Psychological Pillars of Optimal Performance Part 2: 4 Techniques to Build the Pillars and Attributes of Optimal Performance

Now we have an understanding of each of the pillars and what attributes make them up, let’s explore some ways of building these pillars. 

Technique 1 - Know your why

Everyone is motivated differently. Understanding what motivates us, and where it comes from and being aware of what that looks like when we are thinking and performing in our sport can be super valuable. We can simply do this with a pen, a notebook and 20 minutes where you won't be disturbed. 

Write down and answer the question: 

• I compete in (add your sport) because………

If you find it difficult to write freely with that question, here are some more that can help get you going: 

• What do you want to feel as the whistle blows or you cross the finish line? 

• What outcome from a competition makes you happy?

• How do you feel before a competition day? 

• What gives you your buzz in your sport? 

• When you have those days when you feel flow, when everything just seems to go right and work, what is in your mind?

• If you were told you couldn’t do your sport for the next month, how would you feel? 

Once you have written down answers to these questions, you can start to identify what motivates you and whether they are extrinsic reasons (the trophies or medals, praise and accolades) or intrinsic reasons (personal satisfaction and the love for using your skills). 

What pillars does this technique help to build?

• Self-management (self-awareness)

• Drive (passion, purpose, focus)

• Fortitude (humility)

Technique 2 - Goal Setting

There is a whole bunch of research that shows that setting specific, clear, timely and realistic goals which are completely within your control can increase commitment, confidence, concentration, and motivation, decrease negative anxiety and improve performance. Simply, it is us deciding what we want to achieve and working backwards to create a plan to ensure that happens. 

Step 1 - Create an outcome goal

The outcome goal needs to: 

• Stretching: make us focus and work hard 

• Realistic: Not so hard that is not worth trying to achieve

• Exciting: Something that feels worth the investment 

• Controllable: Achievable despite others 

• Positive: Things we can proactively do rather than avoid

Our outcome goal doesn't always have to be a result, personal ranking, hitting a PB or whatever it could be in your sport. There are intrinsic goals we can set which can inspire us, such as fulfilment goals (using sport as a way of helping others), development goals (focussing on skill mastery) or environment goals (competing in new places). Once we have this outcome goal clear, everything else can flow.

Step 2 - Performance goals
These are the staging posts to help us see if we are on track to achieving our outcome goal. These are often specific skills, times, distances or scores you need to be hitting to achieve your outcome goal. These need to be very specific and measurable, so we can’t find ways to wriggle out of them! They also need to be positive, showing us what we need to accomplish rather than avoid. 

Step 3 - Process goals 

These are the building blocks, the individual Lego pieces or the jigsaw pieces. These are the actions, behaviours, strategies and tactics which will help us reach our performance goals. These are things we should be able to control and incorporate into our training and preparation. Sticking with these and gradually ticking them off will help us build momentum. 

Working with your coaches or other key support staff to create these goals can also be helpful. 

What pillars does this technique help to build?

• Resilience (confidence, optimism, self-efficacy)

• Intelligence (coachability, sports intelligence) 

• Self-management (self-awareness, accountability)

• Drive (self-determination, focus)

Technique 3 - Mindfulness of breath 

This is the most popular and straightforward of all the mindfulness exercises. It requires contact with the physical experience that is going on at that moment. Becoming aware of what is going on inside and outside of you. It allows us to put our attention and focus on where it is needed the most, the task at hand.         

We can train and practice our ability to bring our attention back to the present moment. It is often referred to as lifting weights with the mind. Mental resistance training. 

We can set a time during the day to train for this. Like you would for your technical and physical training. Mindfulness of breath is the main form of this training, in which you focus on the breath. Focus on the breath and the feelings associated with breathing. If anything pops up, notice it without judgement. If you get lost in thought or have become distracted, bring your attention back to the breath. This is the most important part, the act of bringing your attention back to the breath. Don't worry about being terrible at it. There is no good or bad in mindfulness. You are simply training the ability to bring yourself back to the present moment. Start by doing this for 5 minutes a day, every day. Once you get comfortable with it and it becomes a regular practice, up the time. Start small and build it up from there.

What pillars does this technique help to build?

• Resilience (perseverance)

• Intelligence (social-emotional competence)

• Self-management (equanimity, self-awareness, self-regulation)

• Drive (focus)

• Fortitude (dependability)

Technique 4 - Self-Talk
Answer this question, who do you talk to the most?

The answer is yourself. 

Self-talk is when we send ourselves a message internally (silently) or externally (out loud). The internal chatter has powerful influences on our confidence, motivation, focus, behaviour and performance. We can see self-talk as being either helpful or unhelpful. There are different types of self-talk. The one we are going to focus on here is called a motivational mantra. 

