Self-Awareness and Peak Athletic Performance
You’ve seen it…almost on cue. Contestants on reality shows (like American Idol, So You Think You Dance and similar) often “bomb” in the home stretch as they attempt to be the next “big thing.”
In fact, many of them sadly cannot really perform.
So, why would they put themselves out there on national television to publicly criticize?
For some it is about getting attention. For many others, however, they truly believe they can be the next big thing. Yet their performance is so clearly atrocious. Certainly they are lacking in self-awareness.
Similar to talented singers, musicians and dancers, great athletes often have tremendous self-awareness. They have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. They know when they are attempting to do too much such as using a weaker skill in critical moments of a game.
Would Shaq have shot 12 foot jump shots in the last two minutes of a game?
Not likely.
He would have driven to the hoop and use his size and strength.
Great athletes also are realistic and recognize their capabilities and limitations. This doesn’t mean they give up on their dreams or do not try to get better. Instead, they work with and on their limitations.
In practice great athletes work hard to overcome limitations such as only being able to use one type of serve or only being able to dribble with the dominant hand. And, during games they develop game plans and strategies to use their “weapons” or strengths against an opponent’s weakness.
That is why you will see many tennis players like Steffi Graff run around their backhand to hit inside-out forehands; they are using their “weapon.”
How can you enhance your self-awareness to achieve peak athletic performance?
- Listen to Yourself – be aware of your self-talk during competition. Is it positive and productive or negative and unproductive? Also, how do you coach yourself when learning skills or tactics?
- Listen to & Accept Feedback – sometimes the feedback that coaches, parents, and teammates give us is not fun to hear. However, to be your best you most learn from those around you.
- Know Your Blind Spots – talk to others about the things you do that hurt your performance (a hitch in your swing) or relationships with others (a tendency to interrupt others when talking). This requires having mental strength and tough skin, but what you can learn helps you avoid acting unintentionally.
- Watch Video – watching video of past performances can open your eyes whether it is during a slump or just to become more aware of your patterns of behavior in competition. When I watch video of my clients I will spend time looking at their body language, eyes, and routines especially before and after big points and critical changes in momentum.
- Set Goals – spend time thinking about what you want versus what others want for you. What are your goals? These goals then take top priority in training.
- Look for Signs During Competition – when and how do you get down on yourself? What are trouble spots when your performance drops? Knowing this allows you to develop a plan to overcome it.
- Post-Practice and Post-Game Reflection – after every game and practice take a few minutes to evaluate what happened in a journal. Ask yourself, did you achieve your goals? Did you follow the game plan? What went well and not so well? What should work on in practice based on this performance?
These are just few tips to improving your self-awareness that will help you achieve peak athletic performance.
Reference: Larry Lauer, Ph. D. – Director of Coaching Education and Development at Michigan State’s Youth Sport Institute.
If you’d like to learn more, pick up a copy of Mental Strength Training for Athletes. This program and the bonuses that come with it have specific scripts and audios to be used to achieve peak performance.
