Unlocking potential with an Olympic Sport Psychologist.
Anyone can access an Olympic Sport Psychologist
When you look at Olympic athletes, you might be amazed by how resilient and tough they seem but what you see on the outside may not reflect what happens on the inside. Some will have developed their mindset through their experiences in their sport. Others may have worked directly with Sport Psychologists to help them develop the mental skills to perform on the biggest stage.
Sport Psychology is a rapidly growing field and is now more accessible than ever before.
The life of an elite athlete can be both physically and mentally draining in the pursuit of Olympic success. The preparation for the biggest show in the world is immense. Athletes prepare for a lifetime for the chance to perform at a given moment in time every 4 years. Sports psychology is all about understanding your performance mindset and developing a deeper awareness of yourself.
As an Olympic Sport Psychologist, I have focused on working with participants in shooting sports across Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines. I encourage my clients to pay attention to acknowledge the full spectrum of their emotional responses. I look to expand your understanding of your psychology, embracing a lifestyle that promotes emotional wellness and aligning your values with your performance choices.
At the core of my approach to Sport Psychology, I use the Acceptance and Commitment Hexaflex to develop psychological flexibility:
Below are the 6 points of the Hexaflex:
Acceptance: The alternative approach to avoidance. It’s about embracing how you feel and letting it power your values and goals.
Cognitive Defusion: This is about making space from your thoughts and not letting yourself be driven by them. It’s about holding them lightly, not clutching them with a tight grip.
Being Present: It’s all about the here and now, connecting with what’s happening in this moment without getting too caught up in your feelings.
Self as Context: Think of this as your observing self. You are not the content of your thoughts and feelings.
Values: Knowing what matters to you and understanding what you want your life to be. These will direct your behaviour towards committed action when your emotions start to get in the way.
Committed Action: The journey begins when you start making the first few steps and doing what it takes to get where you want to be aligned with your values.
You don’t have to be aspiring to excel at the Olympic games to do this work. This journey is all about what is most important to you and equipping yourself with your most effective tools to overcome the roadblocks along the way.
Olympic athletes often feel surrounded by pressures to enhance their performance. Again, this isn’t an exclusive feeling but possible for anyone trying to be the best that they can. You might feel like you never stop pushing your boundaries. The minute this starts to take a toll on your mental health is really when having a mental model and a support system is vital.
The Olympic Games are all about being ready for a moment in time and delivering when it matters. No matter what sport you’re competing in, the framework of your mind is truly at the core of how you perform. Ask yourself this: can you be the best performer you could be if you’re not mentally ready to deal with the pressures of competition? How are you developing these skills?
You will have setbacks that might get in the way of your peak performance, but skills can be worked on to realign your mindset and use the unhelpful stuff more helpfully.
It’s all too common that humans tend to handle their emotions inefficiently, but you can now access the mental methods of Olympic Shooters. Tell me how I can help you by completing the pop-up survey on this page and I’ll send you some free resources in return.