Helping Young Athletes Overcome Negative Beliefs
It’s common for young athletes to struggle with doubt and negative thoughts about their performance.
They tell themselves that:
- They aren’t good enough.
- They can’t beat the competition.
- They’re going to let down their coaches, parents, and fellow players.
This type of negative self-talk can be detrimental to your young athletes, and if it isn’t addressed, can lead to mental-game challenges.
With each negative self-talk statement, kids hurt their confidence and dig themselves into a bigger mental-game hole. As Earl Nightingale said, “We become what we think about.”
Negative thoughts exacerbate kids’ lack of confidence and become a self-fulfilling prophecy if they aren’t properly dealt with. If your kids believe they are going to let down the team, there is a good chance that they are going to do just that!
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any,” said author Alice Walker.
While she may not have been referring to sports, her statement is a universal truth about how the mind works. It’s a good quote to remember when succumbing to the power of negative thinking.
Embracing these negative thoughts will only lead to bad performance, which can lead to more negative thoughts and again even worse performance until something changes or your children decide to quit the sport altogether.
In order to achieve their full potential, your sports children need to be able to change how they think.
They need to convert negative thoughts into positive ones.
Talk to them about their negative beliefs.
Do they think they will let other people down? Do they think they will let themselves down?
Talk about how your children can be aware of these thoughts when they come up, and how to change these thoughts to more positive thoughts once they do. For example, replace, “I’m a terrible defensive player,” with, “I’m a great team player and my team mates can count on me.”
Related Articles on Kids’ Mental Game:
- Self-Doubt Is Sports Kids’ Number One Enemy
- Constructive Criticism Tips for Young Athletes
- Helping Kids Overcome Losses in Sports
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We’re certain that, as a parent, you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life. And as a sports parent, you’d love for your children to reach their potential in sports. But encouraging your child to strive for greatness without pressuring them can be a challenge.
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