Controlling Emotions

[Motiv Girl]

How to be in control of your emotions during competition!


How recover from errors and mishaps when playing your sport will hinge on your ability to let it go and remain composed.

To be a consistent performer you must control your emotions during competition. I am sure at one time (or two), you have became upset, frustrated, or angry with yourself and it cost you the game or match.

Many talented athletes who do not know how to control their negative emotions fail to reach their potential because they get hot-headed, angry, or just crawl into their negative mental shell and do not return.

You know the type - the athlete who is prone to emotional outbursts after errors or when not performing up to his or her expectations.

Emotional control is when you stay even-tempered, level-headed, or poised even when you are challenged by mishaps or adversity.

Even the top athletes, such as Tiger Woods, get upset, but they are able to gain control quickly and get back to business. Recovering quickly from mistakes separates champions from athletes who crack under adversity and are cooked mentally for the rest of the competition.

To get control you must do two tasks - have an accepting mindset before competition, and arm yourself with mental strategies to cope with errors or mishaps.

The two top strategies for regaining emotional control quickly:

1. How to have a positive pre-game mindset for competition
2. How to let go of errors before emotions snowball out of control

For example, your very first step is to identify strict expectations that cause you to become upset when you do not achieve your own expectations.


Some expectations that can lead to feelings of frustration include:

I must play perfectly to be successful today
I expect to perform perfectly today and if I do not, I am failing
I cannot make any mistakes if I want to win
To play my best, I must have an error-free performance
I cannot stand making stupid errors and should be upset with them

If you carry these expectations into competition, you set yourself up for feeling like you are failing. In reality, you leave yourself no room for success.

[mike121]

This is a problem I have been faced with since the death of my Mum last year when I was thirteen. I became angry, solitary and upset. I cried a hell of a lot and always wanted to be alone

[Maine Man]

Sorry for your loss Mike, I hope you can find peace and resolution in the near future.

[mrbill]

This is a problem I have been faced with since the death of my Mum last year when I was thirteen. I became angry, solitary and upset. I cried a hell of a lot and always wanted to be alone

Sorry about your mom Mike.
I know when I lost my mom it took me 3 years to get over the shock.
Don't give up...

[kd7one]

The most important thing I learned about emotions is that if you don't control them, they will control you. If you allow your emotions to control you, bad things can happen.

In bowling, try to stay focused. I don't know if it works for anyone else, but I use visualization in my concentration. During my approach and release, I visualize the ball going straight down the alley to the 1-3 pocket. I don't concentrate on the pins, I concentrate on the space between the pins.

[nathan]

Focus is key for me. My main problem is that I think too much. The only way for me to make a good shot is to be totally focused on my mark - and nothing else - for the entire approach.