Sports Psychology Foundations

What is Sports Psychology Foundations?

Core mental skills used by competitive athletes — goal setting, arousal regulation, self-talk management, and concentration training — adapted for everyday high-performance situations like work presentations, exams, and interviews.

Is there evidence for it?

How do you do Sports Psychology Foundations?

1. 1.Set performance process goals, not just outcome goals: instead of 'win the deal,' set 'maintain eye contact, speak at measured pace, ask 3 discovery questions' — you control process, not outcome
2. 2.Practice arousal regulation: use energizing techniques (power posing, upbeat music, rapid breathing) when you need to psyche up, and calming techniques (diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation) when over-aroused
3. 3.Rewrite your self-talk script: for one week, log your inner monologue during challenging moments; replace negative self-talk ('I always choke') with instructional self-talk ('Slow down, breathe, focus on next step')
4. 4.Train concentration with 'parking' thoughts: during focused tasks, keep a notepad nearby; when a distracting thought arises, write it down to 'park' it and immediately return to the task
5. 5.Debrief every performance: within 1 hour, write 3 things you did well, 1 thing to improve, and your emotional state; this builds performance awareness and prevents negative spirals

How long does it take?

15-20 min/day for mental skills practice.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.