“It is silly for me to say things that I do not believe, try to ignore all the bad stuff, and pretend that I can do it even when I am not confident.”
The above is a common argument against using self-talk, even though self-talk is one of the most common psychological skills performers utilize. For many, it is perceived as just “lying to yourself.”
So, is self-talk simply about saying positive things, and exactly how effective is self-talk in enhancing performance?
An athlete who prioritizes training and recovery even over essential social obligations.
A weekend golfer who is so upset about not playing well that it is affecting his performance at work during the week.
A rugby player decides to play through his injuries for the sake of his team’s performance.
In what ways are the abovementioned athletes similar?
Athletes who exhibit such behaviors are often described as having a strong athletic identity. They tend to devote the most energy to sports compared to the other roles they play in life (Brewer et al., 1993). A strong athletic identity is advantageous since such athletes tend to be more motivated and determined. On the flip side, such athletes may prioritize winning above all else, leading to intense pressure and a fear of failure. Consequently, they are also more likely to train through pain, suffer from burnout and even exhibit unhealthy behaviors such as taking performance-enhancement drugs (Hughes & Coakley, 1991).
While having a strong athletic identity can be advantageous, athletes need to learn how to minimize the risks and tap into the benefits. A good place to start would be to have a better understanding of self-concept and how it relates to self-esteem and performance.
It’s amazing what a coach can learn from our athletes’ feedback!
Joan Hung was recently invited to share what effective coaching practices look like from an athlete’s perspective, at the recent Youth Coaching Conference (YCC) 2022.
I have been coaching Joan since 2015 and am proud to share her candid and light-hearted stories about her Goalball journey, and my coaching practices. There are many lessons here on resilience that can be generalized to any sport and anyone.
Joan and I are also grateful to the National Youth Sport Institute (NYSI) for providing us with an opportunity to share about disability sports, and to Brenda for helping Joan put the presentation deck of slides together.
“I did not choose to be blind but I can choose how to live with it…”
Joan Hung, National Goalball Player and recipient of Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards 2021
Coach Hansen 