Performance Psychology

Yes You Can!

The importance of “Self Confidence” in achieving Your Goals

Belief is the knowledge that we can do something. It’s the inner feeling that what we undertake, we can accomplish. For the most part, all of us have the ability to look at something and know whether or not we can do it. So, in belief there is power: our eyes are opened; our opportunities become plain; our visions become realities. - (Unknown Author)

Have you said (or thought) any of the following in the past few months:

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The Psychology of Winning: How to Develop a Winning Attitude in High Performance Sport

World Cup Final Day.

The team gathers in the locker room.

This is an intense, high pressure environment that few experience and even fewer survive.

A former player – one of the nation’s greatest - walks into the change room. There is a respectful hush as he starts to speak.
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Motivation….aint no such thing.

Coaches are always talking about motivation and some make lots of money doing motivation talks, motivation lectures, giving motivational speeches, writing motivational books, selling motivational videos, running motivational courses and generally being motivational!

Here’s the funny thing: motivation - there’s no such thing.

No one can motivate anyone to do anything.

Motivation must come from within: from the inside.

What is all this motivation stuff about? In one word - commitment. Everyone has a dream. To be happier. To be thinner. To be a better parent. To be a great leader. To be healthy. To win an Olympic Gold Medal.

What most of us lack is the commitment to make our dreams become reality. The dream is the key….And the dream is the motivation: it is our desire- our fire.

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PB or No PB - That is the Question

PBs - Personal Bests, the best ever times that a swimmer has swum, are an important part of swimming.

PBs are an indication of the best performance of a swimmer and are often used to determine the appropriate training speeds for a swimmer. They can be part of the process of achieving qualifying standards for metropolitan, state and national championships and are a useful measuring stick to track the progress and improvement of a swimmer over time.

However, too much focus on the importance of doing a personal best rather than on the aspects of the swimming performance that lead to the personal best can be counter productive.

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Big Little Kids

Dear Wayne,

I am always being told I am small for my age. I train really hard but other kids my age seem to do less training and beat me because they are bigger than I am. Is there any point swimming any longer if I am always going to get beaten because I am so small?

Signed,
Frustrated, 12
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The Importance of Self Confidence in Achieving Your Swimming Goals

Yes You Can!

Belief is the knowledge that we can do something. It’s the inner feeling that what we undertake, we can accomplish. For the most part, all of us have the ability to look at something and know whether or not we can do it. So, in belief there is power. Our eyes are opened; our opportunities become plain; our visions become realities. (Unknown Author)

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The difference is YOU

OK. It’s 5:00 a.m. It’s still dark. You would probably rather be home in bed asleep. Your coach has come in as enthusiastic and motivated as ever and has written up this workout on the whiteboard:
Swim drill

The question is now, what do you do next?

The obvious answer is 400 Freestyle, 6 x 50 breaststroke drills, etc. Everyone one in your team will be doing that.

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The Mental side of the Lane: Essential Mental Skills for Swimming

Swimming fast is based on four key performance elements:

  • Physical: Fitness, speed, endurance, strength, power etc
  • Technical: Technique, skills, dives, starts, turns and finishes
  • Tactical: Pacing, strategies, racing skills
  • Mental: Relaxation, self belief, attitude, focus etc.

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Success is a Choice: Make it Yours

Choose to be a Champion

Somewhere in the world today, the Beijing Olympic champion in your event got out of bed.

They were given the same 24 hours you were given. They saw the same sun and same sky you saw. But for some reason, they decided to choose to use today to prepare better than anyone else in the world in their (your) event.

My question is, why wasn’t it you who made that choice?

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Staying Motivated and Focused

(or keeping your eyes on the  prize)

The great Austrian philosopher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is reputed to have said, “Success comes from staying in close contact with your goals”.

Every swimmer has goals or dreams. For some the dream is finishing their first event. For others it’s an Olympic Gold. The challenge is turning dreams into reality. Read more

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