Slumps Are Only Temporary
Do you have full trust in your skills when you play in a game?
When you are “in a slump,” do you have the necessary trust in your abilities and confidence that you will break out quickly?
It is easy to have trust in your game when things are going well on the field. When you are ripping the ball for hits each game, you never think, “Will I ever get a hit again?”
When you have pinpoint accuracy on the mound over several games, you don’t think, “I need to work on getting the ball over the plate.” or “I should work on my mechanics during off days.”
When you are making acrobatic plays on the field or throwing out runners from the outfield, you don’t say to yourself, “I need to do extra fielding practice.”
When things are going well and you are playing at a high level, you have trust in your ability to replicate high level performance.
Even a bad at-bat or shaky inning on the mound is seen as a blip on the screen and you trust that you will do well the next time you step in the batter’s box or face the next hitter.
It is after a string of bad events that some baseball players lose trust in their ability to perform: a few rough starts, a string of bad games or a lack of production at the plate over the course of several games.
It is these cases, ball players start tinkering with their technique or mechanics. This is often the time when players take extra batting practice or throw more on off days. Or they may look for a new hitting coach.
Loss of trust is the culprit when your game is slumping, not a loss of ability.
Learning to deal with the ups and downs of the game and maintaining trust in your abilities is the fastest way to get back on track.
Baltimore Oriole outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. was mired in a slump that saw his batting average drop significantly as he was hitless in over 30 at-bats.
Some players might become frustrated in this situation and maybe Smith is experiencing some level of frustration too.
But listening to Smith, there is an overwhelming tone of trust. Smith understands the ups and downs of the game and trusts he has the ability to return to form.
Smith’s outlook is an ideal example of trust.
SMITH: “You go through ups and downs, and you’ve just got to keep pushing. I think it’ll turn around sooner than later. I feel like the results are just not there right now. Process is going fine. It’s one of those things. It’s just baseball. Everybody goes through slumps. No matter how good you’re going, it’s gonna happen at some point. It’s just how you deal with it.”
Trust is an essential element to high level performance. Without trust in your game, your play on the field will be marred with inconsistency.
How to Develop Trust in Your Game:
Maintain the same approach throughout your ups and downs. Start with focus. What do you focus on when you are playing at a high level?
For example, when you are in the batter’s box, are you focused on picking up the ball quickly or making good contact?
Don’t reinvent your game because it’s not working now. The difference between poor and good play maybe very small–or smaller than you think. Make small adjustments that can help your consistency return.
You want to have patience knowing that you have done it before and you can do it again without massive changes to your game.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Breaking Free From Hitting Slumps
- How To Bust Out Of Slumps With Confidence
- Hitting Slumps: Are They Mental or Physical?
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