Mental preparation - Cambridge OCRSelective attention and positive thinking
To succeed and perform their best, athletes need to use their minds as well as their bodies. Mental techniques help to control emotions, manage stress and improve participation and performance.
Selective attention is where the performer focuses their concentration on what they are doing or about to do and ignores all other distractions. A sprinter uses selective attention on the blocks at the start of the race.
Positive thinking is the performer being optimistic (about future performance), thinking and being confident about doing well and winning, shutting out negative thoughts and feeling well prepared. Positive self-talk involves the performer endorsing their own ability and progress by talking to themselves (usually in their heads, but sometimes out loud, too).
The table shows the effects on the performer of positive thinking:
Improves motivation
Improves confidence
Improves performance
Decreases anxiety
This psyches the performer up, eg thinking about winning before a football match
Eg a netball player not thinking about how good the opposition is but focusing on their own strengths before a match
This allows a performer to play better, eg a tennis player concentrating on where to place the shot rather than thinking 'don’t hit it in the net'
This increases confidence, eg remembering how much good training a runner has done to prepare for a cross country race
Improves motivation
This psyches the performer up, eg thinking about winning before a football match
Improves confidence
Eg a netball player not thinking about how good the opposition is but focusing on their own strengths before a match
Improves performance
This allows a performer to play better, eg a tennis player concentrating on where to place the shot rather than thinking 'don’t hit it in the net'
Decreases anxiety
This increases confidence, eg remembering how much good training a runner has done to prepare for a cross country race
Performers practise and use selective attention and positive thinking, especially when they are learning new skills or are in challenging situations during a performance.
