Ceely Sports Blog - Unleash the Power of Your Mind

Choose Wisely: 4 Key Ways to Improve Sport Performance

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 19:42:19 GMT

How athletes can make better choices for their sport performance, and for their overall mental health.

Check out my post on four empowering choices for athletes. Practiced routinely, these choices boost sport performance plus have the added benefit of improving overall mental health. READ MORE HERE.

Common Psychological Barriers for Athletes

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 22:09:36 GMT

The inner game matters. Athletes who master anxiety, plateaus and life balance are able to focus more on the sport they love.

Check out my post on the three most common mental challenges for athletes. Once you get to a certain level, it's your mindset that matters most. READ MORE HERE.

New Clubhouse! Sport Psych Mindset

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 19:12:59 GMT

Join me on Clubhouse at "Sport Psych Mindset." Exploring sport psychology and athletes' mental health.

I am excited to announce my new Clubhouse club, SPORT PSYCH MINDSET.

Clubhouse is unique in the social media world, as it focuses on audio-only. It's a great way to listen in and chime in on a wide variety of topics.

Noticing a need for more awareness of sport psychology, mental performance, and athletes' mental health, I decided to form my own Clubhouse club.

I look forward to presenting some interesting topics and connecting with other like-minded people. Come join!

Link to the club: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/sport-psych-mindset

Mental Health and Olympic Athletes

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 17:04:44 GMT

Simon Biles dropped out of the Olympics. Here's why it was the right decision.

Michael Phelps, Naomi Osaka, and now Simone Biles. The list continues of Olympic athletes speaking up about mental health. Read more on my blog. Click here.

Athletes and Mental Health: Interview on the Sport Psychology Hour

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 23:16:35 GMT

Dr. Andrew Jacobs interviews Michael Ceely about athletes coming back to competition after sports shutdowns

Check out my interview on Dr. Andrew Jacobs' radio show. We discuss the mental health of athletes coming out of the Covid sports shutdowns.

Listen to the Interview

The Psychological Impact of the Shutdown

As athletes are getting back on the field, back in their game, and back to the races, the impact of the sports shutdowns have taken a heavy mental toll on athletes' motivation and mental health.

For the first time in their careers, athletes have had to deal with protracted and forced cancellations of the sports they love and depend on for money, fitness, and well-being.

How Athletes Have Been Coping

The most effective coping skill athletes have employed during the shutdown is self-compassion.

Athletes are notorious for being self critical. This can be useful in normal times, however when sports events are cancelled, it's important to dial down the inner critic.

Respect Above All Else

It's normal to feel angry about having your sport taken away. But it's important to maintain mutual respect for one another and to seek constructive solutions instead of complaining and blaming.

Whether you want to advocate for dropping restrictions for your sport, or you want to get back to normal more cautiously, please respect your fellow athletes' feelings and opinions.

Please know that all athletes, coaches, parents, and fans are doing the best they can to cope.

Interview on the Sport Psychology Hour with Dr. Andrew Jacobs

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 00:23:07 GMT

Dr. Andrew Jacobs discusses coping skills with Michael Ceely.

It was a pleasure to have been interviewed by Dr. Andrew Jacobs, one the top sport psychologists in the country. Dr. Jacobs has worked with numerous professional athletes and teams. He also worked with the USA cycling team.

In this interview, we discuss the challenges athletes are facing right now with the Covid shutdown of sports worldwide.

Gratitude Mindset

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 23:37:15 GMT

A morning routine that will boost your mood and performance.

The word gratitude is trendy these days. And I am wary of trends, especially ones that are not backed by science.

So when I heard about a gratitude exercise that would boost my mood and performance, I was skeptical.

It turns out though, that regularly practicing the emotion of gratitude changes your brain chemistry and can have measurable effects on your athletic performance.

You see, the brain gets used to certain mindsets. Mindsets produce moods, and moods produce chemicals in the brain.

Too much of just pushing yourself without taking the time to feel grateful can put your brain chemistry out of balance, oversaturating it with cortisol and other toxic hormones.