A mantra is a short phrase or even a single word to help focus the mind which you can use to maintain the motivation to achieve your goal. A mantra will focus on the motivation for competing or on your goal, reminding yourself what you want to achieve. A mantra can be used at various times, such as before a competition when you might be feeling nervous, mid-competition when you are struggling with poor performance or self-doubt or when trying to master new technical skills.     

Step 1 - Decide if the mantra is going to be motivational-driven or goal-focused. 

Step 2 - What would you want someone to say to you when you are struggling?

The mantra you choose doesn't have to be set in stone. You might choose one which works for every competition or you might mix and match it depending on the type or level of competition or time in the season. There isn't a right or wrong, it is whatever works for you.

The most effective mantra is one which makes you feel slightly emotional. Will give you a lump in the throat thinking about it! For it to be most effective, it needs to be purposeful, memorable, positive and short. You could even use metaphors, for example, ‘I’m as fast a fox’ to help make it memorable. Be creative and use what works for you, just make sure it is purposeful, memorable, positive and short. 

What pillars does this technique help to build?

• Resilience (confidence, optimism, perseverance)

• Self-management (self-regulation)

• Drive (passion, self-determination, focus)

• Fortitude (competitiveness, courage)

Hopefully, you have a solid understanding of the psychological pillars for optimal performance and some ideas on how to build the pillars and the attributes that make up each pillar.       

Psychological Pillars of Optimal Performance: Part 1

Have you ever wondered what psychological characteristics the most successful athletes have? A whole host of research has been conducted to try and figure out what characteristics successful athletes have. Let’s explore these characteristics and discuss the most important part, how to build them. 

From all the research, we can identify five psychological pillars that need to be built for athletes to successfully develop and excel. 

The five pillars are as follows: 

1. Resilience 

2. Intelligence

3. Self-management

4. Drive

5. Fortitude 

These five pillars are made up of psychological attributes, in essence, the material that makes up the pillar itself. Just like a brick is made out of cement, these pillars require these attributes to be acquired to make the pillar strong. Let’s explore each pillar and its attributes. 

Resilience 

Resilience has many definitions, however, it can be identified as a crucial psychological factor contributing to our ability to adapt positively and overcome challenging situations. The resilience pillar is made up of the following attributes: 

• Confidence: A belief or degree of certainty that you possess the ability to be successful in your sport 

• Optimism: A mindset epitomised by having positive expectations about future outcomes. It is the way you interpret the situations and events that happen in your life.

• Self-efficacy: The belief in your ability to organise and execute the things required to successfully complete a task.

• Perseverance: Can be identified as not giving up when faced with overcoming adversity or challenges and consistently striving to achieve goals during these moments. 

Intelligence

Intelligence can be broadly described as our ability to adapt to different objectives and environments and achieve our goals within these constantly changing environments. Simply put, achieving our complex goals in complex environments. What attributes make up intelligence?

• Coachability: An athlete’s motivation to learn and improve, willingness to be a sponge and absorb as much information from coaches and other key stakeholders. Your capability to be easily taught and trained. 

• Adaptability: Our ability to anticipate and respond positively to changing and rapidly evolving situations. 

• Sport-Intelligence: Our sport-specific knowledge and our ability to search and identify relevant cues, use short-term and long-term memory, identify patterns of play and behaviours, possess a baseline level of knowledge about sport-specific tasks and make effective decisions. Knowing your sport inside and out.

• Socio-emotional intelligence: An understanding and knowledge of the social and emotional environment and how to successfully navigate them. Our ability to be aware of our feelings in the present moment.          

Self-management

Self-management can be referred to as our ability to respond effectively to the many situations we find ourselves in as athletes and cope with the many stressors, pressures, failures and discomforting thoughts and feelings. This overall pillar of self-management is made up of the following:

• Equanimity: An even-minded mental state in which you are calm and composed. Allows us to remain grounded and mindfully present in the moment, rather than being consumed by emotional reactivity.

• Self-Awareness: Understanding how your inner world works. How you respond to situations, what thoughts you have and where they come from, what thoughts, feelings and behaviours arise in situations. 

• Self-regulation: Our ability to plan, manage and adapt our thoughts, feelings and behaviours in the face of the challenging situations, demands and contexts athletes find themselves in to achieve their personal goals. 

• Accountability: Taking responsibility and ownership of one's development and performance. Focusing on the process and reflecting on how to improve.

Drive 

Drive can be described as our intent towards achieving our personal goals in sport and how willing we are to achieve them. It is made up of the following:

• Passion: Being an athlete is part of who you are in which you practice and compete because of the love for the activity. This allows you to fully engage in the sport you enjoy whilst maintaining a balance with other aspects of your life.

