In sport psychology, we talk about making goals SMART. The acronym SMART helps you define your goal more clearly. A SMART goal is: S – Specific Your goal clearly tells what action you will take. M – Measurable You will will be able … Continue reading
Often the mental pain caused by your injury and the temporary or permanent loss of your sport can be far more devastating than the physical injury. This type of pain must be addressed and managed in order to recover quickly and … Continue reading
Worried about your mathematics test or football game against your biggest rival? What is the best way to prepare for the event? Here are three tips for performing your best on the big day. 1. Get a good night’s sleep. Make … Continue reading
Teaching Children and Adolescents to Manage Mistakes We want our children and teenagers to perform well, and so do they. However, the pressure of perfectionism can lead to the fear of making mistakes. When there is so much pressure to … Continue reading
When students and athletes consult with me, I always ask about their sleep because sleep is a big part of our lives and is instrumental to our performing well. We all know what it’s like when we haven’t slept well … Continue reading
Many athletes ask about focus and getting in “the zone.” Getting in the zone means being in the moment, and being in the moment means that you are not thinking about what’s happened in the past, and you are not … Continue reading
How do you make positive thinking work for you? Gabriele Oettingen, of New York University and the University of Hamburg has been researching positive thinking and motivation. In her book, Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, she states that … Continue reading
Excessive stress, injury, being burnt out, along with other negative aspects of youth sport can be avoided. Here are some simple ways to avoid putting too much stress on athletes and creating problems. The thrill should be competition, not winning. … Continue reading
There are many benefits of a young child’s involvement in sport. Through sports, children learn physical skills, gain an appreciation of physical fitness, and grow emotionally and socially. Learning Physical Skills Young athletes learn both fundamental motor skills and sport-specific … Continue reading
Many parents come to me with questions about their children’s involvement in sports. When should children start sports? What sports should they do? When should sports get competitive? Expert Frank Eksten of the Franciscan Sports Medicine Institute in Indiana answers these … Continue reading
I recently read “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck. In the book, the researcher shows us how we can learn to our full potential by developing a “growth mindset.” People with a growth mindset take on challenges … Continue reading
Many of my friends, my clients, and I are starting new health plans. Our goal is to eat well, exercise, and give up some vices. Adopting a new habit requires a lot of motivation and discipline. And quitting a bad habit … Continue reading
CPR training has changed a lot in the last several years, as we have more research on what really works and what doesn’t really matter. CPR used to be complicated. People were so concerned about performing CPR correctly or getting a … Continue reading
Parents want their child to have confidence and enjoy their sport, but they don’t want to over-praise. How can you best support your child in sport? Here are a 5 tips for supporting your child athlete: 1. Encourage self-motivation. Motivation must … Continue reading
