxing major muscle groups
= allowing body’s natural link system to function more smoothly
Best performance will come when

 your muscles are relaxed and
 when the links of the body can flow freely and naturally.
Muscle relaxation is closely related to maximum power and

accuracy.
Improved athlete performance –r- removal of excessive muscle

tension associated with performance.
 Relax their jaws when they performed
 Athletes don’t try so hard
 Use 4/5 effort …. Better than 5/5 effort.
Trading Summary: The experience of “flow” (so commonly accompany top

 Balance, coordination, accuracy and quickness performance) always occurs in EFFORTLESS state.
requires appropriately relaxed and loose state
 Tense and Hard State cannot produce quick Summary:
reactions.  Balance, coordination, accuracy and quickness requires
 Trying “too hard” results in tension. muscles to be appropriately relaxed and loose
 “muscling” a movement (adding indicators), in  Tense and Hard muscles cannot produce quick reactions.
effort to increase speed and power, usually  Trying “too hard” results in muscle tension.
produce opposite results.  “muscling” a movement, in effort to increase speed and
 Matching effort with task generally produces power, usually produce opposite results.
an effortless performance.  Matching effort with task generally produces an effortless
performance.
4.3 Muscle Relaxation Training (con’t) Muscle Relaxation Training

Balance between
 Mind and Muscle
 Mental and Physical
Psychology:
 for every change that occurs mentally,
 There is a corresponding physical change
Jacobson’s study on - Mental anxiety and muscle tension:

 When a person becomes anxious and mentally uptight,
his muscles will show a corresponding increase in tension.
 A person can learn to discriminate very small increases and

decreases in muscle tension.
 Voluntary control of muscle tension is best acquired by

increasing the person’s awareness of when his muscles are
tight and when they’re relaxed.
 When a person successfully lowered muscle-tension levels,

his experience of mental anxiety would steadily decrease as
well.
Therefore, This means 2 things to an athlete: To control muscle tension:

If focus attention on upsetting or disturbing 1. Lean to control what you think
thoughts, 2. Learn to discriminate increases and decreases in muscle
you will quickly find that your muscles are overly tension
tight.
Excessive muscle tension can easily damage performance.
Gymnastics, diving, golf, tennis … where fine touch and feel is

important … too much muscle tension can be devastating.
The closer our muscles are to resting state, the faster and more
accurate our movement becomes.
Best = lowest possible level of muscle tension that still permit

accurate retention of form and style.
High Risk Sports

 Car racing – to “choke” at 200mph could be a life-and-death
matter.
 Race-car drivers like Rick Mears clearly understand the
importance of relaxation, calmness, concentration and
intensity.
 Conquering fear is always a great challenge in high-risk
sports.
4.3 Muscle Relaxation Training (con’t)

Jacobson’s Muscle Relaxation System – a Modified Approach (10min)
Jacobson’s training procedures involve the alternation of tensing muscles and relaxing muscles,
with the specific intention of developing an acute AWARENESS OF THE DIFFERENCE.
1. Select a comfortable chair, preferably a reclining one.

2. Find a quiet room.
3. Close both eyes, take two deep breaths, and feel yourself “let go”
4. Extend both arms straight out and clench your fists … … then relax ….
gradually increasing the tension level until all the … let your arms drop naturally.
muscles in your fingers and hands are fully tight … Be aware of the difference between feeling “tense” and
“relaxed”
5. Elevate both arms again, straight out, … now relax ….
and tense the muscles of your lower arms and elbow … let your arms drop naturally to your side..
… hold it, becoming aware of the feeling .…
6. Tense the muscles in your forehead by frowning … now relax ….

… hold it, becoming aware of the feeling .… … let all the muscles in your forehead become smoother and
smoother.
7. Tense the muscles in your face … now relax

8. Tense the muscles of your neck … now relax

9. Tense the nuscles of the shoulders … now relax

10. Tense the muscles of the backs, … now relax

First then upper back and then the lower back,
11. Tense the muscles of your chest, … now relax

12 Tense the muscles of your stomach, … now relax

13 Tense the muscles of your abdomen, … now relax

14 Tense the muscles of your upper legs, … now relax

All the muscles of the thigh,
15 Tense the muscles of your lower leg, … now relax

All the muscles of the knee and calf,
16 Tense the muscles of your feet and toes, … now relax

17 Now concentrate on relaxing all the muscles of your body.
Become aware of any areas that might still be tense in any way,
and relax them.
Maintain this state of total muscle relaxation for at least two to
three minutes.
18 Open your eyes, stretch, and feel refreshed …

Go about your business.
4.3 Muscle Relaxation Training (con’t) Training Strategies
1. Experiment with different muscle tension levels as you

practice your sport.
Try to discover the best zone of tension for your best
performance.
2. Determine the performance consequence of not enough

muscle tension … as well as … excessive muscle tension as
you practice your sport.
3. Monitor the amount of muscle tension that exists in your

muscles when you are performing such common activities
such as driving, writing, eating or walking.
Practice matching effort to the task.
Your objective =to use just enough tension to get the job
done properly.
4. Practice Jacobson’s Exercise 15 min/day for 7 days
5. Week 2++, try to get your muscles to relax without bringing

muscle groups to a full state of contraction.
If you are not successful, return to the original exercises.
Repeat … until you can relax all your muscles very quickly
just by thinking certain thoughts (Tang: 1, 2, 3)
6. Constantly practice raising your positive intensity to the

highest possible level while simultaneously keeping your
muscles relaxed and free.
Remember, your competitive goal is relaxation of muscles, not of

your mind!
High Performance :
 Requires your muscles to be relaxed
 But your mind remain crystal clear and alert.
4.4 Managing Negative Energy The Art of Managing Negative Energy
Best athlete struggles like rest of us from getting Main difference:

 too frustrated,  Top players have highly developed RELAXATION SKILLLS
 too anxious,  his superior skills in managing and controlling that energy.
 too angry or
 too excited during play When too activated to play well (best zone of arousal exceeded),
We draw upon Relaxation Skills
OVER - AROUSAL  To lower energy and arousal level
 So that they do not interfere with our play.
No matter how mentally tough we become,

 you will inevitably perceive some competitive situation as
partially threatening.
 You will not totally eliminate negative activators
Strengthening your relaxation skills is necessary to become a

successful competitor!
Typical Signs of Over Arousal Ability to Relax is directly related to:

