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Does self-compassion benefit performance?
There are certain mental attributes that you’re sure to hear circling among athletes and coaches: motivation, grit, discipline, resilience, hustle. But self-compassion? I’m not sure that’s ever been mentioned on a football field.
Introducing Self 1 and Self 2
In an effort to drop into peak performance more frequently, it’s helpful to have a broad understanding of what’s going on in the mind when we’re not in flow.
In his book, The Inner Game of Tennis, Timothy Gallwey introduces the reader to Self 1 and Self 2. Self 1 can be thought of as the ego-mind. It’s always thinking, always commenting, and incredibly judgmental. Self 2 is the body. It includes the unconscious mind and the nervous system. Self 1 is the “teller” and Self 2 is the “doer”. But, Self 2 is not subservient. It is actually very wise; it just doesn’t have a chance to do its thing because, well, Self 1 nags . . . a lot.
Do this one thing to perform more consistently
If you want to perform well, then you have to pay attention to how you prepare immediately before a performance. If you want to perform well consistently, then you should do the same thing before every performance.
Does mindfulness make you lazy?
What’s the relationship between mindfulness, motivation, and performance? Here, we explore the findings of an interesting study.
Dealing with imposter phenomenon
Imposter phenomenon is a psychological construct in which we doubt our competency or do not feel deserving of our accomplishments . . . [It] can be debilitating and is certainly one way in which people may get in their own way. It can lead to burnout, anxiety, or depression - and is also linked to a decrease in risk-taking behavior, which isn’t always a good thing in business or athletics . . . Luckily, there are several proven strategies for overcoming imposter phenomenon.
A love letter to movement
I remember the early days.
Riding a tricycle around the black top at my preschool by the sea.
Doing the Mexican Hat Dance with my first dance teacher and my toddler brother chasing me.
Taking my first ballet class at 8 and performing in more Nutcrackers than I can remember.
Crushing the competition in the 4x100 relay at my elementary school’s Olympic Day.
The freedom.
The joy.
Mental agility: A key ingredient for mental toughness
Change is tough. When you have a concrete plan, or even a rough idea of how something should unfold, you may perceive obstacles as a threat - and buckle under the pressure.
One characteristic of a mentally tough person is their ability to recognize challenges as neutral, make the necessary adjustments in a timely manner, and get back in the game. Instead of letting the stress consume them, they demonstrate resilience - leaning in to the change, making shifts, and moving on.
So, how do you do that?
Neuroscience wearables: Do they actually enhance performance?
It has been argued that human athletic ability has plateaued, but that technology is pushing out the boundaries created by physiological limits. We’ve seen swimsuits move better through water, bikes become more aerodynamic, and running shoes get lighter. Now, neuroscience is getting in the game with the introduction of brain-boosting technology. In this article, I’ll discuss neuropriming and neurofeedback devices and offer my thoughts on whether or not the price tag is worth it.
Predicting the best of the best: Kona edition!
Triathlon performance is difficult to predict. But, as the 2018 World Championship is nearly here, science may help us make our picks.
Know pain: understanding the neural underpinnings of pain in endurance sports
Your mindset can affect how you perceive pain. For a long time, psychologists theorized that mental techniques such as visualization, positive self-talk, or cognitive self-regulation, could alter one’s experience of pain. Recently, neuroscientists discovered neural pathways that may help explain how shifts in mindset contribute to our experience of pain.
Your brain on March Madness
Last weekend was arguably the best sports weekend of the year. It was the start of March Madness. 48 games were played between Thursday and Sunday and for the first time in history, a #16 seed (UMBC) beat a #1 seed (Virginia).
March madness offers exactly 63 opportunities to be wowed and to root for the underdog. There are blowouts, overtime wins, and upsets. And at the end, there’s the most moving video montage in all of sports. Cue: “one shining moment”. If you’re a sports fan, what’s not to love?