“Discover your gift, develop your gift, and then give it away every day.” Don Meyer

It’s easy to throw up your hands and say “I can’t” when a situation in basketball game goes out of your control. With a negative mindset, you’re likely to do the same.

But what would happen if you start to see things with a positive attitude? Things might be different, right?

In fact, in sports psychology for basketball, there has been plenty of evidence that a positive mindset can turn your basketball goals around.

What is Self-Talk?

You might have heard about the power of the subconscious mind. It is super powerful, and it plays a part in achieving your basketball goals, small and big. The linkage between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind is the self-talk.

If you continuously keep saying anything to yourself, the subconscious mind takes it as a direction to follow and will lead you to that.

How many times in a given day do you find yourself mentally rehearsing the worst possible outcome, or telling yourself you can’t do something in a game or practice?

It’s negative self-talk, whereas positive self-talk is the practice of responding to negative thoughts that run through your mind.

For example, when you tell yourself that you can’t, or it’s too hard, you can respond with positive thoughts as I can, or it’s easy to start.

These thoughts can be as simple or complex as you like.

This phenomenon of you talking to your self from a conscious mind to the subconscious mind is self-talk.

Why Positive Self Talk Is Important?

Brain cells communicate with each other by releasing chemical messengers into the tiny space, called the synapse that separates them from other neurons.

The synapse or connection between neurons is flexible, meaning it can be influenced by thoughts, emotions, and behavior. This unique ability of the brain to reshape itself is called neuroplasticity.

Thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain is in a state of constant change with minute by minute, rewiring of neurons affected by thoughts and behavior.

In order for the flexibility of neuroplasticity to happen; however, the brain needs to be working optimally.

Positive self-talk allows you to find new meaning in your experiences and. All you have to do is help your wandering brain by consciously selecting something positive to think about.

Positive self-talk help makes stress intermittent by focusing your brain’s attention onto something that is completely stress-free.

Any positive thought will do to refocus your attention.

When things are going well, it is relatively easy to perform well in a basketball game. When things are not going well, and your mind is flooded with negative thoughts, this can be a challenge.

How Positive Self-Talk Improve Mindset and Performance?

According to Sport Psychologist, Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis, who studies the phenomenon of self-talk, “There is robust evidence that self-talk strategies facilitate learning and enhance performance.” 

The great news is you can control your mind.

Take control over your mind and use positive self-talk to boost your basketball mental toughness, performance, and focus!

*Download the free mental game assessment and get started on Improving your Mental Game in basketball.