Mental Game Expert, Dr. Cohn

Get Answers from Your Sports Psychology Expert. As a Premium Member of peaksports, you can email Dr. Cohn questions about your mental toughness challenges and get a detailed answer 365 days a year! Even with regular membership, you can browse Dr. Cohn's mental game responses to other members in the "Ask Dr. Cohn" section.

Here is a recent sample of an "Ask Dr. Cohn" Q and A this month:

Baseball Player:

When I play baseball, before the game I always visualize every inning and every pitch. I see what I am going to do and when I am going to do it. But sometimes when these things don't come true, I freak and play poorly for the rest of the game. What should I do to stay confident and composed?

Dr. Cohn's Answer:

I've always said that visualization or mental rehearsal is overrated. Why? Don't get me wrong. I do find a time and a place for the use of visualization with my students. But no amount of visualization can overcome core issues in your mental game. What are core issues? They are beliefs you have about your game overall that affect every thought you have. For example, if you think you must be perfect in the game with no errors, you are setting yourself up for freaking out or losing confidence when you do make errors or strike out.

You have to start by letting go of being perfect with your imagery and having expectations that the game will go exactly how you imagined it prior to the inning or game. This is faulty thinking because you price in perfection into your game. You might do better by imagining scenarios that rock you in a game and how you will overcome these errors or challenges.

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