SPORT AND PERFORMANCE COUNSELLING
Performance has been a fascination in the field of psychology for many years. The attention has expanded from sports and exercise to business and personal performance. Research has shown there is a link between sport, business, and personal psychology. The principles of sport psychology can easily be transferred to the business and personal context particularly when considering some major skills of mental training such as:
- Smart Goal setting – setting achievable goals and plans to achieve these goals
- Mental Imagery – taking time to visualize your performance. This rehearsal can dramatically improve performance.
- Breath Control – breathing deeply and slowly can reduce tension and help you to calm down.
- Body Language – when you carry yourself confidently you will think and behave accordingly
- Intensity – Making sure your intensity is right will help you to perform at peak
- Self-Talk – be your own best supporter by speaking to yourself positively and with encouragement.
- Enjoyment – enjoying what you are doing is not only determined by circumstances. If you are not enjoying yourself you will eventually suffer.
We are not born mentally tough, but individuals can learn techniques and strategies to master these mental game skills to consistently experience peak performances. Mentally tough individuals are resilient; know how to overcome barriers; to control focus, stress and anxiety; to be consistent performers regardless of circumstances; and find ways to do the right things at the right times.
Sport counsellors can help people off the playing field. The same strategies that sport counsellors teach athletes such as relaxation techniques, mental rehearsals and cognitive restructuring, for example, are also useful in the workplace and other settings.