Mentally Preparing for Playoffs…

28 02 2011

At some point in your athletic experience you will most likely participate in some kind of playoff. These games come with greater pressure, more potential anxiety, and greater emotional highs and lows. So, what are the best ways to manage these very difficult times? This article is going to highlight three principles for putting your best foot forward during the playoffs.

First, have Realistic Expectations. Young athletes hurt their own performance as well as their teams when they think that everything they try should work, or they shouldn’t have to deal with things that go the other teams way. I have found that the more unrealistic the expectations the more intense the frustration. Having unrealistic expectations sets us up to be unprepared for what is most likely to occur therefore, putting us at a disadvantage when events unfold that are out of alignment with what we thought would happen.

Second, Focus on Actions Rather than Results. In pressure filled situations it becomes very difficult to remain poised and emotionally stable. When our bodies become overwhelmed with anxiety and adrenaline our judgment may become compromised and we become prone to outbursts of frustration and anger sometimes resulting in taking a penalty, committing an untimely foul, or simply performing tentatively resulting in less then excellent performance. This is heightened when we become over focused on results rather then the actions that are required to earn the results that lead to victories and excellent performance.

Third, Exhibit Emotional Flexibility. Playoff time is filled with ups and downs. There are moments of great excitement as well as great despair. Because of these paradoxical moments athletes are forced to deal with these ups and downs with poise and with grace. Doing this requires the capacity to be flexible and not allowing one’s emotions to get too high or too low. A phrase I have used for years to summarize this principle is “Never too high, never too low”.

Playoffs test our mental, physical and emotional preparedness. With the tips above, the uncertainty and pressure of playoff time can be an opportunity to shine and reveal your Mental Edge on your competition.

Best to you this playoff season!

To find out more about this topic and to schedule a private consultation, please call 763.439.5246.

Shaun Goodsell
President and CEO
Mental Edge

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Categories : Athlete, Coach, Confidence, Goalie, Hockey, Manage Adversity, Mental Toughness, Motivation, Parent, School, Sports Psychology

Confidence…oh, so often misunderstood!

19 01 2011

One of the most common topics that I get asked about from players, coaches, and parents has to do with confidence.  The questions I get vary as people attempt to understand this seemingly misunderstood concept. Below are three of the most common questions I get and my response to them in a attempt to bring greater clarity for those seeking to develop confidence, as well as, understand the role of confidence in understanding performance.

1. Is confidence a critical factor in how someone performs?
Although confidence plays a part in impacting how an athlete performs, what is more critical is how masterful an athlete has become concerning the foundational skills of the sport they play. What is true is that an athlete develops a great deal of confidence based on how effective they feel they have been at developing and mastering skills that allow them to compete with those they play against. If an athlete hasn’t invested the time, energy, and dedication to practicing the skills needed to experience success then confidence should not be a “right”.  Therefore, what is important to performance has more to do more with skill development than confidence.

2. When my son/daughter seems to lack confidence is the antidote encouragement?
The answer to this is maybe. I believe we have become a culture (especially with our kids) that believes the answer for every problem is encouragement. Certainly our kids need optimistic, positive people in their life, however, they also need “truth tellers” that are able to communicate truthful statements in optimistic and positive ways to help them build a healthy self perception built on better “truth”. Telling an athlete they played well when they didn’t does nothing to build their confidence, in fact, it confirms in the mind of many that adults just tell kids things to make them feel better. This actually erodes the possibility of confidence because of the credibility that is lost.

The last question is: What helps to grow self-confidence?
I want to start by saying that confidence can be compartmentalized into different life interests. For example, I can be confident in my ability to understand a persons emotional pain and have zero confidence in my ability to build shelves for my garage. My lack of confidence in building doesn’t compromise my overall confidence as a person it simply means I have not developed the skills associated with building shelves. With this example as a guide I believe the inner belief in oneself that we label as confidence is created, grown, and developed when we invest time, energy, interest, and genetic cooperation to develop what it takes to perform effectively in competitive situations. Because of this, I believe developing true confidence is, in reality, within all of our control. I hope the clarification around this often-used topic is helpful.

Shaun Goodsell
President and CEO, Mental Edge

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Categories : Academics, Athlete, Coach, Confidence, Manage Adversity, Mental Toughness, Motivation, Parent, School, Sports Psychology, Student

Maybe they act like they don’t care because they don’t care!

25 10 2010

One question that is posed to me on almost a daily basis is why do many young people exhibit characteristics of apathy and laziness? While reflecting on this I have pondered many possible explanations. These include being pampered, disinterested, and the environment of low expectations to name a few.  It is possible that each of these holds some merit in trying to explain some of the problematic behavior that appears in some of our young people.

