Victory Lap with Jessica Lapachinski: 60,000 Thoughts a Day — Make Yours Count

Athletes tend to prioritize the physical aspects of sport – the speed, strength, and skill needed to support high performance. But true mental strength is what separates good athletes from great ones. That’s right – the difference maker in sport takes no physical talent. Mental performance tools are available to everyone, whether you’re the most gifted athlete on the field… or not.

Self-talk is a term that describes the inner dialogue we have with ourselves throughout the day. Our self-talk is rather nonstop, with some researchers estimating the average human has nearly 60,000 thoughts per day. Yikes! That’s a lot of mental energy.

How we talk to ourselves during sport can have a massive impact on our performance. The voice inside our minds can be the difference between remaining focused or losing confidence. It can provoke us to give up when the moment matters the most, or it can encourage us to dig deeper and find a second gear. When harnessed effectively, self-talk becomes performance kryptonite – pushing athletes from good to great.

Studies show that athletes who use helpful self-talk experience significant improvements in focus, motivation and psychological flexibility. These athletes are able to stay more present and adjust their thinking when challenges arise. They are better prepared to deal with uncertainty and mistakes during competition, which happen to everyone.

Another important role of self-talk is to narrow focus during high-pressure situations. Imagine a basketball player at the free throw line with mere seconds on the clock to tie the game. In moments like this, the noise of the crowd and the internal pressure of the situation can overwhelm even the most experienced athletes. But self-talk can serve as an anchor, keeping the athlete grounded. This is when routine and a tried-and-true mantra come into play, to calm the athlete with a moment of familiarity. The ability to stay mentally focused under pressure is a skill that sets apart athletes who perform consistently in high-stakes situations.

As helpful as productive self-talk can be in sport, it can easily work against athletes who beat themselves up during performance. How we respond to a mistake or setback is critical for success in the moment and also long term. If a baseball player strikes out at the plate early in the game, how are they coaching themselves for their next at-bat? Are they dissecting what they did wrong, or are they looking forward to the next opportunity to trust their training? What happens in the minutes following a setback can make or break the rest of the game. One strikeout can easily become three.

It is important to note that there is a difference between productive, helpful self-talk and simply ignoring the storm that is happening during a high-pressure situation in sport. Telling yourself to remain calm when you’re in a situation to win or lose a game for your team is not likely going to work. (Our brains are too smart to lie to ourselves and believe it!) But that’s why self-talk is so important. Acknowledge the brewing storm. Validate the nerves within. And then coach yourself to give your best effort. That’s all we’ve got.

Sport is unpredictable. Bad games happen. So do mistakes, pressure and missed opportunities. But when an athlete learns to speak to themselves with confidence and clarity, they gain a mental strategy to remain calm and focused in the moment. One of the most essential skills in sport is developing the ability to move past mistakes quickly and effectively. With the right self-talk and guidance, athletes can reset in real-time. Sharpening this skill strengthens mental resilience but also leads to more consistent performance.

Parents and coaches play a big role in shaping an athlete’s self-talk. The words we use with athletes become their self-talk when we’re not around. Ask yourself if you want your child or a player on your team repeating to themselves what you say to them – let’s hope that’s a yes. If you’re cringing at that question, it might be time to revisit the language you use with your athletes. Model productive self-talk yourself. Let your athletes hear you using helpful self-talk in every day situations, and provide them with examples to use themselves. Keep performance feedback, particularly for young athletes, focused on growth and development.

With 60,000 thoughts flowing through our minds each day, the ones directed toward ourselves should be filled with kindness.

Carry on.

Jess Lapachinski is an athletic administrator and sport performance professional who lives in the Pioneer Valley. Jess can be reached at [email protected]