 Muscles become too tight and rigid  Personal moods
 How deeply you feel things
 Fast heart rate, shallow and irregular breathing,  How long feelings or moods last.
often accompanied by racy accelerated feeling  Your ability to change from one emotion to another
 Your ability to control emotional responses.
 Legs feel weak and rubbery  (These are all modifiable thru learning)
 Difficulty in concentrating and focusing Learn the skills for improving relaxation effort
 On the field relaxation strategies
 Everything appears to be going faster than it  Off the field relaxation strategies.
really is
 Inability to think clearly and accurately
 Attention gets fixed on one thing and

refocusing is difficult
 Feeling of high anxiety and/or fear
 Become fatigue very quickly
 Become increasingly negative and self-critical
 Decreasing emotional control

4.4 Managing Negative Energy (con’t) On The Field Relaxation Strategies
1. Deliberately slow your breathing as much as possible

Maintain a slow regular pattern of breathing whenever the
situation permits.
2. Take more time doing everything, and deliberately slow

down.
3. Focus on doing the best you can – not on winning or losing

Try to play “within yourself”, not against your opponent.
4. Stay within the here-and-now context in your thoughts.

Focusing on either the past or future makes things worse.
5. If muscles become overly tight, first contract, and then relax

those muscles.
Dangling your arms and hands t o your sides and vigorously
shaking frequently helps to “shake out” excess tension.
6. Focus your attention away from disturbing thoughts

whenever possible.
Focus your attention on the appropriate target.
This will quickly help you relax.
7. Play down the importance of the performance in your mind.
8. Keep a positive and constructive attitude.

You are already over-aroused.
Should you become increasingly negative or angry, the
situation will quickly become impossible.
9. Create the strongest mental image that you can of yourself

playing “in your finest hour”.
Recapture “the feeling” as well as you can.
10. Try to have fun and enjoy yourself.

If you can momentarily step back and gain this perspective
in your mind, negative activators quickly diminish.
Relaxation is a Learned Skill:

 Lowering heart rate
 Lowering blood pressure
 Breathing
 Muscle tension
 Brain wave activity
You are practicing your relaxation skill every time you perform
under pressure.
4.4 Managing Negative Energy (con’t) Off The Field Autogenic Relaxation Training
The following exercises teach relaxation by having you focus on the

“feeling states” typically associated with body and mind relaxation.
Autogenic sessions:
 Eyes close
 Seated on comfortable chair/lying on back
 Adopt an attitude of “letting it happen” (not “forcing it” to
happen)
Day 1
Arouse very vivid and enjoyable feelings of heaviness throughout your
body
Silently begin repeat “my right hand and arms are becoming heavy”
As we say it, focus attention on sensation of heaviness in right arm.
Say it 3 times.
Finish with “My right arm and hand are completely heavy”
Then move to your left hand and arm.
Next:
 Shoulders
 Neck
 Head
 Chest
 Legs
 Feet and Toes
Day 2
Arouse very vivid and enjoyable feelings of warmth throughout your
body.
Silently begin repeating:
“my right hand and arms are becoming warmer and warmer”
As we say it, focus attention on sensation of warmth.
If you have trouble, get a mental picture of your arm submerged in
warm water.
Say it 3 times.
Finish with “My right arm and hand are completely warm”
Then move to your left hand and arm.
Next:
 Shoulders
 Neck
 Head
 Chest
 Legs
 Feet and Toes
Day 3
You are to produce a very calm, regular and steady heartbeat

“My heartbeat is very calm and regular.”
“My heartbeat is very calm and regular“
“I feel calm and steady.”
Continue repeating this self-suggestion for the entire 7-minute period.

4.4 Managing Negative Energy (con’t) Off The Field Autogenic Relaxation Training (con’t)
Day 4
You are to produce very slow, deep and regular breathing.

“My breathing is becoming calm and regular.”
“My breathing is very easy and slow”
Day 5
You are to arouse a very enjoyable and relaxed feeling in your stomach
and lower abdomen.

“My stomach is feeling warm, calm and relaxed.”
“My stomach is feeling warm, calm and relaxed.”
Day 6
You are to produce the feeling of coolness on your forehead
(You may wish to picture yourself standing in a gentle cool breeze
after a hard sweat).

“My forehead is cool”
“My forehead is cool”
Day 7
You are to produce all six of the feelings, each for appropriately 2
minutes.
Silently begin repeating each of the following self-suggestion for a 2-

minute period::
1. I am feeling heavier and heavier
2. I am feeling warmth throughout my body
3. My heartbeat is regular and slow
4. My breathing is slow, relaxed and calm
5. My stomach is warm, relaxed and calm
6. My forehead is cool.
Remember:
 Repeat all self-suggestions slowly and intently – you want them to
stick in your mind.
 Whenever possible, combine the suggestions with vivid
imagination
After Week 1 of 7-day autogenic exercise.

Repeat entire program for Week 2.
By practicing these techniques, you can quickly enter an “autogenic

state” by simply repeating a suggestion like “My hands and arms are
heavy”
This represent an important step in establishing the “mental triggers”

for performance that will lead to decreased arousal level.
4.5 Meditation Meditation as a Mental Toughness Training Strategy
Meditation
 Improves one’s ability to relax
 powerful source of positive energy
Zen mental state and IPS state are similar

 Alert
 Spontaneous
 Fully aware
 No self-consciousness
Important Understandings
Meditation
 A form of concentration practice
 Attentional retraining leading towards attentional fitness.
 Moves us from mindlessness (attentional spastic) to mindfulness
(total focused and aware without any self-consciousness)
 Mental focusing technique
 mental state = one of alertness (not dullness or sleepiness)
 Meditation teaches profound relaxation
 Meditative state is one of high positive energy (joy), profound
mental calmness, alertness and deep physical relaxation of
muscles.
 Do not need to subscribe to any religious beliefs system for
technique to be effective.
Selected Meditation Technique

Conduct in a place where you won’t be disturbed.
Sit quietly in a comfortable position
Select a time when you are not sleepy
2 x 10minute a day, 2x/day
1. Breath Counting Meditation

Mental Target = Your breath
Breath in: Count breath from 1 to 4.
Breath out: exhale from 1 to 4.
If attention shifts, simply bring it back to the breathing at one.
2. Object Meditation
Mental Target = Object of any choice
Pick one object and look at it.
Objective = maintain concentration on the object for the time of the
meditation. If attention shifts, simply bring it back to the object.
3 Eating or Walking Meditation

Mental Target = eating or walking
Eating meditation = focus attention on process of eating.

