Using Sports Psychology to Get Back on Track
How is it that, for some ball players, one bad game can cause them to lose confidence affecting future performances?
Some ball players have great difficulty bouncing back from a bad game. One bad game leads to another and another and another… These players feel stuck and their confidence and motivation seem to slowly erode.
The cycle of bad game, lower confidence, waning motivation, bad game, seems hard to break.
That downward spiral can make a player feel as if they are losing control over their play on the field.
This is the exact experience of a player who recently responded to our Softball and Baseball Mental Toughness Survey:
“How do you develop self-confidence so you are not so nervous before a game and stop the negative self-talk about previous performances?”
You have identified three interrelated mental components that affect performance: confidence, degree of nerves, and self-talk.
According to your experience, after a bad game, you relive mental images in your mind. You become overly critical to the point where it chips away at your confidence.
Thoughts, such as, “I can’t field the ball cleanly,” “I can’t make accurate throws” or “I hope I don’t lose the game again for my team” dominate your mindset.
Your negative self-talk creates anxiety due to your fear of having repeated bad games. All these circumstances keep you trapped in an endless loop of bad performances.
Breaking out of this loop requires you take back control of your game by directing your focus to the things you can control.
Too many other factors you cannot control such as, past performances, the opposing pitcher, the lineup, etc. Trying to control these uncontrollable factors is futile and will only lead to further frustration and anxiety.
For example, Chicago White Sox pitcher Reynaldo López is trying to bounce back from a career-worst 5.38 ERA in 2019 and he is doing so with the help of the team’s sport psychologist.
Instead of wins, losses and personal stats, López is focusing on his preparation, knowing that consistent preparation will lead to positive results.
LOPEZ: “My goal right now or my focus right now is in my work. Do my work, try to do my work every day as best as you can, and the results are going to be there. That was one of the things I didn’t have last year… That’s something I have this year. That’s something that’s going to be the key for me to have success this year.”
If you want high stable confidence, focus on your mental and physical preparation and years of practice and play.
If you are looking to lower your level of nerves, focus on your mental and physical preparation.
If you are searching for a pathway to improve your self-talk, focus on your mental and physical preparation.
If you want to bounce back quickly from a bad game or increase your consistency, the solution is to focus on your mental and physical preparation.
Bouncing Back Quickly from a Bad Game
“What can I improve today?” Ask yourself this question every day before practice then focus on that aspect of your game to your fullest capacity.
It is easy to show up to practice but few players actually engage in focused mental and physical preparation during practice.
Treat each game as a new opportunity for success rather than accepting that the old “broken record” will play out.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How The Cubs Stay Confident When Behind
- How to Develop a Comeback Mindset
- The Mindset Needed for a Comeback
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