Demystifying Sport Psychology: Unraveling Common Misconceptions Sport psychology, a key component of the athletic world, is often veiled with misunderstandings and misconceptions. As we navigate through this dynamic discipline, we'll debunk prevalent myths, revealing the true essence and value of sport psychology. Myth 1: Sport Psychology is Solely for Resolving Issues The first common misconception suggests that sport psychology is only applicable when there's a problem at hand, similar to seeking medical assistance when unwell. This viewpoint substantially limits the potential and reach of sport psychology. While it's accurate that mental performance coaches assist athletes in managing performance-related concerns and overcoming mental barriers, their work extends far beyond troubleshooting. Sport psychology is about elevating performance and building mental resilience. The...
The Illusion of Self-Esteem: A Reflection on the Movement that Shaped a Generation As a child of the 80s and early 90s, I was part of a generation that experienced the full force of the self-esteem movement. Launched with the best of intentions, the movement aimed to create confidence and self-worth in young people. If you were a child growing up during this time you may recall the barrage of self-esteem boosting exercises, from daily affirmations to constant praise alongside an endless supply of certificates and trophies. We were told to believe in ourselves, to be proud of our achievements, and to always view ourselves in a positive light. Much of this still lingers today, but has it helped our...
Quite often I will do a talk or workshop with young people and ask what things they have got out of it at the end. Often I get the response: "Stay positive..." Or something similar. Thing is though, I never say that. Not exactly. It's just so ingrained that some people hear it anyway Although it's a nice thing, the "be more positive" approach is causing more and more problems in this world. If this was the solution to our mental ills, then surely we would be seeing the fruits of our labour (spoiler: we're not!). The incessant hammering home of the need to be thinking positively all the time has pervaded the minds of kids from a young age....
A robot will be able to come up with the best drills, the best solutions to problems, the best strategies even. But a robot will never be able to mimic the things that make us uniquely human.
