Mistake No 3. When It's Going Well You Don't Need Mental Performance Coaching

No 3.  They are performing well.

Many athletes believe if they are performing well, they do not need mental performance coaching.  This thinking is at odds with their physical training, an athlete does not stop going to a coach when they are performing well, on the contrary they ask for more help to perform even better.

Why then would an athlete not ask a mental performance coach to help them perform even better too?

The mind needs training just like the body, it is a muscle too.  It needs strengthening and it needs to be supple.  There are times in competition when an athlete needs to be mentally agile, outside influences often have even more impact on the mind than the body.

Clients visit me regularly even when they are performing well because they know it helps to keep them on track; we often follow a format that looks something like this:

1.       Review

We review any recent competitions or performances.  We also look at the impact of our last session and any other training, sleep regimes, nutrition.  Relationships with coaches, other athletes, teammates, performance programs, friends and partners also play their part on mindset.   Social media has a huge part to play too alongside sponsors, owners, employers, and employees so it’s during this part of the session that I get a sense of how the client is.

2.       The  Agenda

This is led by the client, what is it that they would like to use the session for today?  Often what I have heard in the review will have an influence on whatever it is that the client brings, and when I put these two aspects together we can get underneath whatever is holding the client back.

3.       The Work

Now we work on any conflicts, limiting beliefs or performance enhancements.  We can enhance performance in many ways, including improved concentration, settling nerves and anxiety, clearing negativity and inspiring new expectations.  Often it’s what happens in the split second of performance where mental coaching can be most influential; changing habits and creating a new reaction.

Regular mental performance coaching is essential to maintain success.