Mastering Momentum

Have you ever experienced a winning streak? Do you remember what it was like to feel unbeatable? How did it start, how did it maintain, and why did it end? We often hear about a specific athlete or team being on a "roll" but what does that mean, and perhaps more importantly, what does that mean for their performance?

Momentum in sport is a powerful energizer and can be a type of self-fulfilling prophecy. Often the positive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that being on a roll evoke are exactly the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors needed to keep you winning. When we perceive that we are on a winning streak we feel more confident, less anxious, and we take more calculated risks that help us excel in our performance.

In other words, winning helps us keep on winning. Unfortunately, momentum works the other way too, resulting in the frustration of a "performance slump." When a performance does not go according to plan we are more likely to feel more anxious and less confident next time we perform. We will often be less aggressive and over think our movements which increases our risk of errors. Each time this occurs our fears are reinforced and the momentum keeps us in a slump making it difficult to break the cycle.

So what to do?
·        Recognize the problem as a cycle caused by your "perception" of  your experiences. You are making it so by believing it is so.
·        Take each performance as a new experience and a new opportunity for success. Learn to shake off mistakes and failures and let them go.
·        Stop doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome.
·        Celebrate the little successes with your whole team. Every little step in the right direction is a opportunity to boost morale and stimulate positive momentum.

Sometimes successes are few and far between so it is important to make a big deal of them when they do occur. Don't play them down or undervalue even a small success, use it to kick start a winning streak.

You are in the driver's seat. Too often I hear stories from people who feel like their performance is outside of their control and that they are just along for the ride. You can choose how to interpret your experiences and consequently write your own futures. Believe in yourself and your dreams will come true.