If attention shifts, gently bring it back to your eating.
Waling meditation = focus attention on process of walking

If attention shifts, gently bring it back to your walking
Goal of Meditation
 to be totally mindful,
 to fully focus as you act.
Skill to develop – skill in controlling attention during play

When attention shifts, slowly bring it back to the task-at-hand.
4.6 Breath Control Training

Breathing plays an important part in controlling and regulating
our IPS during play.
Breathing Patten when not playing well Breathing Pattern when playing well
Negative Arousal Breathing Pattern Relaxed and Playing Well Breathing Pattern
(Tense, Anxious, Negative, Anger, Fear, Anxiety)  Rhythmic
 Short  Deep
 Jerky  Free
 Shallow
 Irregular Inhale = muscle tension increases
Exhale = muscle tension decrease
When biological alarm triggered, normal pattern of
breathing changes. So coordinate out-breath with critical points of execution:
 Begin to hold your breath  Shooting the hockey puck
 Inhale at critical points.  serving in tennis
This minimal change causes dramatic drop in  Trading: clicking to enter.
performance.
Breath Control Strategies During Play

When things go badly, we CAN intervene and take 1. When performing well, don’t be concerned about breathing.
direct voluntary control of our breathing!
2. When feeling emotionally flat or lifeless, speed your
breathing up until you feel higher energy and activation
(1) Recognize Normal breathing pattern has changed levels
(2) We can control the process of breathing
 Slow the breath down 3. When negative energy is flowing and you’re racing too fast
inside, slow your breathing way down.
Take deep., long, and regular breaths whenever possible.
4. Attempt to coordinate the process of exhaling with critical

moments of execution.
5. Select a word like “easy” / “Power” / “Yes” and slowly

pronounce it as you execute the critical point of movement.
This insures that you will properly exhale as you perform.
Breath Control Strategies Off the Athletic Field

Step 1
Inhale slowly, continuously and deeply through you nostrils, to a
count of 4. Relax – don’t strain
Let the steady flow of incoming air fill central part of your body,
including lower abdomen, central and upper chest cavity.
Stomach and lower abdomen should be fully pushed outwards.
Practice this a couple of times, roughly to count of 4.
Step 2
Momentarily pause before exhaling.
Step 3
Exhale slowly and continuously thru the mouth.
Ahhhhhhhhhh.
Sound should be clear, continuous and long.
Exhalation process should last roughly to count of 10
Practice exhaling a couple of times.
Our normal breathing rate = 14-16 breath per minute.

This exercise = brings it down to 4 breath per minute.
When under pressure, you can slow down and return arousal
levels to acceptable levels with three or four prolonged breath.
4.7 Activation Training The Art of Getting Energized
Under-activation (leads to poor performance) Remedy = ACTIVATION

 Feeling as if you don’t have much
energy/fire
 Feelings of being slow – like slow starting
engine
 Poor concentration – easily distracted Activation During Play
 Low patience 1. Increase your breathing rate. Take short quick breaths until you
 “Don’t really care” feeling feel your arousal level increase.
 Noticeable absence of enthusiasm
 Noticeable absence of excitement 2. Jump up and down on your toes. Get your body moving as
 Poor sense of timing or anticipation – much as possible to improve circulation and improve heart rate,
frequently late timing blood pressure, etc
 Physically look bored or lazy
3. Think challenging thoughts and ideas. Remember, thinking
 A sense of helplessness (“nothing I do
certain thoughts can produce tremendous energy. You should
works”)
identify which they thoughts are powerful triggers of emotion
and energy for you. They may be thoughts of
The quicker you can recognize your lowered
energy level during play, the better are your  pride,
chances of responding before it’s too late.  personal excellence,
 the ecstasy of winning,
 the self-challenge, whatever.
4. Mentally review very quickly your most important goals and

objectives as an athlete. Why are you out there playing?
That alone may raise your energy level enough to substantially
improve your performance.
5. Verbally tell yourself things like

“I can do it”;
“Let’s get going”;
“I can and will play well”;
“My energy level is rising”
6. Alternate contracting and relaxing your muscles.
7. Create the strongest mental image that you can of yourself

playing “in your finest hour”. Recapture “the feeling”.
8. Even though you didn’t feel energized or psyched, start acting

“as if” you do.
You can often change how you feel inside, which is the essence
of activation, by simply acting “as if” you really do feel that way.
9. Always give your best effort no matter now energized you feel.
Sometimes the right energy-producing feelings don’t come.
When that happens, it guts and determination that carry you
through.
Doing You Homework Before You Perform
To minimize chances of under-activation …

Work to get things right BEFORE you perform.
When you feel right, you tend to be energized right.
The right feelings and emotions automatically produce appropriate

activation.
Getting psyched for play = getting the right “winning feelings”.

4.8 Centering and Dynamic Energy
Samurai warrior – had to face death every day. Inner self-control = most important element ins successful combat.
How did he overcome effects of fear and tension Enable warrior to sustain essential
in combat? His very survival was intimately tied  Calm
to his ability to  Clarity
 Conquer fear  Balance.
 Conquer self-consciousness
 Conquer self-doubt 2 concepts on learning proper mental control:
(cornerstones to proper mastery):
Edict: develop the proper mental control and  “Center”
attitudes …. Or die.  “Dynamic Energy”
1. Center
Effects of Excessive Fear and Tension: Total man = perfect balance physical, mental, spiritual.
 undermined he warrior’s ability to react But man’s world = confusing, chaotic, perplexing
powerfully and accurately Fulfillment requires = find a basic harmony with himself and the
 Restricting his balance world around him.
 Restricting his perception This harmony represents a balance that brings calm, openness,
 Restricting his judgment. fulfillment, clarity
Point of balance and harmony is called the centre, or “one point”
Japanese word = “hara” Balance
Feelings  Action
Western Thought
Being centered = “center of gravity”
The point where we achieve maximum balance relative to weight
and height.
We are not centered when we are: Eastern Thought

 Fearful Balance point = Essential training concept whereby total balance,
 Self-conscious harmony, and unity of mind and body can be realized.
 Rigid
 Emotional Being centered is a prerequisite for freeing and coordinating the full
range of your potentials and powers.
Loss of centeredness to Samurai means: Death
Point or Spot of Maximum Coordination =
So maintaining the single spot below the Located in the lower abdomen (2 inches below your navel)
abdomen became synonymous with life and
death itself. Being centered brings:
 Poise
Once centre is lost, fear and tension would lead  Stability
to  Readiness
 Muscle rigidity  Relaxed suppleness
 Loss of quickness and agility  Intense awareness
 Impairment of vision  Total concentration
 Loss of concentration  Clarity of vision.
 Ultimately, failure.
Becoming focused on the one spot
 provide the warrior with a concrete method of conquering fear,
tension and anxiety.
 Became the vehicle for responding positively and confidently,
even when confronted with the ultimate contest – the contest
of life and death!
Meditation and Systematic Breathing Practice will help us acquire

