Letting Go of Bad Performances
Have you struggled with your performance this year? What happens when you have a few bad at-bats?
A few bad games, or even a few bad at-bats, can drown your confidence in doubt and dominate your mindset.
When some ball players are struggling, they often expect the trend to continue, beat themselves up internally, press more and lose their passion for the game.
If you can’t get out of your head, you’ll never be able to get out of your own way and play to your potential.
So if what you are doing is not working or has not moved you out of your slump, try a new approach.
The new approach has nothing to do with changing your stance in the box or how you load your hands.
The new approach is how you perceive the game and how you are performing.
Luke Voit, a double A prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system, has a great perspective when it comes performing on the field.
Voit has worked hard on both the technical side of the game as well as the mental side of baseball.
Despite going undrafted as a junior and being a 22nd-round draft pick the following year, Voit is in position to win the batting title in Double-A this year. Voit is hitting .297, nine points over the the next batter and has a league-leading 131 hits.
Voit credits his college coaches for his success and the ability to manage his on-field emotions and his positive approach to hitting.
VOIT:“[My college coaches] helped me with the mental side of [the game]. I was one of those hot-headed guys, and they always wanted me to take the positives. I didn’t really learn until my senior year because I was so stubborn.”
It’s easy for ball players to stay stuck in old habits of thinking. It’s a lot harder to admit you need to make changes and take control of your mentalgame…
Voit’s strategy for keeping his confidence high boils down to having fun. If the game is fun, you place less pressure on yourself to perform.
VOIT:“When a lot of guys start struggling, they lose (sight) of why they are playing the game. You’ve got to remember like when you were 10 years old playing the game. If you’re not having fun, there is no point in playing. You can kind of see it in some guys, too. If they don’t enjoy it, they lose their confidence. They end up struggling or getting released.”
Another strategy Voit utilizes to minimize pressure is positive self-talk, similar to an internal motivational speech.
VOIT: “That’s what you’ve got to think about sometimes when you’re in the dugout and 0-for-2 with two strikeouts: ‘Hey, screw it. Turn it around. You’re playing baseball.’”
Two Strategies to Overcome Performance Struggles:
Strategy #1: Remind yourself that baseball is a game and the reasons you started playing in the first place. Baseball is not a life-or-death matter; it is a game of exciting challenges.
If you view the game as a challenge, you are more likely to be confident and maintain enthusiasm for the game.
Strategy #2: Give yourself a pep talk. It’s not crazy to talk to yourself; you already do it. If you are angry with yourself, no one can help you but yourself.
Be your own best coach. Change the mental script and talk to yourself as if you were the most positive coach you know.
Coaches: Learn How to Boost Your Player’s Confidence!
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How Wilson Contreras Improved His Mental Game
- Mental Game Lessons From the Indians’ 22 Game Winning Streak
- How Your Mental Game Affects Your Performance in Baseball
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