Why does Sports Psychology Matter?

Let’s say someone says to themselves…

“My injury makes me mad.”

Doesn’t sound terrible on the surface, right?

Well, let’s dissect this a bit with a bit of Mental Fitness reframing.

What if instead one said….

“This injury is upsetting.”

It may seem like a small difference in semantics, but it can make a huge difference in performance.

“My injury” uses possessive language for something this is temporary and that you don’t want to posses. Changing “my” to “this” separate the injury from your identity.

“Makes me” gives up one’s power and control to the injury.

“Makes me” also makes someone feel powerless and puts the injury on a pedestal.

“Is upsetting,” on the other hand, is simply a fact. It allows, honors, and recognizes the emotion, but not in a way that makes someone feel powerless to it.

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Injuries stink, but how someone thinks about the injury- and their ability to overcome it- is incredibly significant.

The change in self-talk may seem small, but it can make all the difference from mental anguish and a floundering performance, to achieving a complete physical and mental recovery!