What’s more, stress hormones encourage the mind to focus on problems, on the negative. Without a counter-balance, an athlete can restrict their capacity for achievement, both physically and psychologically.

Research suggests that the chemicals produced by the brain and body when feeling gratitude aid in athletic recovery, increase restful sleep, and lead to positive thoughts.

Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley has studied the effects of gratitude in athletes.

You know how you feel relaxed and recharged after taking a break from training? Regularly practicing gratitude is like a mini-recharge.

Zoran Stojkovic, a sport performance expert in Victoria, Canada, highlights the importance of athletes recharging their proverbial batteries.

So… ready for the exercise? Here it is.

Before you go to bed at night, write this down on a sheet of paper or in a journal:

Today, I am grateful for:

While I strive for:

The next morning, FIRST THING, write down three things you are grateful for. They don’t have to be profound. Simple is good.

Take a minute to FEEL the gratitude. This might seem forced. That’s okay. It just means you are unaccustomed to this emotion.

Now, after basking in the gratitude, write down three things you KNOW you can accomplish today. Again, keep them simple and achievable. Want to call a friend today? Try a new routine in the gym? Write it down.

The idea is that gratitude, followed by setting goals, builds confidence and a positive mindset.

Check out my Instagram post, which explains the process:

Try this simple daily exercise for a week. Even if at first you hate it, stick with it!

Soon, a curious thing will happen. You will start feeling more positive, and you may notice more vigor in your workouts and competitions.

By practicing this exercise you are literally rewiring your brain to focus on positivity and growth. The longer you do it, the more gains you’ll see.

I would really like to know how this exercise works for you! Feel free to drop me a line at michael@ceelysports.com

Be well, and happy mental training!

Go Anyway! The Imperfect Workout.

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 08:21:00 GMT

Don't wait for motivation. Create it.

Late coming home from work, I had forgotten my gym clothes and now had to go home to change.

Damn it! I couldn't go directly to the gym like I had planned. What's more, I had errands to run before dinner.

About to resign myself to skipping my workout, I glanced down at my shiny wingtip shoes and thought how funny it would be to go to the gym anyway, in my office attire. So that's exactly what I did.

Waltzing into the weight room, I stuff my sport jacket into my briefcase, roll up my dress shirt sleeves and proceed to get down to business.

A few curious glances from my fellow gym members, but I proceed: bench press, preacher curls, lat pull-downs.

Then, off to the ab crunching area. I break a sweat. My shiny shoes tuck neatly into the foot stirrups for some brutal inclined situps.

I really get into it now, grunting, sweating. More looks from members. I flash a smile at a regular. He laughs and gives me a thumbs-up.

Thirty minutes later, I feel fantastic. Endorphins have kicked it. I don't even care that my nice dress shirt is all sweaty.

I leave the gym feeling brash and giddy and go about my errands, and end up chatting and joking with a few of the store clerks in my neighborhood.

When I get home, I realize that life often does not deliver the perfect expectation of how our day will go.

If we resist the unexpected, we may not adapt. And this can lead to disappointment, or worse, non-action. But by being flexible, and a bit playful, we can create unique opportunities.

I hope this post inspires you to roll with the punches. Trust the creative and playful part of yourself that likes to improvise.

Work out often. Work out when you can. But above all, work out.

Hey, maybe tomorrow I'll knock out some push-ups at my desk at work. I hope people look at me funny.

Birds of a Feather: The Power of Peer Modeling

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 21:17:50 GMT

How I learned to raise my expectations.

I was 15 when I met Tom Frueh, whose family hosted me at their home for the 1983 Pepsi-Lowenbrau Gran Prix, a seven day bicycle race in Central Wisconsin. Some of the best Junior riders (age 15-17) in the country were there.

The race organizers had a system where riders were randomly assigned to a host family. At the time, I didn't know how fortunate I was to be selected to stay at Tom's house.

Tom was a year older than me and a much better racer. My best finish all year was 10th place. I had never talked to him; only watched him beat me and my friends in races. What would he be like?

