Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET), a form of cognitive-behavioural therapy, is a powerful tool for improving performance on the pitch. RET focuses on identifying and challenging irrational beliefs that may lead to negative emotions and behaviours which affect the way we play.
One notable application of RET is in managing pre-game anxiety. By helping players to identify and reframe irrational thoughts contributing to anxiety, RET enables them to approach matches with a positive mindset, reducing pre-game jitters and enhancing overall readiness. Furthermore, it assists in building resilience in the face of setbacks, encouraging the view of failure as an opportunity for growth rather than an insurmountable obstacle.
Consider a scenario in which you experience persistent doubts about your abilities before a crucial match. “What if we lose?”, “What if I cannot compete at this level?”, “What if I make mistakes?”. In RET, we might challenge these irrational thoughts. For example, with the belief, "I'm not good enough; I'll let the team down." Through RET, this belief is reframed into a more rational and constructive one, such as "I've trained hard, I have the skills to contribute happens and as long as I focus and do my best, I can positively affect the game."
By addressing and reshaping the irrational beliefs, we are then better equipped to approach the game with a positive mindset. This mental shift not only reduces pre-game anxiety, but also enhances overall readiness too. Additionally, when setbacks occur during the game, while armed with a more resilient mindset cultivated through this technique, we become more likely to immediately respond to mistakes by learning from them rather than allowing them to reduce confidence and create overwhelming emotions and anxieties.
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