Alright, so, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to get better at sports. It’s not just about how strong or fast you are. A big part of it is what’s going on in your head. I got curious about this “sports psychology” thing and wanted to see what it’s all about. So, I decided to look for some good books on the subject.
First, I searched online to see what people recommend. I typed in “best sports psychology books” and a whole bunch of lists popped up. It was kinda overwhelming, honestly. So many books, so little time! But I started by reading some articles about these books. I wanted to know what other people, especially athletes and coaches, thought about them.
Then, I picked out a few books that seemed interesting. Some were about building mental toughness, others were more about dealing with the pressure of competition. The idea is to learn how to stay focused, motivated, and calm, even when things get tough. I’ve been there—choking under pressure, getting frustrated when I make mistakes. We all do, right? I’ve seen many articles mentioned that “the ‘B3’ refers to the ‘Basic 3’ or the three basic skills of goal setting, imagery and self-talk.” I think that may be the basic thing I should learn about. There’s also something called “the 4 C’s of sports psychology: confidence, control, commitment, and concentration”. That sounds like a good framework. I need to read these books and find out how they work.
I also thought about how I could actually use these ideas in my training. Like, how can I practice staying calm when I’m under pressure? One thing I read was about creating tough situations in training, like really intense drills, to get used to dealing with stress. Also, I learned that some books talk about setting goals and using mental imagery to prepare for games. For example, “Coaches can implement mental preparation into training in several ways, such as: Create adversity through challenges, high intensity drills, and conditioning to prepare athletes for adverse situations in games and give them the confidence and resiliency needed to push through hardships in competition.” I guess it’s about training your mind just like you train your body.
Reading these books is just the first step, I know. It’s one thing to read about these techniques and another to actually use them. I am planning to start practicing some of these mental exercises and see if they make a difference. I’m not expecting to become a superstar overnight. But if I can get a little better at handling the mental side of sports, that’s a win in my book.
So yeah, that’s where I’m at with this whole sports psychology thing. It’s a journey, and I’m just starting out. But I’m excited to see where it takes me. I’ll keep you guys updated on how it goes. Maybe I’ll even write a review of the books I read. Who knows?