However, I have come to believe that the answer may not be as complicated as I first thought.  Maybe many act like they don’t care because they don’t care! The more I talk to young people the more they tell me they can’t see the connection between school and sports performance and their future. Not only is this blurry but much of the material they are learning in school is not only irrelevant to them but often presented in a manner that does more to put them to sleep then to engage them in a pursuit of ongoing curiosity leading to enhanced living. I often wonder if there is some virtue in choosing disengagement, which is a form of rebellion, to compliance simply for the sake of doing what you’re supposed to.  Where has that lead most of us?

For many this formula has lead to living an uninspired life stuck in jobs that we hate, marriages that are shallow and lifeless, and a life that is to be survived rather then savored. The survival strategies include but are not limited to alcohol abuse, food abuse, over spending, Internet addictions, and simply engaging in activity for the sake of distracting ourselves to avoid the realization that we are simply existing and not truly living. Sometimes, this internal dissatisfaction leads us to focus energy towards over controlling our kids telling them “we want them to avoid the pain that we currently live with by helping them see a better way”.

Inspiration and engagement comes by seeing and experiencing, not by words that are often hypocritical. If we truly want to SHAKE UP our kids maybe the way to do this is to begin to take pride in our own lives. Maybe if we cultivated an appetite for better living by challenging ourselves and those around us to overcome their fears of inadequacy, and heal from the disappointments of their lives, maybe our example would DRAW and ATTRACT those around us to become curious about the new found passion, inspiration, and courage that has now become an authentic expression of our everyday lives.

I believe that our kids are screaming for meaning, purpose, and inspiration. There is a hunger for examples that are credible because of the life they live not the rhetoric they spew to authentically lead our young people to engage in life in a new manner. Maybe our kids act like they don’t care because they don’t care. Why should they?

What do you think?  Please let us know with your comments below!


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Categories : Academics, Athlete, Coach, Confidence, Manage Adversity, Mental Toughness, Motivation, Parent, School, Sports Psychology, Student

What is happening to our community?

20 10 2010

Everywhere you look, you hear or see something that tells you relationships are breaking down. Bullying is back in the news, Facebook fighting is being reported at an all time high, and many young people seem to be doing more to tear each other down then build each other up. What has gone wrong to create these disturbing dynamics?

First, basic relationship skills are not being taught. There is more emphasis on teaching people about Math and Science than the skills of conflict resolution and interpersonal communication. Many run to their social networking sight to learn about someone else rather then be face to face and allow curiosity to take over. Often, on these sights as well as cell phones, people can tear someone down because they can’t see the pain created in their eyes.

Second, many adult relationships seem to contain the toxic chemicals of greed, judgment, gossip, and shallowness. It seems as though many adults require an activity to distract them while they are with each other: a game, a party, or alcohol. These provide the reason to get together and therefore, people are in the same room without any ability to truly be fascinated by the wonder of those around them. Having fun has become the addiction rather than the thrill of a deeply satisfying conversation that can ignite the joy of a person in a moment.

Third, it seems as though many are preoccupied with themselves while those around them sit waiting for quality interaction. It is my belief that we can show courage by over coming fear in many areas, however, it appears we are still deathly afraid of vulnerability and being “known”.

It is time we stop focusing on symptoms that only point out to us there is a problem. Certainly bullying, gossip, cliques, and violence are problems. However, they should force us to take a good look at ourselves and how we live. Are we cultivating deep relationships with our spouses, kids, friends and other important people? Do those around us feel as though we are approachable?  Unless we stop accepting meaningless interactions as normal and start holding ourselves to being examples to people around us, especially young people, of deeply engaging relationships grounded in non-judgmental unconditional love, we will continue to reap the results of disconnection. The results are often deadly.

Please make a commitment today to move towards those in your life. Do the work of forgiveness and reconcile with people that have wronged you, if possible, and pursue relationships that have the power to transform those around you. You just might be transformed yourself!

Like this? Please let us know your thoughts and experience in the comments below!

Shaun Goodsell/ Mental Edge Founder


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What coaching message leads to better performance?

17 08 2010

Noise is defined as a phenomenon that blocks, distorts, changes or interferes with the meaning of a message.

Around the upper Midwest, this week marks a new season of fall sports.  Thousands of young athletes will put themselves in positions to be impacted by coaches. Coaches will utter thousands of messages in hopes of shaping, adjusting, and inspiring those they coach. What makes a coaching message productive? What coaching message leads to better performance? I ask these question because I believe most of what is spoken to young people resembles noise more than effective communication.

