“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” Vince Lombardi

According to sports psychologist for football, there’s no better way to prepare an athlete’s football mind than through positive self-talk.

This factor is usually overlooked by many coaches and football players because they don’t give mental preparation as much importance as physical preparation.

Making Positive Self-Talk a Habit

Positive self-talk is the necessary foundation for growing football confidence.

It is your inner voice encouraging you to perform, but self-doubt and negative chatter are preventing you from doing it.

There is a voice in the back of your mind telling you things, and it has a significant impact on the way you think, and the way you think will dictate the way you perform..

Football psychologists provided three ways that can help you develop effective positive self-talk.

They are as follows:

1) First things first, you have to be aware of your inner voice and notice what it is telling you. Acknowledge whether it is mostly negative or positive, so you know where you stand. It helps a lot to write down what you say so that you can keep track of the thoughts that enter your mind.

2) Negative talk can wreck your mental and physical game. If you are dwelling on something negative counter it with positive statements or a word that will refocus your attention in the present moment. Would you say those same things to a close friend or your teammate? Probably not.

3) Last but not least, you have to make an effort to change your thoughts to be more positive. See the silver lining in everything and don’t demotivate yourself when something goes wrong. By slowly changing the messages you send yourself to be more motivating, you will notice a change in your overall performance.

The Impact of Positive Self-Talk on Performance

On the pursuit of reaching your full potential, your thoughts play a significant role.

Your thinking says a lot about your football mental toughness and the more you convince your mind that you are capable, the tougher you will be.

Sometimes, when you are on the field, there are times you doubt yourself, but when making an instantaneous decision, having confidence is essential.

Sports psychology for football suggests that most players that make mistakes in intense situations are a result of confidence or self-doubt.

When preparing for a game, include positive-self talk and positive mantras, so when you are faced with a tough situation, you are mentally prepared, motivated, and have confidence in your ability and skills to perform well.

Great plays will happen when you make speaking positively to yourself a habit.

Your football mental game and performance on the field will improve dramatically by using positive self-talk.

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