Can you take your foot off the gas pedal during a competition? Ask yourself the following questions: There have been countless historic collapses in sports when teams had seemingly insurmountable leads yet found themselves on the losing end when the final buzzer sounded. You can probably think of a competition in your sport when a team collapsed after ... Sport Psychology Article... The post Mindset and Closing Out a Game first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

What is the most significant mental factor that helps athletes pull off the upset? Competing against a significantly higher-ranked opponent or a team with a better record is not just a physical challenge but also a mental challenge. The main mental ingredient in upset victories is belief. By belief, I’m not just talking about pie-in-the-sky belief, but belief ... Sport Psychology Article... The post Mind Over Matter: Crafting a Winning Mental Game for Upset Victories first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

What is resilience, and how does resiliency impact an athlete’s growth? Resilience is a mental attribute that helps an athlete rise to challenges (making comebacks late in a competition), successfully deal with adversity (competing when your game is off or competing in difficult playing conditions), and cope with difficult situations (dealing with injury). All athletes can identify performances ... Sport Psychology Article... The post The Characteristics of a Resilient Athlete first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

Is mental toughness really “a thing”? Mental toughness is constantly mentioned in interviews after sporting events. For example, in practically every basketball conference tournament or NCAA tournament game, a commentator, coach, or player talks about mental toughness. But does mental toughness really exist? If so, what is it, and how can it be developed? Simply stated, mental toughness ... Sport Psychology Article... The post How to Create a Roadmap for Mental Toughness first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

Have you ever wondered how great athletes became great? What elevated Patrick Mahomes, Lebron James, Alex Morgan, Sabrina Ionescu, and Novak Djokovic to great heights? Each of those athletes is talented. However, there are plenty of examples of gifted athletes who never lived up to their potential. In fact, every year during the NFL draft, commentators talk about ... Sport Psychology Article... The post How Great Athletes Become Great first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

What is the most challenging obstacle that holds an athlete back from their potential? You can probably rattle off a list of obstacles, such as lack of confidence, access to training, inexperienced coaching, genetics, fear of failure, etc. Of course, genetics, training, and coaching are important. However, you can find resources to overcome these challenges, improve your conditioning, ... Sport Psychology Article... The post How this Self-Talk Hurts Athletic Potential  first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

What coaching style best contributes to an athlete’s success? Due to the various personalities of coaches and athletes, team dynamics, and individual learning styles, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to coaching. However, certain coaching styles can, without a doubt, hurt a player’s athletic and personal development. For example, the following coaching styles tend to demotivate and hinder an ... Sport Psychology Article... The post How Top Coaches Help Athletes Succeed first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

Why do some athletes seem to have a winning mindset when games extend into overtime? Is it possible to change your mindset, or is an athlete’s mindset primarily genetic? You can probably run off several athletes’ names who just seem to perform at a higher level during overtime. Athletes like LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, Breanna Stewart, and Alex ... Sport Psychology Article... The post Lessons from Mahomes Winning Mindset first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

What do you do after you finish a season where you fell short of your personal or team’s objectives? Do you try to forget the season and put it out of your mind? Each year, athletes and teams set their sights on an end-of-the-year target.  However, not all athletic goals are achieved. Things don’t always go as planned. ... Sport Psychology Article... The post How to Grow From Post-Season Evaluations first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more

What mindset do you take into a rematch? Many athletes who won the previous game against an opponent feel confident heading into a rematch. They think, “Since we won the previous matchup, we can win the upcoming game.” Previous success adds to an athlete’s confidence. However, let’s turn the situation around. What if you lost the previous head-to-head ... Sport Psychology Article... The post The Optimal Athletic Mindset for Rematches first appeared on Sports Psychology Tips ..read more