Seth Stisher, Pro Slalom Skier & Coach:
Positive attitude is good, but I believe there should be a good degree of realism in your optimism. As many mental coaches advise, setting unattainable goals is a recipe for COMPLETE failure.
On that note, accepting some failure along the way is necessary. How you accept this failure will separate you from the competition. Failure is merely a reminder that hard work and smart work are necessary for real gains.
Alison:
Our physical attitude usually reflects our mental attitude. Our bodies perform best when we are both relaxed and intently focused in the moment. Therefore, a mental attitude that promotes fluidity and power is optimal. Strong negative emotions can cause your muscles to stiffen. So, deal with errors without becoming frustrated.
Look at the attitude young children have when they learn to walk. They observe and practice. When they fall down, they get right back up and keep trying, taking physical or mental note on what worked and what did not work. The best learning occurs without whining or outbursts, but through calm awareness and presence.
by Alison Poulsen, Phd, and
Seth Stisher, Pro Slalom Skier and Coach
Owner of H2OProShop.com
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Read “Sports Psychology: I’m terrible at this sport. I can never get it right.”
p. Sam – I think we like to point out the internet as cghaning our society because it’s so new, and it’s become so ingrained in our lives so quickly. However, I don’t think this is bad, or even very original. It’s just a lateral shift. If you see a news story about a family all sitting in the same room, all on their iPads, laptops, and phones, checking facebook, twitter, instagram, word with friends etc. we see it as the erosion of our society and family values. But if the story was about the family all reading books, or playing scrabble, we’d call it heartwarming.