When we shine a closer lens on the sporting world, irrespective of the level of play, expectations reside both internal and external — for the athlete and/or player and those who have their own ‘expectations’ of their performance. Whether intentional or not, expectations come with the territory and they can be managed in a more well-rounded way to avoid that over-consuming burden of expectation that often spirals an athlete’s mindset into one less than effective.
It is fundamental for parents and coaches alike to be conscious of this area that is tied to a player’s and/or athlete’s development. Whether the player is in the midst of their adolescent years or entering their early 20s, these expectations are a continuous thread that need to be shaped early on to condition a sound response to these expectations. By conditioning the associated response to a good and/or bad performance, the weight of expectation can shift steadily when the player/athlete knows that their world ‘isn’t ending’ if their performance is less than optimal.
By conditioning this action to outcome relationship, we can condition our players/athletes how to better cope with their performance outcomes.
Not only does this empower athletes/players to push their performances further, they’re able to do so more freely without fear of consequence if their result is less than desirable. On another note, this conditioned response allows a player/athlete to view the notion of ‘risk’ through a different lens — with less constraints this is an incredibly healthy mindset that can crossover into their day to day life and benefit the player/athlete as a whole and position them for future success.
But, it also comes in the form of what you can expect from you coach. Tune into this week’s episode to learn more.
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