Why you don't need a sport psychologist but should want one
Dec 17, 2021 11:00 pm
Happy Friday,
If you are in Michgan, you might be enjoying this uncharacterictly warm weather. It is a surprise and not what we expected.
Which got me thinking, isn't sport always like that? How often do things go exactly as we planned?
Almost never.
Planning for and adapting to adversity are critical skills to succeed in sport and in life.
Are you getting the coaching you need to succeed? And are you getting enough sleep to excel? I talk about both below ...
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"I'm OK ... I don't need a sport psychologist"
“I’m OK … I don’t need to see a sport psychologist …”
I both agree and disagree with you.
Yes, I’m sure you are “ok” and I sincerely hope you are handling your stress and anxiety well. There are few times when anyone absolutely “needs” to see a psychologist. People suffer a long time without help and they get by.
Photo by Elijah Hiett on Unsplash
But is that really what you want to do? Just get by?
High achievers are all about improvement. Improving skills. Improving technique. Improving strategy. Improving health. Improving performance.
So why - especially when you’re in a slump - is there a response to cope on your own and push through it? Why not get the coaching that will help you improve?
You may not “need” a sport psychologist … but wouldn’t you “want” one?
Don’t you want to learn how to:
- play at the same high level in competition as you do in practice?
- let go of the fear, doubt and worry and be able to commit your focus to your actions?
- bring back your love for the game?
- not only get over mistakes, but learn from them and be better because of them?
You don’t “need” to work with a sport psychologist … but since you want to be your best, don’t you want to?
🥇A cost-effective way to start your mental training is Success Stories Membership: a community of high achievers with anxiety developing the physical and mental habits necessary to perform with consistency and excellence. More here: www.dreddieoconnor.com/membership
🥈And for those that are ready to excel with personalized individual training, go here: https://dreddieoconnor.com/telehealth-services/
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Sleep Your Way to the Top
Many thanks to FaR Out Volleyball Club for our third (of five) workshops. I love their commitment to improving the mental game.
Our physical performance is intimately tied to our focus and emotional control. And last night we learned what the #1 performance enhancer is …
Sleep 🛌 💤
Highlights:
😴 You get your greatest chunk of deep recovery sleep and hGH release (for muscle growth) in your first sleep cycle before midnight … so get to bed early.
😴 Blue light from phone and laptop is keeping you awake, so shut it down 2 hours before bed.
😴 Only sleep in bed. Do homework, watch tv, scroll on your phone on a beanbag or desk. In this way your bed is associated only with sleep and can serve as a sleep trigger when you get it.
😴 The is especially true with worry! Get out of bed and address your anxiety by making a plan for how you will address what you’re worried about.
If you want to sleep better tonight to play better tomorrow, catch the Sleep Your Way to the Top workshop at bit.ly/sleeptothetop
... and if you'd like me to talk to your team or organization, reply to this newsletter.
Enjoy the weekend,
Dr Eddie
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Dr. Eddie O’Connor