The shuttle bus slowed down and dropped me off. With my bags in one hand and my bike in the other, I awkwardly knocked on my host family's door.

Tom cheerfully greeted me at the door and asked if I wanted to go for a training ride before dinner. I accepted his offer, and off we rode into the humid Wisconsin afternoon.

Relaxed and confident, Tom rode no-handed and speculated about the next day’s opening stage: “It should be fast, Gordy Holterman is gonna be there.”

Gordy was probably the best Junior rider in the country at that time, but Tom’s tone of voice and was casual, almost over-confident. “I’m pretty fast too,” he said with a sly smile.

And fast he was. The next day, Tom ended up on the podium in 3rd place. Gordy won. I finished somewhere in the top 20.

As I watched the podium celebration, and Tom being interviewed by the local TV station, I was struck with the thought that maybe I could be up there too. After all, Tom was just a normal down-to-earth Wisconsin guy, you know... like me.

The next day, I warmed up on the race course with my usual group of friends. We had entered the Grand Prix with no aspirations, just hoping to finish respectably in this field of elite riders.

As we lined up on the start line, I looked around at the competition. Some of them I had only read about. In my head I thought about how good everyone else was.

The start pistol went off, and we rounded the first corner. Suddenly it got fast, really fast. Gordy took the lead, and pulled away from the field.

The field slowed and riders bunched together. Who was going to chase? Just then, Tom attacked up the side of the road. Another rider took off, then another.

But soon Tom and the others were reeled back in, their efforts to bridge up to Gordy had failed. Suddenly, Tom attacked again! “How is that possible?” I thought. He didn’t even have time to recover. I watched him ride away, his body writhing in pain.

Tom ended up on the podium again, in second place, with Gordy taking the victory. "So that's how Tom does it," I thought, “He creates the race himself.” Tom dictated the course of the race. He didn’t let pain stop him.

After the race, I hung out with Tom and Gordy and a few other racers who were "out of my league." We went swimming, went to Leon's Malt Shop in Oshkosh to get burgers, and basically laughed and had fun like teenagers do.

I didn't know it at the time, but I was experiencing something social scientists call homophily which essentially means people with shared beliefs and values tend to group together, you know, “birds of a feather flock together.”

Because I was selected to stay with Tom's family, I had essentially been given a free ticket to hang out with these guys. A backstage pass, if you will. Even though I felt out of my league, I was having fun. More importantly, I was beginning to feel like I belonged with them.

After a few more days of watching Gordy and Tom climb the podium, a discomfort began to grow in me. My meager results no longer felt acceptable. I wanted to be like my new friends. Unbeknownst to me, the power of homophily and my subconscious mind were already setting the stage...

The final race of the series was in a town called Fond du Lac. The course was a fast, four-corner, criterium-style race. Warming up with my new fast friends, I felt a sense of assuredness, like I finally belonged in their group.

The race was fast from the get-go. Everybody wanted to be up front because the tight corners made it difficult to move up. I got a great position at the start, and to my surprise, found myself at the front of the pack.

Like clockwork, Gordy attacked, followed by Tom, then another nationally-ranked rider from Philadelphia. The rest of the riders hesitated, looked around. Everyone seemed to be thinking, “who's got the guts to chase?”

Then, a curious thing happened. I attacked. Yes, me! I had the guts. I pedaled furiously, the lactic acid in my legs burning, my lungs on fire. I had never pushed myself this hard before. I looked back, and no one was behind me.

I began to see Tom ahead of me. I had to catch him. It was a must. I had to let him know I belonged in his flock.

Tom, Gordy, and the rider from Philly had slowed slightly, just enough for me to catch them. I was exhausted, but giddy. Like a kid who just jumped off the high dive for the first time and realized he survived.

Tom, Gordy and the Philly rider were riding inches apart with machinelike precision. I was out of my league but I didn't care. I pulled through to the front and pedaled my heart out.

