Performance Psychology

By Mark Schwab, Opportunities to Succeed

It must come from you

It’s on you/Stack ‘em up

The price of greatness is Responsibility.

If you avoid it, you’ll strengthen it. If you confront it, you’ll master it.

How much of competing is mental? How much time and effort do you focus on your mental and emotional climate? Most performance problems are mind and body, not in tune. You train your muscles and body. You train technique, skills, and yes, your mental climate benefits, but there’s much more potential if you’ll focus within. There’s no way to reach potential without the support of your mental/emotional climate and no way to reach greatness without body, mind, emotions in harmony, and functioning on a very high level. Most people overlook this, and it’s a colossal mistake. Most pay no attention to their mental/emotional climate unless there are problems. The fact is, most are leaving feet and pounds of available potential untouched. If reaching potential and excellence are important to you, then read on. I’ve seen so many athletes gamble and lose because they didn’t pay attention to the wobbly wheel under their own hat. Your opportunities are limited in life/athletics. The crumbs it calls for upfront is nothing compared to the regret at the completion of your career.

Continue reading →

By Mark Schwab, Opportunities to Succeed

This article is the first of several to follow regarding the mental and emotional aspects of competing. Some call it Sport psychology. I call it Performance psychology or managing mind and emotions. Each article will progress. I feel it’s important to know what one is up against in competition and life.

Performance psych isn’t just picking up a few pointers or patching up vulnerable areas here and there. It’s a decision and commitment, a transformation of feelings towards competition, and competing in a whole new effective way. Pp is about strengthening your approach, effectiveness, and results from top to bottom. It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, you can and will gain inches and ounces. Few reach their ultimate potential. This challenge and opportunity is yours to confront or avoid. Unless you challenge yourself, limitations, fears, and doubts, what you’ve achieved up till now, will be as good as it gets.

Everyone talks about how much competing is mental. Yet, from my experience, there’s feeble attention. Developing mentally and emotionally is part of an individual’s education, development, and excellence. One must prioritize and continue to cultivate to reap the benefits. Sadly, most ignore, take their chances, and for many, competition opportunities have elapsed. However, life goes on, and your mental and emotional climate will dictate nearly everything in your future.

Continue reading →