Making mistakes or slips is not easy, but in the middle of your performance, the best thing you can do is let go and bring yourself back to the present moment as fast as possible. That is the best way to recover. In this post I am going to look at what is known as the 3 F's to help you move on.
When looking at how to implement the 3F's you need to take into consideration your sport and if/when is the appropriate time to do so.
#1 Fudge
After the mistake or slip you will most likely have an emotion. It is okay to do so, and to help with moving on from it you can acknowledge the emotion. The importance is to get to step 2. For many step one is it, and they stay stuck there, leading to more and more mistakes or slips.
#2 Fix it
Fix it is about seeing how you wanted to execute the play through visualization. Rather than beating yourself up or trying to constructively tell yourself what you need to do differently. Visualize yourself doing the play. This will help to teach yourself what you wanted, as well create a repetition of what you wanted, helping to make it easier to do it in the future.
#3 Forget it
Here you want to find a tool or technique that will help bring your attention to the present moment. It could be through breathing, picking up some dirt and releasing it, or thinking of a cue word to help focus yourself on what you need to, to help you in the present moment. The method isn't important, what is is getting back to the present moment.
Wrap up
How quickly you can get back to the present moment after a mistake or slip is extremely important. The 3F's is a great tool that can help. If you find yourself struggling with moving on from mistakes and need more help to get back to the present moment and perform up to your level reach out and find out how we can help.
To your success,
Kate
About: Kate Allgood is trained in the field of applied sport psychology. She holds two Masters degrees in psychology where she graduated with distinction. She has spent the past 14 years working one on one with high school, college, Olympic, and professional athletes to help them with their mindset, mental performance and mental skills training. Kate has also been a consultant for professional teams, including the Anaheim Ducks primary minor league affiliate the San Diego Gulls, to help the team and players develop their mental game. It is important to note that while Kate has graduate school training in applied sport psychology and general psychology, she does not diagnose or treat clinical disorders, and is not a licensed psychologist.
**The information provided is not to dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique, either directly or indirectly, as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems, without the advice of a physician. The information provided is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for high performance. If you know or suspect you have a health problem, it is recommended you seek your physician's advice.