• Purpose: This is your ‘why’. The reasoning behind your involvement in sport. Why do you play this sport? What is important to you in this sport? What values do you have? 

• Self-determination: A feeling of autonomy (being able to have control over what we do), competency (feeling we have the ability and mastery over the things that matter to you) and relatedness (a sense of belonging, feeling as though you matter to people and are part of something). 

• Focus: Our ability to concentrate on the tasks required for success, not become distracted and attend to cues in the sporting environment. Concentrating on the performance-relevant cues in your attentional field. 

Fortitude 

The firmness and strength of our mind can hold up despite the pressures, challenges or misfortunes. Having a firmness of spirit, being willing to go above and beyond what is required, and keeping on going despite what is happening or the outcomes. It is made up of the following:

• Dependability: Regardless of what is happening, you will keep on going and not give up. People around you can depend on you to stick to the task or what needs doing. Staying true to your word. 

• Competitiveness: Our desire to win in our situations and the enjoyment of competitions whilst showing high levels of sportsmanship.

• Humility: Being respectful, modest and realistic about your strengths and weaknesses. Helps you learn from mistakes, appreciate your achievements and acknowledge your limitations. 

• Courage: Doing what is needed to be done in the presence of fear. Courage is when we choose to do what is needed, execution after mindful deliberation. We choose to do something at some personal risk which is driven by the need or desire to bring about a positive outcome.
  
  
  

Stay tuned for “Part 2” where we’ll discuss 4 techniques to build each pillar.

How Can We Increase and Maintain Motivation Levels When Engaging in Physical Activity?

The following blog was written for Kakana, an On-Demand Inclusive Exercise Platform. For your health and safety, please ensure you consult a doctor, physiotherapist or health care provider before engaging in new forms of physical activity.
https://onekakana.com/blog/index.php/2020/09/24/increase-motivation

Participating in physical activity for individuals with disabilities produces numerous psychological benefits, including increased self-confidence, body image, level of independence, quality of life, as well as reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms. Despite these psychological benefits of engaging in physical activity, motivation levels can have a huge impact on an individual’s ability to consistently exercise or participate in sport. However, there are several strategies to help an individual increase and maintain motivation levels to consistently engage in physical activity. Below are 4 key strategies to help you increase and maintain your motivation levels regarding physical activity.

1. Goal setting: setting and monitoring goals
Setting and monitoring goals are a great way to challenge yourself and monitor your progress. This can be a collaborative activity with your caregiver or your physical activity buddy. It is helpful to write your goals down in a journal or notebook to keep track of them. When setting goals, ensure you follow the “SMART” acronym:

Specific (is this goal as specific as possible?)
Measurable (how will I know when I achieved this goal?)
Achievable (is this goal achieve but also excites me?)
Realistic (is this goal realistic for what else is going on in my life right now?)
Time bound (by when do I want to achieve this goal?)

Setting SMART process goals are key to maintaining motivation levels. Process goals are smaller goals that we focus on to improve our skills and behaviours.  Setting process goals can help us break down our big goals into smaller processes in which can be more effective in helping us achieve our outcome goals. Start by choosing 1 process goal that you can work on over the next couple of weeks.

Example:
Process goal: I am going to handcycle 3 days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) for 30 minutes and increase the distance I’ve cycled on a weekly basis by 2 minutes each week.

Outcome goal: Improve cardiovascular fitness levels after 1 month

May sure keep track of your goals by writing them down in a journal or notebook and assessing your progress on a weekly basis!

2. Self-talk
Self-talk is a psychological strategy consisting of how an individual talks to themselves using cue words or phrases. Self-talk is directly linked to an individual’s intrinsic motivation in which the individual takes responsibility for their actions and engages in an activities based on enjoyment. How an individual talks to themselves before and during physical activity can have a huge influence on their intention to engage in physical activity and likelihood of them continuing to engage in physical activity in the future. There are two different forms of self-talk; helpful self-talk and unhelpful self-talk. Helpful self-talk refers to cue words and phrases an individual says to themselves to improve their physical activity performance, whereas unhelpful self-talk refers to cue words and phrases that decrease an individual’s physical activity performance. When using self-talk, it can be helpful to ask yourself 2 questions “is talking to myself in that way helpful or unhelpful?” “What would I tell my friend to say to themselves in this situation?” E.g. I would tell my friend to say to themselves “I can do this! I’ve done it before!”

3. Social support: engaging in online group physical activity
Engaging in group exercise classes online can be a fun and engaging way for individuals to virtually develop social connections. By being a part of this online community, the individual receives on-going support from their instructors and other participants in the class. This on-going support can enhance an individual’s self-belief and their ability to overcome challenging moments whilst engaging in physical activity.

