Page 77 - Las Vegas Golf & Leisure SPRING 2018

as 70 percent of them are negative. Unfortu- you’d like to experience. Start by relaxing you believed in you.” Had I not spoken up,
nately, golfers tend to speak to themselves in with some diaphragmatic breathing. Then she never would have believed she could
ways that they wouldn’t even direct towards use all five of the senses, add in your desired hit it.
an enemy. What you say to yourself matters emotion(s), and create a vivid representation I like to think of confidence like invest-
because it impacts your emotions, beliefs, of the moment. Ian Poulter says it doesn’t take ing. If I put all of my money (confidence)
and performance. As Henry Ford once said, very long to mentally rehearse a round of golf in a single stock (past performance), I run
“Whether you think you can or you think you because you drive every fairway, hit every the risk of losing everything after a poor
can’t, you’re right.” When you talk to yourself, green, and make every putt. Repeat this over performance. If I diversify my investments
be sure to use either positive instructional and over, and it won’t be long before you find (past performance, preparation, self-talk,
self-talk (e.g. smooth, relaxed, or coil) or yourself getting the results you’ve imagined. mental rehearsal, and social support), one
motivational self-talk (e.g. You’ve hit this shot bad shot or poor round isn’t going to destroy
a thousand times, You’re ready, or, Swing your SOCI AL my confidence. If you base your confidence
swing). You can be your greatest fan or your SUP P OR T on a diverse portfolio, you’ll have a confi-
worst enemy, so stop listening to yourself dence that is strong, sustainable, and pays
and start talking to yourself in a positive and When your swing coach, friends, or family rich dividends. You’ll be the most confident
productive way. convey their belief in your ability, it builds player on the course.
your own self-belief. I once coached a player
MEN T AL who faced a shot that required hitting over a
R EHE AR S AL tree. My player was ready to chip it out, rather
than take on the challenge. I convinced her
Visualizing or mentally rehearsing what to hit the shot, and she cleared the tree with
you are trying to do is key to being confident both ease and a measure of disbelief. I looked
and successful. The brain does not know the at her and said, “I believed in you more than
difference between imagining a scenario and
actually experiencing it. You can mentally
rehearse specific shots, holes, or the emotions

IS YOUR SELF-TALK

P OSI T I V E

or

NEG A T I V E

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