Mental Coaching
Your Most Powerful Tool
By Denise Hatch, Hypnotherapist
Your mind is your most powerful tool. If it’s not working for you, it’s working against you. There is no in-between, and no idle thoughts. So how do we make the mind work for us on the course? The most accomplished athletes in the world will tell you, it’s not as much about the skill level as it is about the level of mental discipline.
Mental discipline starts with the understanding of thought. Every thought takes form at some level. Becoming aware of our thought is the first step to getting a handle on it. Let’s look at what occurs on the golf course. When approaching your ball, recognize the self-talk, the thoughts that are occurring, knowing that a predisposed pathway is already in place for those thoughts that arise at this time, positive or negative. This pathway is reinforced every time you approach the ball. If you have had mental training in this area, you may already have a pre-routine that gets you focused, and that’s the goal, taking the thought where it needs to be and away from that which is self defeating.
The pre-routine ritual that you perform when you step up to the ball, whether it is a practiced one or one that you are unaware of, is in place. If it is self defeating the work that must be done is to be vigilant of the thoughts, stop the pattern and create a new pattern or pathway. Think of it as a routine that gets you centered and focused.
The human mind focuses on approximately 9-12 things at any given time. An accomplished athlete narrows that 9-12 to 2.
A good pre-routine might consist of a deep seven-count inhalation and an exhalation of seven through the mouth, lips parted. Saying to yourself on the exhale just two things you want to focus on. Example: I am calm and confident and I swing to my target. Use your breath with the things you want to focus on and set up your routine for the perfect shot every time.
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Denise Hatch, Hypnotherapist: