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Manage your emotions to excel, or risk ‘doing a John Terry’: lashing out at some inanimate object (or human).


When we think of managing our emotions when performing, we usually think of managing nerves, anxiety or stress. While this is important, these aren’t the only emotions to manage so that we perform well. Top athletes – or any athletes trying to perform at their best – need to learn to manage frustration or they risk expressing their anger or aggression in unhelpful ways. Last night’s Champions League football match between Chelsea and Barcelona showed a ‘great’ example of this, when Chelsea’s John Terry kneed the lower back of Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez. Terry was observed, sent off and will now miss the Champions League final.

Lashing out can be tempting when feeling frustrated at your performance, competitors, officials or something about the situation. However, lashing out in most sporting contexts will almost certainly get you in trouble and give you more to deal with than the original frustrating experience.

The great athletes learn to manage their emotions and how these are expressed in their field of play.

Victor

Dr Victor Thompson
www.sportspsychologsit.com

 
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