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1 " Focusing on things under their control and accepting events that were uncontrollable. "
― , The Genius of Athletes: What World-Class Competitors Know That Can Change Your Life
2 " All the controllable aspects of a situation—including things you can influence, if not outright control—can be listed in the first column. All the uncontrollable ones can be recorded in the other. "
3 " Techniques like reappraisal and mindful acceptance can help us navigate these moments of self-doubt. "
4 " Journaling, a tool to help us express, rather than suppress, our thoughts, feelings, and insights. Journaling has been shown to lower distress and depression, enhance psychological well-being, and improve physical health. This is especially true when we try to make sense of a situation and deal with it constructively as we write about it. "
5 " Expressive writing is helpful in many situations. Although difficult and upsetting, writing about the thoughts and emotions associated with traumatic life events, has been shown to increase our sense of personal growth and self-acceptance and decrease feelings of distress. Writing about a traumatic experience, and developing a greater insight into the event, can also increase our sense of personal resilience, meaning that we feel more optimistic and have greater control of the event and our emotions. "
6 " Athletes get confidence from the leadership of their coach, the support of others, such as family and friends, the environment they perform in. "
7 " Avoid overthinking and instead concentrate on the critical steps you need to take to perform at your best. "
8 " When we are confronted with stressful and difficult situations, focusing more on aspects that we can control—or at least influence—can alter our emotional response to the situation. "
9 " Logic and reasoning help us solve problems, but too much blue during performance means we overthink and lack the drive to act decisively. What’s important is being able to recognize and understand which state we are in and adjust our mental thermostat so that our red/blue balance is just right. "
10 " Accept it rather than attempt to suppress it, and subsequently focus on overcoming the challenge it represented. "
11 " No matter how you choose to record snippets of information about your progress and achievements, the important bit is to draw on them regularly to feed your self-confidence. Reading about them—and recalling each event—can help you overcome doubt-filled moments. The key point is that you ensure that your self-confidence is secured to controllable preparation and milestone achievements. "
12 " A 2014 study found positive results following eight weeks of mindfulness training with a group of US marines exposed to stressful training exercises.16 The program was designed to develop concentration and a greater acceptance and tolerance of physical pain, distressing thoughts, intense emotions, and harsh environmental conditions. "
13 " These findings show that nature can have a calming and restorative effect, giving our mind a rest from the intense and mentally fatiguing focus and concentration required in much of our day-to-day lives. "
14 " Accepting thoughts and understanding that they’re just like passing clouds in the sky is sometimes easier than struggling against them. "
15 " Instead of learning from someone else, however, you act as your own role model. "
16 " Spend time on other important areas of your life, like self-care, family, and friends, that you may have neglected during your goal-striving efforts. "
17 " We might imagine the immense pride we’ll feel and congratulations we’ll get from friends and family. "
18 " Effective self-talk strategies can give us a greater sense of control over our doubts, worries, and fears. "
19 " Acceptance means that we abandon our futile efforts, allowing the ball to float on the surface. It might stay near us, and that can be uncomfortable. But like storm clouds in the sky, the ball—and our unwanted thoughts and unpleasant feelings—may also, eventually, drift away. "
20 " Sometimes adopting a “fuck it” attitude, as self-diagnosed overthinker Steve Kerr did during his NBA career, can be important to help overcome an endless loop of debilitating thoughts and irrelevant distractions. "