Leif H. Smith - Sports Psychology For Dummies

Sports Psychology For Dummies®, 2nd edition

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Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2021952990

ISBN 978-1-119-85599-6 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-85600-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-85601-6 (ebk)

1 Cover

2 Title Page

3 Copyright

4 Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here

5 Part 1: Getting the Winning Edge: Sports Psychology Fundamentals Chapter 1: Introducing Sports Psychology and Mental Training Honing Your Sharpest Weapon: Your Mind Building, Preparing, and Practicing Your Mental Toolkit Seeing Sports Psychology in Action Knowing the Hot Trends in Sports Psychology Today Becoming a Sports Psychology-Savvy Coach Chapter 2: Starting with the End in Mind: Know Your Ideal Athlete Mindset Tapping Into Your Ideal Mindset Developing a Plan of Attack to Make it Consistent Chapter 3: Setting Goals: Aiming High and Hitting the Bull’s Eye Setting Effective Goals Tracking Your Success in Reaching Your Goals Chapter 4: Stoking the Fire in Your Belly: How to Fan the Flames of Motivation Debunking Common Myths about Motivation Defining Motivation Assessing and Understanding Your Current Motivation Level Maximizing Your Motivation: How Small Sparks Can Become Bonfires Overcoming Obstacles to Staying Motivated Chapter 5: Swagger: The Art and Science of Building Real Confidence Understanding What Confidence Is and Why It Matters Debunking Myths about Confidence: Don’t Believe Everything You See or Hear Tapping into the Confidence Cycle Building Your Confidence Tackling the Obstacles That Get in the Way of Confidence

6 Part 2: Your Mental Toolkit for Success Chapter 6: Tool #1: Mastering the Art of Focus Understanding What Focus Is and Why It Matters Knowing the Zones of Focus Focusing on What Matters Using Focus to Reduce or Eliminate Pressure Overcoming the Obstacles to Focus Developing Tools and Habits for Improving Focus Chapter 7: Tool #2: Seeing Is Believing: Employing Imagery Introducing Imagery Determining What Type of Imager You Are Considering the Key Characteristics of Ideal Images Getting Started with Imagery Evaluating the Success of Your Imagery Chapter 8: Tool #3: Self-Talk: Don’t Yell in Your Own Ear Your Inner Critic Is Not You Considering the Consequences of Self-Talk Changing the Channel on Ineffective Self-Talk Using Self-Talk to Improve Your Performance Chapter 9: Tool #4: Winning Habits: How Routines Improve Performance in Competition Identifying How Routines Improve Focus and Performance Recognizing the Difference between Routines and Superstitions Exploring the Routines of Elite Athletes Coming Up with Effective Practice and Game-Day Routines Knowing When and How to Adjust Your Routines Chapter 10: Tool #5: Handling Pressure: Playing with Fire without Getting Burned Probing into Pressure: What It Is and Why It Occurs Understanding the Difference between Arousal and Pressure Developing Your Ideal Mindset for Competition Handling Pressure Like a Pro Chapter 11: Tool #6: Handling Adversity: The Art of Resilience Resilience: Returning to a Better Mindset after a Struggle Looking at Loss Differently Pulling Yourself Out of Slumps Bouncing Back after Mistakes in Competition Dealing with Injuries Dealing with the Fear of Reinjury Chapter 12: Tool #7: Sharpening Awareness: Being Mindful Being Mindful in the Moment Practicing Mindfulness

7 Part 3: Hot Topics in Sports Psychology Chapter 13: Talking About Mental Health Issues Reality Check: Mental Health Issues Affect Today’s Athletes Debunking Mental Health Stigmas Understanding Anxiety Issues Understanding Depression Issues Understanding Eating Disorders Additional Mental Health Issues Facing Athletes Today Knowing Where to Turn for Help Chapter 14: Managing Stress Better Setting Priorities Striving for Balance Adding Meditation to Your Routine Using Imagery to Reduce Stress Managing Your Thoughts and Emotions Exercising for Stress Relief Making Sleep a Priority Cultivating a Support Network Laughing Practicing Gratitude Chapter 15: Making the Shift from High School to Collegiate Sports Determining What Division Level to Play in College and Where to Start Understanding the “Recruiting Game:” Getting Noticed by Colleges Finding Your Perfect Fit: What to Look for in a Coach and Program Making the Jump to Collegiate Athletics Balancing Sports,