Seven in 07

By Suzie Tuffey Riewald, PhD, NSCA-CPT,*D

Can you believe it is almost 2007? Yet another year has passed in a flash. In honor of the beginning of a new year, we are going to take a slightly different approach with this Mind Games column. In these articles, we typically take a detailed look at a specific mental skill or concept with an emphasis on how to effectively implement that mental skill to enhance performance. In the recent past, we have discussed building confidence, using imagery, strategies to maximize practice performance, and strategies to set yourself up for competitive success, to name a few.

Instead of this microscope approach, this article will take a much broader perspective. That is, we will not get mired down in the details of a given mental skill, but rather will identify the mental skills or concepts to think about and carry with you into the new year. As you know there are a multitude of mental skills, strategies, approaches, and such that can play a role in your athletic performance, but what are those skills that seem to be more critical or have the most impact? Following are seven mental skills /concepts to bring with you into 2007 to help you in the pursuit of your goals.

1. Enhance your self-awareness<p>As we have discussed how to use mental skills to enhance performance, a critical first step often has been to improve self-awareness, regardless of the skill being discussed. You need to understand yourself and how you tend to act, respond, think, and feel to enhance or improve yourself and your performance. Strive to become more aware of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

2. Figure out where you are going
Set goals, goals, and more goals. You have likely heard the following phrase, ;If you do not know where you re going, how will you know when you get there? ; Determine where you want to go and what you want to accomplish in 2007. But, do not stop there. Work backwards and determine what you need to do this month, this week, even today to achieve your long-term goal. Use daily goals as stepping stones towards your long-term goal.

3. Be your own best friend
Did you know that individuals have roughly 66,000 thoughts a day and, of these, 80% are negative? This tells me we need to be vigilant about managing our thoughts and self-talk because it seems that when left ;unattended ;, we tend towards negativity. In this new year, commit to monitoring what you say to yourself and working to talk to yourself as if you were your best friend instead of your worst enemy.

4. Be
Practice and perform in the here and now. It is so easy to get caught up in the past to hold on to past mistakes and the ;shoulda, woulda, couldas. ; But, there is no changing the past, so learn from it and move on. It is also easy to get caught up in what might be ;if I win this set; what if I cannot lift the weight; maybe I will false start. ; But, there is no predicting the future. What you can control is right now. Direct your physical and mental energy to what you can control and influence, which is your thoughts and behavior right now. Be.

5. Practice like you want to compete
If you are going to expect yourself to compete with focus and intensity, you need to practice with focus and intensity. If you are going to expect yourself to perform under pressure, practice under pressure. If you are going to expect yourself to deal with mistakes in competition, use practice to figure out how to physically and mentally deal with mistakes. You get the point -train the mind and body as both the mind and body compete.

6. Learn lessons
On a regular basis, whether after practice, at the end of each week, or after competitions, evaluate and learn from your experiences. Identify what you are doing well and commit to continuing to do it. Identify what you are not doing well and commit to working on it. Learn from good practice and poor practice, from good competitive performances and not so good performances and apply these lessons to future endeavors.

7. Have fun
Need i say more?

I thought somebody was getting a custom-made Seven (http://www.sevencycles.com/) in 2007.

I am tired because of the 66,000 thoughts i had today. good grief, and most of them negative? Now i am REALLY tired.
But i liked what it said about goal setting. it makes sense. If you raise the standard, you'll have to try harder to meet it.

my first goal for 2006 was 700 miles. I had to make another one, 1500 miles, and then another one, 2000 miles. and i am 72 miles from meeting that goal.
IN DECEMBER, GOOD GRIEF!

thanks for sharing the article.

I, too, thought someone was going to get a Seven in '07.

mimi, hoping you have all positive thoughts from now on. They are less tiring.

Hmmm, I thought Han-grrl was planning on doing 7 Centuries in '07.

Seemed logical. :rolleyes:

Awesome goals. I like the idea of setting new goals for the upcoming new year. :)

I don't know....it all sounds so...tedious and unpleasant! :cool:

Think I'll just stick with feeling good and having fun riding my bike! :)

I'm with Lisa! Sounds much more pleasant.

I don't know. The only reason I rode outside both days in the rain this weekend was because of my climbing goal. And I really enjoyed being out there in the elements. It was fun - in a soaking wet sort of way. :p

V.

I run in the rain, it is refreshing. :)

thanks...i needed that! with a year of confusion, confession, & realization...i am ready to strive for some self-enhancing goals!!! :)