Centering and Concentration Skills (ability to focus on one spot)
 Meditation Exercise: centre of focus = maintain one spot
 Breathing Exercise: centre of focus = maintain one spot.
4.8 Centering and Dynamic Energy (con’t) 2. Dynamic Energy
Eastern Tradition
As a result of being centered, a new source of energy becomes
available = Dynamic energy “Ki”
“Ki”
 Enables man to go beyond his ordinary limits
 Enables man to transcend boundaries of his everyday living
 Leads to genius, personal excellence and fulfillment
 Makes possible the full realization of human powers.
 Makes possible the full realization of human potential
Ki is present in all human beings, but exists in

 ununified
 sporadic and
 dispersed form.
As centering (hara) occurs, this energy is

 Focused
 Coordinated
 Funneled
 Into dynamic positive force.
No “Hara” – No “Ki”
How to unleash this energy?

Meditation, Concentration and Breathing exercise.
Mastery of the techniques involved

 Learning fundamental physical skills
 Learning proper mental attitudes and mental control to
accompany those physical skills.
Archery& Swordplay
Practice: Meditation and abdominal centralization
Allows: warrior to stand calmly and concentrate fully, even in battle.
When the mind becomes distracted by the circumstances of

combat, all is lost.
The mind must be trained

 to see everything and
 Be distracted by nothing
 To maintain an intense and full awareness
 Accompanied by unshatterable calm.
Mental exercises and training freed the warrior

from most devastating obstacle to his own survival
The paralyzing effects of tension and fear.
To overcome effects of tension and fear, and

To free a positive source of dynamic energy “Ki”, practice:
 Meditation (4.5) and
 systematic breathing exercise (4.6)
Excellence comes from the conquest of self.

4.9 The Performance Slump Causes and Cures

Experiences of peaks and valleys in performance seem inevitable.
1. New Changes in Physical Skills

Overall level of play will drop immediately following a change or
modification in form / technique.
New earning establishes a network of competing resources that

result in inefficient mix of old with new.
Initial change in form feels great at first, but then the older and
more dominant habits will appear, resulting in unworkable mixture.
However, performance should steadily improve with regular drill
and practice.
Discontinuation of competitive play during this critical relearning

phase generally increases the speed of learning and reduces the
level of frustration.
Improving your form/technique enables you to move higher in
performance, but not immediately.
2. Natural Learning Plateaus

Mastery of complex physical skills rarely follows a steady continuous
pattern.
Plateaus can be viewed as necessary incubation or gestation period
for new learning.
Learning plateau can initially contribute to the occurrence of
performance slumps.
3. Physical Changes
The following physical changes contribute to performance slump.
 Physical injuries
 Extended fatigue
 Health Problems
 Poor diet.
4 Mental Changes
Persistent Performance Slump are Psychological in Nature: the
“Negative Spiral”:
 Low self-confidence
 Negative Attitudes
 Increased Tension
 Increased Arousal
Cure: Complete recycling is needed

 new perspective
 New attitudes
 New Expectation
5. Increased Awareness
New learning in mental realm has similar effect
Increased Awareness leads to initial performance slump.

With mental realm, disruption is of shorter duration.
Customary mental responses are changed by

 Awareness of muscle tension levels
 Energy states
 Breathing patterns,
 Negative attitudes, etc.
4.9 The Performance Slump (con’t) Cures (for Eliminating Stubborn Performance Slumps)
First, check that we are physically healthy! If we are not physically
healthy, maximum performance cannot occur!
If slump is not due to physical factors,

then slump is due to mental factors.
Mental Factors
Step 1
Acknowledge and accept the fact that your slump is resulting from
 your current attitudes,
 beliefs,
 mind sets, and
 confidence levels
Slumps
 disrupt arousal level
 lowering frustration levels (easier to get frustrated)
 intensifying feelings of worthlessness and guilt
Commit yourself to a = psychological recycling effort.
Step 2
Take a break from your normal training schedule, even 1-2 days.
This is helpful in breaking the “Negative Spiral”.
Step 3
Make a conscious and deliberate effort each day to have fun with
your sport and to renew your enthusiasm and excitement for
playing.
Review your personal goals and objectives
You need a renewed sense of motivation which translates to High
Positive Energy.
Step 4
Increase your level of physical conditioning
Remember, physically stronger means mentally stronger.
Step 5
Spend 2 x 10 minutes each day reconstructing:
 Attitudes
 Beliefs
 Thoughts
Each Session:
1. start with 7 minutes relaxation
2. Then Visualization and Imagery practice – visualize yourself
breaking through to new and exciting levels of performance.
“See” and “Feel” your self-confidence grow.
Reprogram your inner world of experience as vividly and
realistically as possible.
3. Repeat several times to yourself :
”I am breaking through”
“I am breaking through”.
Practice recapturing those “winning feelings”
Step 6
Don’t force it!
Take the pressure off!
Let the break through occur naturally.
And it will, once the internal conditions are right.
4.10 Preparing for the Big Game

If you can play well for the next 2 games, you’ll make the playoffs
for the first time ever. The whole season boils down to these two
last games over the next two weeks.
You want to make the playoffs more than anything.
ou can feel the pressure mounting.
What can you do to ensure your best performance in important
games such as these? How do you prepare?
Don’t Do
Physicals
Don’t significantly change the physical training Maintain regular physical program.
routine that has worked best in the past.  Ordinary running
 rope jumping
This is not the time for over-training.  speed and agility drills, etc
Significantly changing habits now will lead to: Remember.

