You Can Feel Better and Still Not Play Better!
Feb 25, 2022 9:25 pm
Happy Friday,
I came across a research study today that will help me tonight in the first workout of the CrossFit Open (and help you too, whenever you are anxious to perform). A great reminder of how confidence is independent of our performance and why we should focus on what we need to do rather than on how we feel.
And speaking of pressure, for my athletes in the playoffs, the second post encourages you to not try harder. That can actually hurt your performance.
Just reply to this e-mail if I can help you with some 1:1 coaching or workshop for your team/organization.
OK, now I'm off to lift heavy things. I'll keep you posted :-)
Have a great weekend,
Dr E
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You Can Feel Better and Still Not Play Better!
This study just came out with some helpful conclusions about anxiety, confidence and music performance:
1. Sport interventions may not generalize to music. We must consider the unique context musicians play in and adapt accordingly.
2. The interventions helped improve the confidence of musicians with high performance anxiety (but not low), but did not increase their music performance quality!
In short, you can feel better and still not play better.
This brings into question how much time and effort you want to spend controlling your emotions. There are times that the energy and attention spent on managing emotions will distract you from your best performance focus.
A better alternative may be to practice performing with anxiety, learning to accept the discomfort and refocusing on the execution of performance enhancing behaviors.
Give up the struggle to control your emotions and use that energy to focus on what you need to do in each moment.
You do not have to think positively and feel confident to play well. Your actions are independent of your thoughts and feelings. Commit to your best performance behaviors (e.g., technique, strategy) no matter what you think or feel.
Lubert, V.J., & Gröpel, P. (2022). Testing interventions for music performance under pressure: A randomized controlled study. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 11(1), 93-105.
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Don't Play Harder in the Playoffs
I don’t like the expectation to “pick it up” for the playoffs.
Yes, the competition intensifies.
Yes, the threat to win or go home is real.
Yes, the games matter more.
But if you can pick up the intensity, I ask you this …
Why haven’t you been playing with playoff intensity all season?!?
Have you been holding back?
What’s kept you from doing your best before now?
I’m hoping you already have been doing your best each day. And that is all that can be expected. Your best truly is the best you can do under any circumstances, no matter how important the game is or how badly you want to win.
Adding unrealistic pressure to do better than your best creates anxiety, stress and distractions.
By all means, be intense about your focus. Hustle the entire game. Be consistent in your effort. But do this every day.
Don’t expect yourself to perform at a level higher that you’ve been practicing all season.
Choose your best effort every day of the pre-season and in-season so that when playoffs come you are used to giving 100% and can’t give more.
This decreases playoff anxiety and helps you focus on executing one play at a time.
🥇I’d love to support you inside Success Stories Membership, an online community of high-achievers like you working to get better everyday. Check us out at: https://dreddieoconnor.com/membership.
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Dr. Eddie O’Connor
