As you’re getting ready for the bonspiel season, be sure to consider all areas of preparation.
Physical; Mental; Technical; Tactical; Team
For your mental skills, be sure that your foundation skills of self awareness, self monitoring and self regulation are in place.
Self awareness is the ability to recognize and understand (at all times, including under pressure) what you’re thinking, feeling and doing. The key is to know when you’re off track or struggling so that you can “fix it”.
You can journal about your game preparations and in game tasks, and the resulting performances, to assess what it takes for you to be your best. The often used descriptions about an ideal performance state are that you feel “in the zone”, which includes high confidence, great focus, and actions that feel automatic and smooth. Remember that we’re not talking about winning or losing – its actually “process not outcome” thinking. Did you play the way that you wanted? If yes, what preparations got you there?
Next, in a game, you monitor how you’re doing. If things aren’t going as wanted, you use your self regulation skills to go from your current less optimal state to your ideal performance state.
Self regulation tools in your tool box include:
- “Mind control”: for example, thought stopping and reframing; or positive self talk
- Physical assist: for example, snapping an elastic band on your wrist to regain focus
- Outside help: for example, a teammate can remind you of your cues or phrases to get you back on track
Great mental skills help with all areas of preparation. Examples:
Making good tactical choices;
Sticking to your best delivery pre-shot routines;
Staying on task with your team jobs; and
Knowing when you’re fatigued and need to take some deep breaths or get a drink of water.
Mental skills can be practiced at home, school, or work. Self awareness is a useful skill for everyone.