When my turn was over, an angry voice grumbled, “get out of here, you little shit.” It was the Philly rider. For brief moment, I almost listened to him, almost believed I didn’t deserve to be there. Fortunately, I ignored him.

I was holding my own, but I was clearly running out of gas. My trusty Guerciotti road bike was spinning out its biggest gear.

Suddenly Gordy attacked. Tom gave chase, then the Philly rider. I was redlined. I could not respond. But I wasn’t about to give up.

As they drifted away from me, I glanced behind me. I still had a gap over the main field of riders. Five laps to go… could I hold it and get 4th place?

Four laps to go… three laps... two… I gave a final look over my shoulder and noticed one rider had broken away from the pack and was closing in on me. I put my head down and dug deep.

With one lap to go, the guy behind caught me. He looked exhausted, his face beet red. Then he attacked. No time to think, I chase him, leaning my bike hard into the next corner.

Flying down the backstretch, he pulls away. Next corner, I lean my bike, focus straight ahead. Final corner, finish line now in site. Quick glance over my shoulder, two riders closing in on me, then the pack.

The last meters to the finish are brutal. Time slows down. My legs are like lead. I hear the riders behind me breathing, closing in. My front wheel crosses the line, then the back. I calculate: 5th place?

Yes, 5th place. My best result of the year! Not quite the podium, but for a scrawny 15-year-old racing against 16 and 17-year-olds, I really pulled off a feat. Gordy won the stage, Tom second. And me, now part of the flock.

As I think back on this, now more than (30!) years ago, I realize that this race was a pivotal moment in my life. I gave myself permission to go for it, to take a risk, to challenge myself and not be afraid.

I also realize now the power of one's peer group. Through good fortune, I was thrust into a new peer group, one with high expectations. Naturally, my formerly low expectations got ratcheted up. I wanted to belong, to be liked.

But I raised my expectations not just for my new friends, but for me too. I had set a new normal for myself. The thought of returning to my former expectations felt stifling, suffocating.

This is the power of the peer group. The group has its own (often unspoken) expectations. Going lower or higher than these expectations meets with disapproval.

So, if you want to raise your expectations, start hanging around people who are "out of your league." This doesn't mean abandon your old group of friends, it just means that you want to up your game. Maybe you can even take some of your friends with you!

Whatever your sport, find people who are better than you, and start riding with them, running with them, shooting hoops with them. You might get disapproving looks, you might even be laughed at. But if you've got some talent and determination, you'll soon be flying with another flock.

Better with Age (or just smarter?)

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 03:08:52 GMT

Guest Post by Mikael Hanson at Enhance Sports

Allow me to introduce Mikael Hanson of Enhance Sports based out of New York City.

In addition to his coaching company, he is the head coach of the NYU Cycling Team. He is also a champion duathlete, and represented the U.S. Team at the 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2015 Duathlon World Championships.

Mikael shares my interest and passion for coaching and sport performance. I have known Mikael for years, and am continually impressed by his work ethic and dedication to his athletes.

In this guest blog post, Mikael shares some sage advice on how to continue to enjoy sports as you get older:

Better with Age (or just smarter?)

by Mikael Hanson

Like a fine red wine or collectable antique car, there is another thing that can improve with age - the endurance athlete. Whether we are talking about swimmer Dara Torres medaling in the 2008 Olympics at the age of 41 or Brett Favre throwing TD passes as a grandpa, athletes accomplish incredible things past the age of forty.

Take myself. Outside of bicycle racing, I've always been a very competitive multi-sport athlete, but I did not win my first race until I was forty-one and then did it again three more times when I was forty-two (and have managed to win at least 1 multi-sport race every year since). How-- By adapting my training as I got older.

Sure, when I was an elite category 1 cyclist in college I could ride 6 to 7 times a week, amassing hundreds and hundreds of miles in the process. I could stay out all night long and live on a diet of burgers, beer and cheese (a staple for one from Wisconsin). As my twenties became thirty-something and then the forties, my ability to recover changed. Gone are the days of being able to race daily for a two week cycling stage race. It now takes me a day or two even to feel normal after a 10k running race.

