When the Opponent Becomes a Mental Distraction

It is quite common that athletes pay attention to whom they will face the next game. A lacrosse or ice-hockey game brings a slightly different mental approach depending on whether the game will be played at home or away field. There is an unspoken and sometimes spoken message that the home team “owns” the gymnasium, stadium, or rink where the game will be played. This sense of “ownership” is aimed at promoting a sense of …

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Peak Performance from the Inside Out

Trust, confidence, and being in the present moment express the sensations that we experience when we are 100% focused on a task without entertaining mechanical or distracting thoughts in our minds. When we are totally focused, we achieve our goals, become productive, and feel proud for having moved forward. If being totally focused is so positive, what prevents us from being in that positive mindset for longer time? For some people, staying focused seems to …

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Playing at Home VS Away Field – Sports Performance

It is quite common to hear that athletes and coaches pay some attention to where the match will be played. It is understandable that playing at home can easily bring the local crowd and cheer for you. On the other hand, playing at an away field, it becomes the opposite experience. Come to think about it, playing at home may actually be more difficult because the expectation is higher. Family members can bring higher expectations. …

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Mental Focus in Match Play

Golf is commonly played adding the total shots for 18 holes, called stroke play. However, there is a format called match play where golfer earn a point for each won hole. Rather than focusing on completing the round, match play tends to re-shift the attention to each hole. In match play, it is extremely tempting to focus on how the opponent is playing the hole as it can become a source of strategic shot making …

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Focus Tips from Top Athletes – Mental Preparation

Athletes often share with me that they find themselves getting mentally ahead of their games, which cause not only additional stress, but also become a source of mental distraction. Whether athletes are losing or winning, it is very normal to be carried away with positive or negative thoughts. During the past two weeks, two major sport events took place: Wimbledon and The Open Championship that was played at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. On both occasions, …

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