Our brains sometimes have a mind of their own. This is called our unconscious mind. Our conscious mind knows about the unconscious mind, but at times is unsure how to silence it. The unconscious mind is deep under many layers of the brain but it is easy for it to sneak up to the surface. When this happens, it can be very easy to not perform the way you want to during basketball games/practice because it tells you to be scared of possible consequences, purposely adds pressure to a situation, makes you think that others are always watching and wanting you to perform better, etc. Now with the unconscious mind making all these decisions for you, it is easy to lose attention, sabotage him/herself, and end up avoiding their goals completely. Unfortunately it is not possible to completely get rid of this unconscious mind. It is a part of us forever. What we can do is identify the hints and correct them before we lose all motivation, confidence, self-esteem in our goals. Here is some examples:
Self-Sabotaging Thoughts → New Empowering Thoughts
- “My parents expect more from me.” → “I play for me, no one else’s thoughts matter.”
- “I don’t like raising my hand.” → “I might ask a question someone else is too scared to ask.”
- “My shooting form could be better today, I won’t shoot.” → “Just play my normal game.”
- “What if the coach yells? → “They yell to make us a better team.”
- “What if my friends think my hobbies are lame?” → “I like them so who cares.”
Written by:
Sarah Grippi
Basketball Mindset