What adaptations does the older athlete need to make to stay competitive?

1. Listen to your body and understand the importance of REST!
This will likely mean LESS high intensity workouts during the week, LESS racing and more recovery time. In my twenties recovery came easy and rest days, well those were for the weak minded. In my forties it is not uncommon for me to string together back to back recovery days. I am also now much more in tune with my body. I take my resting heart rate and check my body weight every morning, looking for the early warning signs of not being properly recovered (perhaps bordering on obsessive-compulsive behavior). I used to become overcome with guilt for skipping a training day (even when I was sick) and lived by the mantra that somewhere someone is training and when you meet them in competition, they will beat you. Being older and wiser, I no longer feel guilty for missing an occasional workout, and realize that some of my best performances have come after a period of forced rest.

2. Learn from your own body of knowledge .
After over 30 years of endurance racing at nearly every level, I tend to think I know what works in my own training and what doesn’t. As a cyclist, I know that I respond best from longer, medium tempo rides than a ton of high intensity workouts. However, this approach does not work for me as a runner. I have found that I need a few more structured intensity workouts to help me find my form. This is where keeping a detailed training log you can refer back to is key (mine go back 20 yrs). Had a particularly good race last fall? What did your training look like leading up to it? Were you heavier or lighter? How many hours of sleep were you getting (or not getting)?

3. Get back into the gym .
The gym used to be a place I would only visit on the off-season when weather prohibited you from comfortably training outside. Never would I venture into the confines of a gym during those warm summer months, not when I could be logging miles outside on the bike! But as one gets older, less flexible, your muscles shrink. If you want to stay competitive, strength training needs to become an integral part of your year-round fitness routine. Yes, you will spend less time strength training in the heart of the racing season, but it should not be ignored. Devise a routine that can be done without elaborate gym equipment such as sit-ups, planks, push-ups, wall squats, etc. All you need is 20-30 mins a few times a week during the racing season to keep you on top of your game.

4. Watch the diet.
As endurance athletes we like to think we can eat what ever we want - just look at the diet of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. As a twenty-something, this might be true, but as we get older and the metabolism slows it becomes even more important to watch what you eat. A proper diet of lean meats, fruits, vegetables and the right mix of carbs to protein will not only speed up the recovery process, it can also elevate your own performance.

5. Buy that incremental performance.
There is a reason the average age of a triathlete is in the mid-30s and their median income level is in the low six figures. Some endurance sports like triathlon and cycling can get prohibitively expensive when compared to others (such as running or swimming). Carbon fiber frames and wheels, wetsuits, running and cycling shoes, biomechanical insoles, aerodynamic helmets, and race entry fees (approaching $100 for some Ironman events) can add up. But, if you have the means, many of these items can lead to improved performance. A lighter more aero frame or wheel set, a professional bike fit, a compu-trainer to ride indoors, portable altitude tents or even performance testing can enhance your own performance.

6. And finally - Keep it FUN!
For most of us, we do these endurance sports not because we are getting paid or it is our full time job, but because we crave the thrill of competition. Find ways to include your family in your racing. Look for a destination race at a location your family would enjoy. Several years ago, duathlon national championships were held outside of Tuscon, Arizona and both my wife and son made the trip with me. We made the trip a week long vacation, tacking some extra days on after the race. Gotta tell you, having your own cheering section at an out of town event is the best motivation to race well!

As I approach 50 I still refuse to use AGE as an excuse and hope I am able to still compete at a high level for years to come. Just a few years back I competed in a duathlon versus a field of over 300 athletes, including a small platoon of lean West Point cadets who were part of the Army triathlon team. For myself, there was no better gratification than finishing ahead of nearly all of them – save a lone cadet half my age who managed to beat me by a mere six seconds. To me, that was quite a feeling of accomplishment and, as they say, priceless!