For messages to be helpful they need to be free of anything that could interfere with the meaning and desired focus of the message. Noise distorts, confuses, changes, and interferes with clear communication and literally inhibits the athlete from developing and moving forward. It is possible when communication is “noisy” the presence of a coach is more inhibiting than helpful. To make this sort of claim requires some explanation:

Elements of productive coaching messages:

  1. Concise: Spoken in less than 20 seconds
  2. Clear: Stated with clear language and engaging emotion
  3. Constructive: Provides the athlete with an adjustment leading to greater mastery of skill

When a coach seeks to guide an athlete to greater mastery it is important to make clear, concise, constructive comments that lead the athlete to successfully execute the mental and physical connections leading to success. The most effective coaches have been studied and it has been revealed that they clearly state concise messages providing the athlete with detailed input on small adjustments required; leading the athlete to make small consistent adjustments which are associated with maximized skill development.

When coaches use clichés that are wordy, demeaning, and confusing “NOISE” is at it’s highest and these messages serve to slow down, if not stop, learning.  These type of messages not only  inhibit performance but a decrease overall experience.

Let’s challenge ourselves to be clear, concise, and constructive in our communication. Champions are made from this type of communication.

We’d love to hear your comments and thoughts below.  If you are a coach and have a question please feel free to ask below and we’ll answer as many as we can.

Shaun


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Get Shaun as your personal coach for FREE!

21 07 2010

We are excited to announce we’ve launched daily Mental Edge video training.  Each day Shaun provides a short training on mental toughness and sports “psychology” to give you leverage on your competition.

Get your FREE training at http://MentalEdgeLive.com

We want to help you be your best when it counts the most!

Enjoy!


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Categories : Academics, Athlete, Coach, Confidence, Fitness, Goalie, Hockey, Manage Adversity, Mental Toughness, Motivation, Parent, School, Sports Psychology, Student

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Learning Revolution

27 05 2010

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Motivating Kids: Myths & Truths #4

26 04 2010

This is the forth of a 5-part series on Motivation Myths:

Motivational Myth #1: Kids need to be motivated. (See 4/7/10 blog entry)

Motivational Myth #2: Rewards are what motivate kids. (See 4/8/10 blog entry)

Motivational Myth #3: Lectures motivate kids. (See 4/14/10 blog entry)

Motivational Myth #4: Hype motivates kids.

Motivation Myth number 4 is the hype myth. The more work I do with teams and coaches the more I realize that we have bought into the idea that we need to get our kids pumped, hyped, and excited. We hear inspirational speeches, pre-game talks in an attempt to get everybody psyched up. The beverage companies have also bought into this with the rise in the sheer numbers of “Energy Drinks” that have come on the market. We need to be careful not to buy into the idea that more hype, intensity, and energy is best for everybody.  Rarely, do you see people who execute excellently under pressure overly hyped or excited in the moment.

On each team there will be a percentage of players that need to relax because they are too intense. Their abundance of intensity often creates a lack of awareness leaving them virtually blind to the more detailed aspects of the game. These players work hard but often move right past the opportunity to score, or finish a play.  Coaches often refer to these types of players as ones that are in constant motion without much impact on the game. Being able to create a consistent level of intensity leading to the ability to pounce on opportunities as they reveal themselves is what leads not only to success but consistent play based on the learning that is acquired through practice and experience.  Certainly, there are players that require jolt of energy. These players often appear almost to relaxed. For some it may take an entire first part of the game to finally find their flow. This type of player usually needs to engage their mind in something clear and attainable. It isn’t hype or excitement needed; it is a clearly defined goal that can be self-monitored.

Helping our athletes utilize useful energy that results from a clearly communicated set of expectations with regular personalized feedback provides the necessary self-motivation that can be sustained over time. Creating hype and over excited athletes does nothing but distract them and leads them to perform in inconsistent and impulsive ways.


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Is Anybody Listening?

6 04 2010

Shaun Goodsell, MA

A student came to school with a gun today. When asked what motivated this action the student gave indication that he was being bullied, picked on, and so he responded by bringing a gun to “send a scare” into those that had picked on him. The Principle responded by saying; “I wasn’t aware of this student experiencing bullying”. Isn’t this the problem?  Adults leading within communities of kids are blind. We are missing the subtle cues giving valuable information concerning the health of the student community. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE MISSING THE CUES STUDENTS SEND.  We are good at bringing in drug sniffing dogs to determine the presence of drugs in our schools and I am thankful for this. However, we need to take intentional action that leads to reliable and valid information concerning the quality of relational functioning within our schools and other places students gather in groups. Many of our kids are crying out for help with behaviors, attitudes, and outrage that we need to start paying attention to.  While being interviewed on WCCO radio about two weeks ago I was asked if I thought bullying had been reduced. I responded by saying; “Not in my opinion”. I cannot help but be saddened by the emotional turmoil that had gone on in this young man’s life. The day in and day out abuse that went unnoticed, unchecked, and certainly not dealt with. More and more kids are going to take matters into their own hands if the adults that are supposed to be protecting not only their bodies, but also their hearts, don’t take drastic action to PAY ATTENTION and protect those that are being emotionally battered right under our nose.

