» Are you finished before you even begin?

What do you say when you talk to yourself? When it’s time to train or race, what thoughts pop into your mind? If you have experience with endurance sports, you probably know that you spend quite a few hours on the road or in the water with nothing but your thoughts.

Did I eat enough? That girl looks fast; she’s going to crush me. I don’t belong here. I’m so tired. Did I remember to turn off the light in the garage? I’m too old for this. This pace is too fast. I can’t believe I paid money for this. #*$^!

Your thoughts are an internal dialogue with yourself and play a critical role in shaping your response to certain situations. Something happens, you mull it over internally, and then you respond with an action. The event in and of itself did not cause your response; it’s how you interpreted the event that determined your response.

When you’re mulling over a particular situation, your thoughts are either angled in a positive or a negative direction. Research has shown that performance outcomes are affected by the nature and content of self-talk prior to competition. Positive self-talk is effective in producing an enhancement in performance. This type of thinking boosts your self-esteem and your motivation. If you keep your thoughts positive, your focus is on one moment. You stay in the present and you keep your mind from wandering.

The alternative to positive thinking is associated with poor performance outcomes. Negative self-talk is counterproductive and usually involves statements which start with “ can’t…” or “I won’t…” or “What if…” Trust me, we’ve all been there. You doubt yourself and your performance suffers. Who wants that? Not me. So, how do you keep negative thoughts from creeping into your mind?

First of all, you may not even be aware of the impact your thoughts have on your race results. Therefore, the first step is awareness. Once you are aware of negative self-talk, you can turn these thoughts around or simply stop the thought from entering your mind. Think about developing your own personal “sport language.” What would you say if you were coaching yourself through a competition? Rather than complete sentences, this language could include positive one-word affirmations or short phrases. Letting negative thoughts control your performance is a tough habit to break, but with practice it can be done.

Written by Carrie Smith