 Muscle soreness Relationship between physical strength and mental strength is real.
 Stiffness
 Injury Stay on schedule (eating, sleeping, drinking, practicing and playing)
that has proved best for you in the past.
Don’t break your training routine before
important events. Exercise good self-discipline in your training before the events.
Self-discipline is an excellent self-confidence booster.
Mental
Don’t wait until the night before to do all your Mentally prepare a little each day.
preparation.
No last minute cramming of information! Spend a little time each day thinking and rehearsing how you want
Such practice leads to confused play. to perform for the big game.
Visualization (4.1)
Don’t make major changes in physical skills at Prepare yourself mentally and physically for anything that might
this time. happen during the big game.
Go with what you have got. Remember the dictum: NEVER BE SURPRISED BY ANYTHING
An athlete who is surprised is in trouble.
To play your best, you need to be able to “turn
on the automatic” (this is not possible with It’s not that we are expecting bad things to happen:
newly acquired skills!) it’s just that we are prepared if they do.
In other words, we won’t panic and we can respond intelligently.
Practice visualization each day

 how you want to perform on the big day
 How you want the team to perform on the big day.
See it happen in your mind first!
Store Up Positive Emotional Energy

Don’t’ get involved in activities, events or Do everything you can to achieve physical, emotional and
situations that are likely to lead to personal intellectual high for the game.
problems or major conflicts (can leave us
physically and emotionally drained) Avoid things that are likely to get you
 tired,
Avoid fights, horror movies, catastrophic news,  depressed,
upsetting relationships, etc.  sad,
These undermine positive energy flow and  upset or
often lead to premature fatigue and tiredness.  negative.
4.10 Preparing for the Big Game (con’t)

Don’t Do
Momentum
Don’t get anxious about being anxious. Do start building momentum within yourself both during and away
Worrying about worrying makes situation from practice.
worse. Get the Positive Energy flowing.
Pregame nervousness is unavoidable …. It Attempt to increase

shows we are “psyched” to play well.  team spirit,
 positiveness,
Don’t worry of not enough sleep.  enthusiasm,
Research shows having not enough sleep before  eagerness and
a big game will not hurt performance … if you  confidence.
don’t worry about it!
Dress
Dress to Win!
Do whatever helps you to get “those winning feelings”
Dress rituals are important!
Food
Don’t eat anything substantial within 2 hours of Rigidly follow your best routine for food and drink intake before
the game. play.
Have Fun!
Don’t be serious (it does not help) Have fun and enjoy yourself during the big game.
This will help furnish energy
This helps keep you relaxed during play.
Attitude
Rehearse the habits of thought (during the week) that are
important to your play. They include:
 I will give 100% effort, no matter what
 I will stay positive and optimistic
 I will stay calm, relaxed and confident during play.
 I will perform well.
Mental Toughness Training for Sports. 5 Assessing and Monitoring 5-1
Assessing and Monitoring Mental Strength and Weakness
5.1 Profiling Your Mental Skills

Increasing your awareness of your mental strength and weaknesses is fundamental to accelerate change.
The more you understand yourself and your limits, the better equipped you are to perform at your edge.
Seven mental skill areas – these are the most important and fundamental.
1. Self Confidence
Top athletes are aware that certain things undermine Your level of self-confidence = good predictor of success
their confidence levels
 activities, Feelings and Images of what you can and can’t do … strongly
 people, determine the outcome.
 thoughts,
 images Maintaining high levels of self-confidence is a skill (learned)

Nothing can undermine confidence levels more quickly Self-confidence
than accumulation of perceived failures.  A knowing that says you can do it.
 A feeing that says you can do it
If you have lost confidence, your performance output  Key ingredient = perceived success.
will be drastically affected.
2. Negative Energy
Controlling Negative Emotions is critical to competitive Keep Negative Energy to a Minimum:

success  Stay Calm
 Fear  Stay Relaxed
 Anger  Stay Focused
 Frustration
 Envy Negative Energy Control:
 Resentment Perceive Situation as a CHALLENGE (not as a THREAT)
 Rage Learned Skill
 Temper
Perceive Situation as a THREAT / Frustrating Problems
Fueling performance from Negative Energy produces

 Inconsistency
 Excessive muscle tension
 Poor concentration
3. Attention Control
Attention Control
 the ability to sustain continuous focus on task at hand.
 Very important!
 Ability to “tune in” to what’s important
 Ability to “tune out” to what’s not important
 Goal = one-pointed form of concentration
 So complete focusing, that total loss of “self” occurs
 Total concentration leads to loss of self-consciousness
 By totally become the object of focus, we distract
attention away from our “self”
 Learned Skill
5.1 Profiling Your Mental Skills (con’t) 4. Visualization and Imagery (VI) Control
Undesired style of thinking Successful athletes have visual and image control skills
 Highly rational  Think in pictures than in words
 Highly logical  Able to control the flow of their mental pictures in
 Deliberate style of thinking positive and construction direction.
 VI vividly and in great detail
 VI before and during performance.
Desired Style of thinking

 Spontaneous
 Free flowing
 Instinctive
Visualization
 Critical Mental Skill in Performance (Learned Skill)
 One of most powerful mental training strategies to
translate mental desires into physical performance.
 KEY = CNS cannot differentiate between deeply rooted
visualization and actual physical event.
 The more vivid, detailed and real the visualization, the
more powerful the effect.
5. Motivation
Motivation is ENERGY
Self-motivation is one of the most important sources of
positive energy available.
Learned Skill = maintaining high levels of motivation
Critical components of motivation:

 Setting meaningful goals
 Programming steady diet of daily success
 Managing failure properly
6. Positive Energy
Learned Skill = maintaining and controlling the flow of

positive energy.
Important to become energized from sources such as:

 Fun
 Joy
 Determination
 Positiveness
 Team Spirit
This Positive Energy source:

 Enables athlete to achieve high levels of activation
 While simultaneously experience calmness, low muscle
tension and attentional control.
Positive Energy – Motivation – Attitude.

5.1 Profiling Your Mental Skills (con’t) 7. Attitude Control

Attitude Control = reflect athlete’s habit of thought.
Top athletes = are disciplined thinkers.
Right Attitude produces

 Emotional control
 Poise
 Positive energy flows
Top athletes have a specific constellation of attitudes.

Psychological Performance Inventory

(1x / 6 months)
1 2 3 4 5
Almost Often Sometimes Seldom Almost
Always Never
1 I see myself as more of a loser than a winner in competition
2 I get angry and frustrated during competition
3 I become distracted and lose my focus during competition.
4 Before competition, I picture myself performing perfectly
5 I am highly motivated to play my best
6 I can keep strong positive emotion flowing during competition.
7 I am a positive thinker during competition
8 I believe in myself as a player
9 I get nervous or afraid in competition
10 It seems my mind starts racing 100mph during critical moments of

competition.
11 I mentally practice my physical skills
12 The goal’s I’ve set for myself as a player keeps me working hard.
13 I am able to enjoy my competition even when I face lots of difficult

problems.
14 My self-talk during competition is negative.
15 I lose my confidence very quickly
16 Mistakes get me thinking and feeling negatively
17 I can clear interfering emotion quickly and regain my focus.
18 Thinking in pictures about my sport comes easy to me.
19 I don’t have to be pushed to play or practice hard. I am my own best

