Sports Psychology

Many psychological constructs affecting performance in sports follow these but do not only include the following areas:

• Mental toughness
• Motivation
• Goal setting
• Anxiety and arousal
• Confidence

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Mental toughness determines "how people deal effectively with challenges, stressors, and pressure... irrespective of circumstances" (Crust & Clough, 2005). It is made up of four components, known to psychologists as the "four Cs":

• Feeling in control when confronted with obstacles and difficult situations
• Commitment to goals
• Confidence in abilities and interpersonal skills
• Seeing challenges as opportunities

MOTIVATION

Motivation has been described as what maintains, sustains, directs, and channels behavior over an extended amount of time (Ryan & Deci, 2017). While it applies in all areas of life requiring commitment, it is particularly relevant in sports.

Not only does motivation impact an athlete's ability to focus and achieve sporting excellence, but it is essential for the initial adoption and ongoing continuance of training (Sutton, 2019).

While there are several theories of motivation, the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has proven one of the most popular (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2017).

Based on our inherent tendency toward growth, SDT suggests that activity is most likely when an individual feels intrinsically motivated, has a sense of volition over their behavior, and the activity feels inherently interesting and appealing.

Optimal performance in sports and elsewhere occurs when three basic needs are met: relatedness, competence, and autonomy (Ryan & Deci, 2017).

GOAL SETTING

Goal setting can define challenging but achievable outcomes, whatever your sporting level or skills.

A specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound (SMART) goal should be clear, realistic, and possible. For example, a runner may set the following goal:

Next year, I want to run the New York City Marathon in three hours by completing a six-month training schedule provided by a coach.

GOAL SETTING LINK BELOW:

ANXIETY & AROUSAL

It is important to distinguish anxiety from arousal. The latter refers to a type of bodily energy that prepares us for action. It involves deep psychological and physiological activation, and is valuable in sports.

Therefore, if psychological and physiological activation is on a continuum from deep sleep to intense excitement, the sportsperson must aim for a perceived sweet spot to perform at their best. It will differ wildly between competitors; for one, it may be perceived as unpleasant anxiety, for another, nervous excitement.

The degree of anxiety is influenced by (Moran, 2012):

• Perceived importance of the event
• Trait anxiety
• Attributing outcomes to internal or external factors
• Perfectionism - setting impossibly high standards
• Fear of failure
• Lack of confidence

While the competitor needs a degree of pressure (or arousal) and nervous energy to perform at their best, too much may cause them to crumble. Sports psychologists work with sportspeople to better understand the pressure and help manage it through several techniques including:

• Self-talk
• Visualization
• Breathing and slowing down
• Relaxation
• Sticking to pre-performance routines

Ultimately, it may not be the amount of arousal that affects performance, but its interpretation.

CONFIDENCE

Self-confidence also taps into other, similar self-regulatory beliefs such as staying positive and maintaining self-belief (Sheard, 2013). An athlete high in self-confidence will harness their degree of self-belief and meet the challenge head on.

However, there are risks associated with being too self-confident. Overconfidence in abilities can lead to taking on too much, intolerance, and the inability to see underdeveloped skills.

CONFIDENCE LINK BELOW: