| Athletes and coaches prepareto make each year | | | | issues. It really helps to get input from an expert |
| their best in sports. One important step to | | | | on this. |
| consider is how to start a mental training | | | | The *top ten signs* you can benefit from mental |
| program. | | | | training are: |
| No matter how much talent you or your team | | | | -You do not have well-defined goals or lack goal |
| possesses or how money you spend on | | | | specificity. |
| equipment and physical training, you cannot reach | | | | -You are so self-conscious, you worry about what |
| your potential with a sub-par or an average | | | | others think. |
| mental toughness! | | | | -You maintain many self-doubts about your sport. |
| Common mental barriers in my work such as | | | | -You worry about letting others down by not |
| doubt, lack of focus, low self-confidence, and | | | | performing to their expectations. |
| poorly stated goals prevent the most talented | | | | -You suffer from anxiety, worry, or excess |
| athletes from reaching peak performance in | | | | tension when in competition. |
| sports. | | | | -You attach your self-worth to how well you |
| One of the most powerful mental blocks for | | | | perform in sports. |
| athletes is called negative self-labels. Self-labels are | | | | -You lose focus or have mental lapses during |
| names you give yourself that place limits on your | | | | critical times of the game. |
| performance, such as "choker, " "loser, " or | | | | -You are distracted by little things in your |
| "butterfingers. " These are very hard to | | | | environment. |
| overcome on your own. | | | | -You become easily frustrated because of high |
| Every week, athletes and coaches ask me where | | | | expectations. |
| to begin with a mental training program and how | | | | -You cannot perform with freedom or trust in |
| to start - personal coaching, online coaching, or | | | | competition. |
| read mental training books. | | | | Can you identify with any of the statements |
| Starting a mental training program depends on | | | | above? This could indicate that you could benefit |
| several factors such as the type and severity of | | | | from a mental training program. The next step is |
| mental game challenges that block your potential, | | | | to determine a program that best suits your |
| your level of competition, and your commitment | | | | needs. |
| to goals. | | | | Want to learn simple, proven mental toughness |
| The very first step in your mental training | | | | skills that you can apply to competition? Grab my |
| program is to identify the mental game challenges | | | | free online mental training newsletter, Sports |
| that hold you back. You may already know what | | | | Insights Magazine - for athletes, coaches, and |
| mental blocks sabotage your success in sports. | | | | sports parents Dr. Patrick Cohn is a master |
| However, when an athlete begins mental training | | | | mental game coach who work with professional |
| with me, I almost always discover other mental | | | | and amateur athletes, sports parents, and teams |
| game challenges beyond the easily apparent | | | | of all levels. |