igniter.
20 I tend to get emotionally flat when things turn against me during play.
21 I give 100% effort during play, no matter what.
22 I can perform towards the upper range of my talent and skills.
23 My muscles become overly tight during competition.
24 I get spacey during competition.
25 I visualize working through tough situations prior to competition.
26 I’m willing to give whatever it takes to reach my full potential as a player.
27 I practice with high positive intensity.
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
28 I can change negative moods into positive ones by controlling my thinking.
29 I’m a mentally tough competitor.
30 Uncontrollable events like the wind, cheating opponents, and bad

referees get me very upset.
31 I find myself thinking of past mistakes or missed opportunities as I play.
32 I use images during play that help me perform better.
33 I get bored and burned out.
34 I get challenged and inspired in tough situations.
35 My coaches would say I have a good attitude.
36 I project the outward image of a confident fighter.
37 I can remain calm during competition when confused by problems.
38 My concentration is easily broken.
39 When I visualize myself playing, I can see and feel things vividly.
40 I wake up in the morning and am really excited about playing and

practicing.
41 Playing this sport gives me a genuine sense of joy and fulfillment.
42 I can turn crisis into opportunity
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
Scoring the Results:
Self-Confidence Neogative Attention Visual & Imagery Motivational Positive Attitude

Energy Control Control Level Energy Control
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 8 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35
36 37 38 39 40 41 41
26-30 Excellent Skills

20-25 Room for Improvement
6-19 Needs your Special Attention.
5.3 Strategies for Overcoming Deficiencies
1 Low Increase Physical Strength and Endurance Levels

Self Confidence
Work hard to improve other mental skills deficiency
Set realistic self-goals
Think positively and create enthusiasm
Constantly repeat positive affirmations to yourself.
Increase self-discipline
Use positive visualization
Review Film of Best Performances.
Act “as if”
Practice off the athletic field.
2 Low Negative Increased Awareness

Energy Control #1: increase awareness of …. What happens to me under pressure?
When Where and How does … Negative Energy gets triggered?
What situations, thought patterns, and perceptions lead to … Threat?
When and where do your muscles become overly tense and rigid?
Under what circumstances are you likely to lose that all-important calmness and focus?
Breathe Control Training

To control energy levels, control and regulate your breathing.
Take deep prolonged breath
Deliberately slow down the overall breathing rate
Coordinate the process of exhaling with critical moments of execution… helps in emotional
balance.
Practice breath control (on and off the playing field)
Muscle Relaxation Training

Practice Jacobson’s exercise … to reduce excessive muscle tension.
Autogenic Training
Relaxation Training Technique – associates certain words to trigger a relaxation response
“I am feeling heavier”
“My hands are feeling warmer and warmer”
Emphasis on
 Power of words
 Power of self-suggestion
 Power of one’s imagination
Meditation Training
Meditation
 produce profound states of relaxation
 reduces negative energy flow.
Any technique can be used, as long as it produces desired relaxation and quieting effect:
 Mantra Meditation: Repetition of word “one” in exhalation of breath
 Focusing on Breathing
 Focusing on Object.
Thought Control Training

To achieve high degree of self-control over negative thoughts,
you must control what you are thinking.
 Focusing on disturbing and negative thoughts produce Negative Energy State
 Focusing on themes of winning and losing, missed opportunities, self-condemnation
produces Negative Energy State.
 Focusing on positive and constructive thoughts.
2 Low Negative Visualization and Imagery Rehearsal.

Energy Control Visualizing and Imagining pleasant and relaxing scenes generally reduces negative energy.
(con’t) Mentally rehearse the desired physical and emotional response to tension-producing situations
can be helpful.
Counter Conditioning Strategies

Tension and Anxiety reactions can become conditioned to various aspects of competitive play.
 Personality of Opponent
 The place
 The crowd
 Wind
 Particular Aspects of play (eg. Hitting backhand in tennis, short putt in golf)
To change this conditioning:

 Sustaining a deeply relaxed response
 While at the same time maintaining a mental picture of the anxiety-producing situation.
We are counter-conditioning a relaxation response to a situation that one produced anxiety and
tension.
Self-hypnosis
Control Negative Energy Flow vide combination of
 Relaxation
 Self-suggestion
 Imagery
 Lead to reduced muscle tension
Physical Exercise
Mild physical exercise (bicycle, jogging) before the event may reduce muscle tension.
Create Pressure Situations During Practice.

Practicing in Pressure Situation
 Leads to less pressure during actual pressure situation (acclimatized)
 accelerate skills in relaxation, calming and energy control during play.
3 Low Attentional Improved Calming and Quieting Skills

Control.
Meditation Training
Time Awareness Training
Centering Strategies
Get the Positive Energy Flowing
Concentrate During Practice.
4 Low Visualization Practice Visualizing and Imagining with All 5 Senses

and Imagery Skills
Visualizing vividly requires internal calmness and quiet.
Use photographs, mirrors or films
Review edited film
Start mentally rehearsing in advance.
5 Low Self- Set Meaningful Long-term Goals

Motivation
Set Realistic Intermediate Goals
Set Daily Short-term Goals
Commit Your Goals to Writing and Make a Date for Completion
Keep a Daily Log of Your Success
Associate with Highly Self-Motivated Athletes.
Make it Fun!
 Make it fun again!
 Make this #1 in importance.
 As soon as you are successful, motivational problems will suddenly start evaporating!
6 Low Positive Joy – Fun - Enthusiasm

Energy
Increase Your Awareness
Rehearse Energy Triggers Both On and Off the Playing Field.
Do Whatever You Can to Start Feeling Good about You.
High Level Physical Fitness
7 Low Attitude Identify Positive and Negative Attitudes

Control
Start repeating to Yourself Those Attitudes That You Wish To Acquire.
Say “Stop”
Read, Listen, Model.
Keep A Record.
5.4 Additional Self-Monitoring Techniques.

To become the best you can, we have to balance:
 Physical with
 Mental.
We can control our emotions by controlling the physical body.
We can control the physical body by controlling the emotions.