We can theorize and philosophize all the reasons why kids bully each other but right now this needs to STOP or we will see many more kids lash out in violent ways representing the deep anger they feel for being rejected from the peer group that should embrace and provide support, encouragement, and emotional safety. Certainly, this young man that brought a loaded gun to school should receive significant consequences for his misguided actions. However, if we don’t wake up we are missing the opportunity to learn from this young man and avoid future loss of life. Our kids are screaming for help. Is anybody listening?


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What does pressure do to us?

18 02 2010

Shaun Goodsell

Many athletes struggle to understand why they often perform better in practice then in games.  For some the presence of pressure leads to enhanced performance and for others the exact opposite is true. To answer this question we have to unpack how pressure impacts certain players verses others. Realizing there is no one single right answer for everyone.  The reason why this is the case is that everyone has a different formula for what brings the best out of them based on how they are wired when they find themselves in pressure situations. Let me illustrate:

Joe is a laid back person that takes most things in stride with a very easygoing personality. He is never really to excited and never really down. If you didn’t know him well you might assume that he doesn’t really care about much and is often accused of being a bit lazy. Practice is something that creates an opportunity to be with his friends and blow off some steam before going home for a night of Facebook and texting. For Joe the thought of a big game and any pressure associated with this game only serves to drive him into more perceived apathy and emotional disengagement because he is motivated and driven by comfort over achievement. As this unfolds a coach could become frustrated and overwhelmed, even a bit angry, as he tries to shape Joe into a more intense, engaged, and motivated player. Tactics could include applying more pressure telling Joe he will sit if he doesn’t bring more energy to the game and even yelling at him as he plays hoping to jar him out of his funk. All these do is entrench Joe more in his preferred social posture.  So, what are some explanations for what is going on and how to help Joe be his best?

First, it is likely that Joe is a strong analytical and is not prone to emotional expression. Next, the more external pressure he feels the more he will become introverted and over think everything he does because he values doing things right the first time and not having to repeat them.  In this case, pressure has the effect of activating the “over thinking” part of the brain and serves to paralyze him during competitive situations. The performance tip for Joe is to simplify the game, appeal to reason, stay calm, allow Joe the latitude to play without experiencing much external pressure, and to work with Joe to determine what he expects of himself and work to help him accomplish that.

Next we have Steve. Steve is a highly-strung athlete that approaches everything with great intensity and effort. He is a perfectionist with a very limited tolerance for mistakes not only in his performance, but with those around him as well. Practices are not only opportunities to improve but prove his superiority over those around him. His teammates both admire his intensity and are put off by it because of the inevitable critical statements that flow from him when he is under pressure. To his coaches Steve is the model that they hope to replicate and often name him a leader because of the work ethic and desire to win he brings to everything he does.  Privately, Steve is haunted with fears of failure, disappointing others, and is only noticed when he is successful. In big games Steve begins to feel like the fate of his team lies in his play and anxiety takes over and literally tightens him up from head to toes.  Fundamental skills become difficult and opportunities normally capitalized on with relative ease become very difficult. In this case, pressure serves to ignite more and more self-criticism bringing with it more and more intensity and pressure to succeed. Not only does he tighten up but his decision making process is negatively impacted by him second guessing himself and his intuitive instinctive play turns into tentative over thinking play.  Coaches trying to encourage him only feel powerless to interrupt this pattern.  Steve needs to learn how to calm himself and redefine how he deals with his desire for excellence.  In reality, Steve needs to learn how to lighten up. Pressure ignites a different series of internal events for Steve that is different then Joe. Understanding the unique ways that each player deals with pressure and what the impact of that is on performance is very important when trying to help players be their best.

These are some examples of how pressure can affect different personality types and impact the ability of that athlete to compete and excel under pressure.  As big games are on the horizon, understand that pressure has the capacity to eliminate the strengths of the best of players. No wonder we talk about the sport being 90% mental. There are many different personality blue prints that all respond to pressure differently. We have a unique tool called the TAIS profile that allows us to get a detailed blue print of how individual athletes are most apt to be impacted by pressure both externally and internally.  This blue print then guides our coaching so we can work personally to help players be their best when it counts the most.

For more information on this powerful performance tool you can visit the WM Show and Tell Video or TAIS Overview

If you would like to take the TAIS and work with us to build your personal blue print so that you can be your best when it counts the most, give us a call today 763-439-5246 and let’s get started!

Until next time, here’s to your possibilities!

Shaun
Shaun@MentalEdgeNow.com

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Categories : Academics, Athlete, Coach, Confidence, Goalie, Hockey, Manage Adversity, Mental Toughness, Motivation, Parent, School, Sports Psychology, Student

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