4. Achievement Journal
Each week, reflect on 3 physical activity accomplishments in your journal:

For example:
1. I was able to handcycle for 8 straight minutes this week
2. I was able to get in and out of my wheelchair without assistance every day this week
3. I participated in 2 online group classes

Reflecting on your physical activity achievements each week can help increase your self-confidence and self-esteem in your abilities, as well as maintaining your motivation levels to continue participating in various forms of physical activity. 

A step by step guide to settings goals

When training for an important competition, there is a huge amount of emphasis on physical preparation - but what about preparing mentally? A method that can help athletes mentally prepare for competition and enhance their focus, self-confidence and overall performance is Psychological Skills Training (PST).

PST involves techniques that an athlete consistently practices in order to enhance and maintain their performance. Primarily, PST is composed of four main components; goal setting, relaxation techniques, imagery and self-talk. Today I will be focusing on goal setting, explaining my role as a performance psychologist in helping individual athletes and teams set and achieve their goals.

Goal setting is at the core of psychological skills training to improve an individual’s motivation, productivity and attentional focus on a specific task. As a performance psychologist, I help educate athletes on how to develop, monitor and evaluate goals.

Firstly, I introduce athletes to the “SMART” acronym when settings goals, explaining that all goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. This is a major component of setting both short term and long-term goals for an individual to remain accountable for the goals they have set, as well as evaluating their goals to assess their progress.

The goal setting process is broken down into three different components comprised of process, performance, and outcome goals:

• Process goals are the smaller steps an athlete takes to achieve their performance goals. They focus on the repeated execution of a specific skill or strategy during training that they the individual wishes to improve. By repeatedly practicing the skill, the individual is able to gain attentional control and improve their performance. For example, a process goal for a swimmer could be to practice not breathing out of the turn during the main set for the next four training sessions. After the sessions are complete, the individual would then evaluate this goal to establish whether they should adjust the goal to a more challenging process goal,  such as practicing not breathing out of turn during prep set and main set for the next four training sessions.

• Performance goals are the performance standards that athletes set themselves in order to reach their outcome goals. When setting performance goals remember that they should be aspects of your performance that you have control over. For example, a swimmer could set a performance goal of swimming 100M breaststroke in 1min 20s. If we refer back to the swimmer’s process goal of not breathing out of the turn, this goal is one of the steps to help them achieve their performance goal.

• Lastly, Outcome goals are the end result that the athlete is working towards, for example, getting a gold medal at Nationals.
  

Some key points to remember when settings goals:

(1) Focus on the goals you can control

•  Focus on process and performance goals you can control instead of focusing on the outcome
  
  

(2)  Write them down!

• Individuals who write down goals are more likely to achieve them then those who don’t write them down Writing down goals help to monitor your progress

(3)  Make them visible for you to read on a daily basis

• Ensure your list of goals is visible for you to read them a couple times a day (especially before training/competition) to remind you of your objectives.
  

If you have any questions regarding setting goals, please email Serena at serenamacleodsportpych@gmail.com

How can we help adolescent athletes to be open about their mental health?

As I work primarily with adolescent athletes, I continuously want to raise awareness and address the stigma against young athletes regarding their mental health. Awareness of mental health and well-being amongst adolescent athletes is has increased receiving both research and media attention throughout the last few years. Negative perceptions of the athlete’s performance and dealing with performing under pressure is a major aspect that contributes to a decrease in the athlete’s overall mental health. Although the importance of youth athletes receiving mental health support has increased, the most popular barrier that inhibits an individual in reaching out for help is the stigma surrounding mental health.

One of the most important roles for coaches and parents is to provide athletes an environment in which they feel comfortable to disclose aspects of their mental health that they are struggling with. Firstly, to help facilitate this environment, we can encourage athletes to be open and honest regarding their thoughts, feelings and emotions. By having a positive attitude towards mental health and encouraging the athlete to share what they’re struggling with, this helps develop trust and decrease the fear of being judged.

Educating adolescent athletes’ is another extremely important aspect when addressing mental health. By educating the athlete, we can provide them an understanding of what they are experiencing, and also to develop an awareness that they are not the only individual struggling with their mental health. It’s so important to validate and normalise what the athlete is experiencing in a kind, compassionate way. In the UK, there are several organisations that provide mental health support. Mind is a fantastic organisation that educates individuals regarding mental health, as well as providing resources for mental health support. Another organisation that provides education and resources for support is Mental Health UK. Alternatively, the athlete or parent can reach out to their sport clubs safeguarding or well-being officer to receive guidance regarding education and support.

It is important to provide adolescent athletes’ with the platform to speak about their mental health concerns without the fear of being perceived negatively. Together, we can end the stigma against adolescent athletes’ who suffer from mental health disorders and help them receive the appropriate support.