(eg. Anger, fear, joy)
Here are 11 areas of training that deal with physical

performance factor. Each represent a way to work directly
with the physical body to achieve better mental and emotional
control.
1. Eyes
Principle: keep eyes under control at all times.
Control the eyes, and we perform well.
Train to keep your eyes on target during play.
2. Rituals.
Rituals are good.
Rituals serve to deepen concentration.
Rituals help to keep you in rhythm during play.
Rituals help you resist temptation to rush in when nervous /
angry.
Make sure rituals are precise …. Esp.

 when under pressure and
 when problems start to mount.
3. Winning Pace.
Losers keep changing pace (to suit their emotional Keep to our winning pace during play.
state) Maintain Pace, regardless of score or circumstances.
 Winning and Emotional Strong, Pace is Excellent
 Nervous or Angry, Pace becomes too Fast
 Losing and feeling Low, Pace drags.
4. Breathing
Breathing is windows to emotions.
When we experience different feelings, our breathing changes.
To control feeling states, control the breathing.
5. Project High Positive Intensity

To start feeling high intensity, project it on the outside with
your physical body.
If you look “pumped up” from the outside, you will fee
“pumped up” on the inside.
We can project intensity with our feet, eye, face, head.
If you want to feel it and can’t seem to get it going, FAKE IT.
If 6. Project Relaxation and Calmness

you look frantic and tight, you probably are. Project an image of
 being relaxed and calm in crisis.
 Of no pressure and being in control
7. Management of Mistakes
Performing badly, mistakes happen, we respond with Performing well, mistakes happen, we go on smoothly
negative emotions. Our task = manage mistakes during competition the way we do
when we are performing well.
5.4 Additional Self-Monitoring Techniques (con’t)

8. Project Confident Fighter Image
FAKE IT. Project the Image of a Fighter, No Matter What!
 When world going against us
 When we’re feeling weak
 When we’re lacking confidence.
9. Negative Self-Talk.
Negative self-talk simulates The more negative self-talk, the poorer the performance.
 Negative emotions and Keep your self-talk to minimum during competition.
 Brings negative emotion problems. When it occurs, keep it brief and keep it positive.
10. Project a Positive Attitude

When have trouble with Negative Thinking, work on Physical
body.
Project the outward image of someone who is:

 Thinking positive
 Thinking enthusiastically.
11. Project “I Love the Battle”

Train to project “I Love the Battle” image at all times,
Most importantly in crisis.
Uderstanding What Affects Your Emotions.
What affects our mood control?

Use following chart to find out (8 week period).
 Diet
 Sleep Pattern
 Blood Sugar Levels
Goal = to fine tune emotionally

5.5 Mental Toughness Formula.

How can we stay in control when we are constantly confronted by things
beyond our control?
We stay ultimately in control by CONTROLLING OUR EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

TO THOSE EVENTS
I can’t control the wind.

But when I control my emotional response to the wind,
I control the wind (in a sense)
Consistent success in competition demands:

 You control what you can control
 You control your emotional response towards things you cannot control
Winning: we cannot directly control winning. FACT
But we have direct control over the things that make winning possible:
 Effort
 Attitude
 Fight
 Determination
KEY to Being a Winner

 By training to control these (the things you can control)
 And control you emotional responses to things you cannot control
 You control the situation
 Rather than the situation CONTROLLING you!
Mental Toughness Formula
Say “yes” to all 4 areas 1. I gave 100% of my best effort throughout the contest, regardless of
outcome.
 We did not play it safe emotionally
 We tried our hardest until it was over
 No way we can say “I could have done better if I tried harder”.
 We put ourselves on the line and risk losing, giving our absolute best.
2. I kept my energy and attitude positive during the competition, most

importantly, during crisis and adversity
 You didn’t turn negative and sour as the problems mounted.
 If you attitude was to get challenged, inspired and more determined in
response to the problems, you are fast developing into a mentally
tough competitor.

3. I project a strong and powerful physical presence during the
competition, and most importantly, during the crisis
 You looked like a winner regardless of the score.
 You projected the image of a confident fighter throughout the battle.
 You looked the way you wanted to feel.
4. I offered no excuses
 You never used a problem as an excuse.
 You were totally responsible.
5.6 The Journey Home
Coming home in sport is becoming the best you can be.
The price you must pay to attain proficiency in competitive sports is high.
It’s the challenge that captures us, and it’s the challenge that defeats us.
It is a mastery of something that at times seems to be impossible.
“There’s more to playing this crazy sport than learning the physical skills.”
This same message will reverberate in the mind of every athlete as long as
he or she strives for mastery.
You never “arrive” as a competitive athlete.

You’re always “in transit”
The mastery of competitive sport is a PROCESS of TRANSFORMATION

 Of change
 Of continuous rebirth
 Of having it, and losing it
 Of struggle
 Of discovery
 It is failure and defeat, and it is victory.
 It is going forward in all directions – backwards, sideways, upside down.
The only Losers are those who fight the PROCESS.
Calmness, positive Energy, Joy, Confidence, Focus, Positive Attitudes …

Are all for TRANSFORMATION
Transformation leads to CONTROL …. Control of mind-body connection.
This control allows us to
 Extend beyond our ordinary limits
 Increase our degrees of freedom
 Become a fuller measure of our human potential that thought possible.
The goal = to conquer OURSELF.
In searching for the “sound” of sport, one quickly hears the roar of the
crowds, the crack of the bat and the thundering of racing feet.
But if one listens a little harder and a little longer, one comes to hear silence.
There is silence within the performer, in the tenseness of the crowd, in the
fear of the hunter and in the beauty of the ski slopes.
Man soon learns that silence is an integral part of life and that certainly it is
prominent in sport. Silence is not simple the absence of sounds.
Rather it is presence. It is the presence of the dimension of time. A

realization of the instant and the situation.
Mental Toughness Training for Sports. Psychological Performance Inventory P-5-1

(1x / 6 months)
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
1 I see myself as more of a loser than a winner in competition
2 I get angry and frustrated during competition
3 I become distracted and lose my focus during competition.
4 Before competition, I picture myself performing perfectly
5 I am highly motivated to play my best
6 I can keep strong positive emotion flowing during competition.
7 I am a positive thinker during competition
8 I believe in myself as a player
9 I get nervous or afraid in competition
10 It seems my mind starts racing 100mph during critical moments of

competition.
11 I mentally practice my physical skills
12 The goal’s I’ve set for myself as a player keeps me working hard.
13 I am able to enjoy my competition even when I face lots of difficult

problems.
14 My self-talk during competition is negative.
15 I lose my confidence very quickly
16 Mistakes get me thinking and feeling negatively
17 I can clear interfering emotion quickly and regain my focus.
18 Thinking in pictures about my sport comes easy to me.
19 I don’t have to be pushed to play or practice hard. I am my own best

igniter.
20 I tend to get emotionally flat when things turn against me during play.
21 I give 100% effort during play, no matter what.
22 I can perform towards the upper range of my talent and skills.
23 My muscles become overly tight during competition.
24 I get spacey during competition.
25 I visualize working through tough situations prior to competition.
26 I’m willing to give whatever it takes to reach my full potential as a player.
27 I practice with high positive intensity.
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
28 I can change negative moods into positive ones by controlling my thinking.
29 I’m a mentally tough competitor.
30 Uncontrollable events like the wind, cheating opponents, and bad

