Athletes who label themselves with these negative terms hurt their confidence. They've got a little voice in their head that's constantly putting them down. This causes athletes to stay stuck...
Confidence is what you or your athletes need the most to feel successful, improve and have fun.
Too often, however, athletes fall into this trap of labeling- especially if they are given negative labels from teammates, coaches, and even parents, such as "choker."
The real damage is done when athletes adopt these negative labels as the truth- it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The negative labels begin to form an athlete's self-image.
As soon as you or your athletes adopt a label, they are hard to shake and keep confidence suppressed.
If you view yourself as a slow starter, you will be.
If you think you are going to choke, you will.
If you think you're not a top scorer, you won't be.
I think you get the idea...
Overcome Negative Self-Labels
-Step one: Make sure you identify any negative labels you use to describe yourself. They could be "I'm not a pressure player," or "I'm too small," or "I always strike out."
-Step two: Rid yourself of these negative self-labels. Rationalize with yourself why they are not true. Pretend you are the most positive coach you know. Write them down on a piece of paper, and tear it up.
-Step three: Write down three confidence-boosting labels that describe your positive talents or qualities as an athlete. These could be "I'm a great team player," "I'm one of the best rebounders," or "I'm quick on my feet."
When you enter competition, focus on these positive labels that highlight your strengths and talents.
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