It’s the day after his first World Title, and Luke Littler is discussing his accomplishment with BBC Breakfast. Luke is asked about his status amongst the world best players, and admits to the surprise of the studio, that,’I will never admit that I am the best’. ‘But’, he adds, ‘maybe my performances show that I am the best’. This isn’t false modesty. It’s the mark of a competitor who understands a crucial truth: declaring yourself the best can become a psychological trap. The moment you proclaim your greatness, you shift from pursuing excellence to defending a title. You move from […]
Read More...Sports Psychology Blog
Welcome to the Sports Psychology blog. Here you will find insights on current sporting events, from the perspective of a sports psychologist.
The purpose of this blog, is to get inside the sporting drama…why the player or team do what they they do…their thinking…mindsets…attitudes…their fluctuating state of confidence…and all the other mental and emotional pieces that create the psychology of sports.
The most recent articles are at the top of the List Of Sports Psychology Blogs Index.
Darts Psychology: Like Littler – The Visions!
It’s post-match at the World Darts Championship and youngest ever champion Luke Littler is fielding questions from Polly James. Mid-interview Luke reveals that he watched back last year’s final earlier in the day where he surrendered a 4-2 lead to Luke Humphries. But in watching the final back, he says, ‘he got the visions!’ He ‘got the visions!’ Whoa! We get no further immediate questions about ‘the visions’, but it’s pretty clear what he’s intimating. Muhammad Ali called it “future history” – that extraordinary ability to tap into what hasn’t happened yet, to experience victory before it unfolds. It’s more […]
Read More...Boxing Psychology: Daniel Dubois – Visualise!
The Talksport YouTube channel recently posted a video with an intriguing description: ‘Bizarre Daniel Dubois rituals for Anthony Joshua explained’. Ok, you’ve got me. I’ll watch it. So to save you clicking, here’s the ‘bizarre ritual’: After training at Don Charles’s gym, The Farm in Borehamwood, Daniel stares for an hour at the Wembley arch, visible from the training facility. Wembley – the venue for his showdown with Anthony Joshua on September 21st. A bizarre ritual? Sounds pretty sensible to me. This is the biggest fight of Daniel’s career. He’ll be walking out at Wembley to a hostile pro-AJ crowd. […]
Read More...Football Psychology: Gareth Southgate – Resignation!
And so Gareth Southgate resigns as England manager. Three days after defeat to Spain in the finals of the European Championship, he walks away, having failed to break England’s 58 year trophy drought. But it all could have been so different. With fifteen minutes to go In Berlin, England brought the scores level against Spain. Here was the moment. Momentum was with them. This finally was the opportunity to break the stop situation. But, what happened? England became passive again. They surrendered the initiative to Spain. The moment was gone. And the match was lost. Was it fear of failure […]
Read More...You Are Stronger Than You Realise – An Encouragement
This is an encouragement for anyone who is feeling down. Or thinks that things cant or won’t change. Or doesn’t recognise the unlimited strength and power that resides within..
Read More...Tennis Psychology: Sofia Kenin – Champions Pressure
This video explores the challenges and pressure of being a champion as Sofia Kenin fails to defend her Australian Open title.
Read More...Tennis Psychology: Novak Djokovic – Disrespect Me!
It’s post-match on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. And Novak Djokovic is conducting the on-court interview after dispatching Dane Holger Rune, emphatically, in straight sets. And Novak is taking no prisoners, as he openly accuses sections of the crowd of disrespecting him. It’s irrelevant as to whether or not the crowd or shouting ‘Ruuune’ or booing. Either way it’s got Novak fired up and for the Dane it’s bad news. Novak is one of the bets of all time of being able to go to a deep place when he feels the presence of adversity. In the way that Michael Jordan would […]
Read More...Football Psychology: England – Tiredness!
One of the recurring questions that has been coming up since England’s uninspired draw with Denmark, is ‘are England too tired?’ It’s a surprising question to hear being asked after game two of the tournament, and of course it’s a possibility that they have over-trained in camp as part of a thorough, ‘leave no stone unturned’ preparation. Whereby pattern repetition has left the players under-stimulated and lacking in enthusiasm for the tasks being asked of them. But that is only speculation. For in reality when the collective is right, tiredness is not an issue. When the collective is right, there […]
Read More...Golf Psychology: Rory McIlroy – Pressure!
And so it’s a few days since Rory McIlroy failed to secure the US Open Title at Pinehurst. And all the talk seems to be about how he will recover. Or if he ever will recover! Rory himself has said he will take time out before returning to defend his Scottish Open title in July. So why have a couple of missed short putts caused such emotion amongst fans, critics and the player himself? Well up to the final three holes at Pinehurst, Rory had made 496 putts inside three feet in succession this season. In other words, at Pinehurst, […]
Read More...Football Psychology: Forest Green Rovers – Attention!
And so Troy Deeney’s six-game tenure at Forest Green Rovers is ended with a not unexpected sacking. Meaning that Dale Vince has now gone through four managers in a year. Ian Burchnall. Duncan Ferguson. David Horseman. Troy Deeney. Four managers. And potentially two relegations. Two relegations is not unlucky. Or unjust. It is a consequence of how everything that happens off the field, manifests itself on the field. You are a bottom of the league operation. Whether you like it or not. But none of this just happens. As an owner or leader of a club, you have to pay […]
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