31 I find myself thinking of past mistakes or missed opportunities as I play.
32 I use images during play that help me perform better.
33 I get bored and burned out.
34 I get challenged and inspired in tough situations.
35 My coaches would say I have a good attitude.
36 I project the outward image of a confident fighter.
37 I can remain calm during competition when confused by problems.
38 My concentration is easily broken.
39 When I visualize myself playing, I can see and feel things vividly.
40 I wake up in the morning and am really excited about playing and

practicing.
41 Playing this sport gives me a genuine sense of joy and fulfillment.
42 I can turn crisis into opportunity
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
Self-Confidence Neogative Attention Visual & Imagery Motivational Positive Attitude

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 8 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35
36 37 38 39 40 41 41

Mental Toughness Training for Sports. Psychological Performance Inventory – Tang (31 Oct 2012) P-5-1

(1x / 6 months)
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
1 I see myself as more of a loser than a winner in competition X
2 I get angry and frustrated during competition X
3 I become distracted and lose my focus during competition. X
4 Before competition, I picture myself performing perfectly X
5 I am highly motivated to play my best X
6 I can keep strong positive emotion flowing during competition. X
7 I am a positive thinker during competition X
8 I believe in myself as a player X
9 I get nervous or afraid in competition X
10 It seems my mind starts racing 100mph during critical moments of X

competition.
11 I mentally practice my physical skills X
12 The goal’s I’ve set for myself as a player keeps me working hard. X
13 I am able to enjoy my competition even when I face lots of difficult X

problems.
14 My self-talk during competition is negative. X
15 I lose my confidence very quickly X
16 Mistakes get me thinking and feeling negatively X
17 I can clear interfering emotion quickly and regain my focus. X
18 Thinking in pictures about my sport comes easy to me. X
19 I don’t have to be pushed to play or practice hard. I am my own best X

igniter.
20 I tend to get emotionally flat when things turn against me during play. X
21 I give 100% effort during play, no matter what. X
22 I can perform towards the upper range of my talent and skills. X
23 My muscles become overly tight during competition. X
24 I get spacey during competition. X
25 I visualize working through tough situations prior to competition. X
26 I’m willing to give whatever it takes to reach my full potential as a player. X
27 I practice with high positive intensity. X
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
28 I can change negative moods into positive ones by controlling my thinking. X
29 I’m a mentally tough competitor. X
30 Uncontrollable events like the wind, cheating opponents, and bad X

31 I find myself thinking of past mistakes or missed opportunities as I play. X
32 I use images during play that help me perform better. X
33 I get bored and burned out. X
34 I get challenged and inspired in tough situations. X
35 My coaches would say I have a good attitude. X
36 I project the outward image of a confident fighter. X
37 I can remain calm during competition when confused by problems. X
38 My concentration is easily broken. X
39 When I visualize myself playing, I can see and feel things vividly. X
40 I wake up in the morning and am really excited about playing and X

practicing.
41 Playing this sport gives me a genuine sense of joy and fulfillment. X
42 I can turn crisis into opportunity X
1 2 3 4 5
Always Never
Self-Confidence Negative Attention Visual & Imagery Motivational Positive Attitude

1 3 2 2 3 2 4 4 5 1 6 4 7 4
8 3 9 1 10 1 11 4 12 2 13 5 14 2
15 2 16 2 17 4 18 2 19 1 20 3 21 2
22 1 23 2 24 2 25 5 26 1 27 1 28 5
29 5 30 2 31 1 32 5 33 2 34 4 35 1
36 2 37 2 38 2 39 5 40 5 41 5 41 5
16 11 12 25 12 22 19

Negative Energy:
Situation of considerable internal conflict.
Key = managing pressure
Until negative energy control skills improve, staying relaxed, calm and focused in pressure situation is virtually
impossible
Motivation Level:
If something is not done to rectify the low level of self-motivation,
the athlete will more than likey drop out or
continue to be a discipline or behavioural problem for coaches.

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MENTAL

The Ultimate Challenge

Insecurities Mental Strength = Acquired Mental Skills:

In the Past …. Now …

I feel Obligation I look forward

I was too busy trying to perform well to enjoy myself

I hated losing My focus now is in the MOMENT

When I lose this moment When I do this (savor the moment),

I try to get psyched I just do:

In the Past …. Now …

These makes a situation worse:

Trying Harder ≠ giving 100% effort Giving 100% effort

When I feel right, I perform right

(When I don’t feel right, I don’t perform right, no matter how

These right feelings come

No One Ever Told Me

I fought myself every inch of the way

During competition, my inner world was frantic mix of

Panic … tied up with fears:

(These Negative) Emotions would build inside me.

The solution I know:

Physiology What is important during competition

9 Mental Toughness and Consistency

Feel out of control

We rarely play to our full potential. This causes:

People become casualties of sport (e.g. quit) Mental Training

Consistent Performance requires 2 things

Playing well is the result of creating a particular

Players who can consistently create this special

MENTAL TOUGHNESS IS LEARNED, NOT INHERITED.

Mentally tough competitors have following learned

Your INNER STRENGTH makes the ultimate difference.

9 Mental Toughness and Consistency (con’t)

Learned Mental Skills of Mentally Tough Athlete:

Self-Motivated and Self-Directed

Positive but Realistic

In Control of His Emotions

Calm and Relaxed Under Fire

Highly Energetic and Ready for Action

Mentally Alert and Focused

12 The Contest Within Yourself

You will always be your own toughest opponent

The greatest obstacle between you and your goal is YOU!

Fears of winning and losing lead to: Focus on

How to Win the match with yourself:

(1) I gave my best effort every moment. I gave 100%

(2) I maintained predominantly positive, healthy and

(3) I accepted full responsibility for me today,

Winning the contest with yourself is hard work – it is the

Key: The conquest of self

You will be victorious more consistently

The contest of me against myself

16 A Formula for Success

4 Step formula for Success:

Step 1: Self Discipline

Step 4: Self Realization

Step 1: Self Disciplined

Self-Discipline leads to Self-Control

As you discipline yourself,

Self-Control leads directly to Self-confidence

What Tracks is for Trains (without it, train goes nowhere)

Self-Confidence is for Athletes (without it, athlete goes