Tag: performance
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Something More
Confidence is often misconstrued as an emotion spurred by success or absolute certainty, causing a trap where internal well-being relies on external validation and vice versa. In reality, confidence is a form of trust that propels one to act courageously despite uncertainties and negative thoughts, enabling us to commit to small choices that lead to…
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Forging a Space Between Forgetting and Fixating
“Next play!” “Forget about it. Move on!” “Short memory.” “Get ready for the next one!” We hear these phrases often as performers. They are typically shouted, whispered, commanded, and shared in a moment. Perhaps a moment of intensity, or a moment of quick connection before the next task. Coaches, teammates, colleagues, and friends may not…
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Aim for Proficiency, Not Perfection
That wasn’t perfect. It needs to be better. That’s not enough. These are perfectionistic phrases that floated around in my head everyday. The combination of competitiveness and the pressure to stand out fostered a strong tendency for perfectionism within me. In my childhood, I genuinely enjoyed playing sports; it was simply about the joy of playing.…
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Regrets of an Athlete
My biggest regret as an athlete was being so overly concerned with my own personal success that I did not allow myself to truly be part of a team. I was not a good teammate because I was too fixated on my own results and what people thought about me. If I played well, a…
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Process the Process
The emotions that surge within us as we step into the gym before a game, the thoughts that race through our minds after a training session, and the conversations we have with our coaches and teammates throughout the week – these experiences accumulate rapidly for athletes. We encounter a multitude of sensations, thoughts, feelings, interactions,…
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Quiet Amidst the Storm
Losing focus can often lead to performance setbacks. In those moments, we become detached from our target, resulting in mistakes and missed opportunities. It’s as if we are going through the motions without intentional presence. We are on auto-pilot. Our attention may appear engaged, but our minds wander, fixating on past actions, pondering others’ perceptions,…