To read more posts from Mikael Hanson's blog Click here

Is your own BS holding you back? Part Two: The Power of Self-Talk

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 09:04:12 GMT

Self-talk is a powerful tool you can use to improve your sport performance

In Part One of this post, we learned how an athlete's belief system can influence their performance. We also began learning about self-talk.

Remember the exercise in Part One? You chose an error from a recent athletic performance, and wrote down the first words that came to mind. Then you made a list of positive words of encouragement about the error, much like a coach giving a pep talk.

By reviewing these positive words every night for a week, you began a process of conditioning your brain to focus on the positive.

Creating the Connection

Now imagine you are a basketball player who associates the word “terrible" with missing a shot. Without your awareness, this negative word unconsciously reinforces feelings of frustration. This is what you DON'T want!

What you DO want is to condition yourself so that missing a shot doesn't get you down. You want to link words of encouragement to the mistake. "Keep moving" or "good effort" will keep your head in the game more than words like "terrible."

Where and When to Practice

You don't have time to practice self-talk while competing, and you don't want to be distracted trying to remember complex phrases during your event.

That's why you need to practice self-talk outside of competition. Set aside specific practice times to work on it. You want to condition yourself enough so that when you are competing, you automatically have a positive attitude.

Finding Your Mantra

Let's take the example of basketball again. Why is it that some players, even in the NBA, can't make a free throw? Remember Shaquille O'Neal? Shaq on the Line

If you want to harness the power of self-talk, the free throw is a great example of an activity to practice. For golf, maybe it's putting. For endurance sports like cycling, maybe it's hill climbing. Whatever your sport, choose something you want to improve.

For now though, pretend you are practicing a free throw. Choose a word - just one word - that encapsulates the mental state you want to be in. You are now honing your self-talk down to what we call a mantra. A mantra is three words maximum, preferably one. It is a "command" designed to focus you.

Picture yourself about to shoot your free throw. You might choose a mantra like "smooth" or "focus," whatever works for you. Then breathe, say your mantra, and shoot the ball.

You don't have to say your mantra out loud, just think it. Or visualize the word in your head. When you make the shot, repeat your mantra several more times. This will help link the mantra to positive expectations.

If you missed the shot, choose a different mantra. Choose a simple word or two of encouragement, like "keep going" or "practice makes perfect." Repeat this mantra several times after missing a shot.

Believe to Achieve

As you can see, we're not working on shooting mechanics here. We're working on your responses to success or failure. You are training yourself to respond in an encouraging way to both events. Practice this enough, and come game time, you won't let a missed shot get you down.

It's important that your self-talk is applied to a realistic situation. A long three-point shot that you can barely make is not a good place to practice self-talk. It will be a waste of time because you won't be getting the encouraging repetition of successful shots.

My Self-Talk Discovery

I wanted to share the story of how I discovered the power of self-talk. My sport is bicycle racing.

Back when I was racing a lot, I used to get dropped on any significant hill. I became frustrated, and of course this had a downward spiral effect: the more nervous I was before a climb, the faster I got dropped by the other racers.

One day after a race, my friend Matt Sarna, a very talented racer, pulled me aside and gave me some advice.

Matt said to me: "you need to relax... really relax." "Before a climb, everyone's nervous," he continued. "You need to conserve your energy." What struck me most was what he said next: "Tell yourself something to calm you."

During training that next week, I worked on calming myself before hills by repeating the word “relax.” I began to notice my climbing becoming more relaxed and focused.

During my next race, as the first climb appeared, I noticed my anxiety rise. But because I had practiced Matt’s technique, I was able to shift fairly quickly into a relaxed state.

My mantra, "relax," began to work: I was able to stay with the lead group of climbers much longer than normal. This result gave me confidence, and I began to really work on my climbing, and got better and better results in hilly races.

For the Tool Belt

Self-talk is just one tool you can use to improve your sport performance. Like any technique, it takes practice. You won't see results right away. But stick with it, and you should begin to see a positive change. Of course, when learning any new sport technique, it's best to consult with your coach before trying it on your own.

My hope is that this article piques your interest about the power of your mind, and inspires you to learn more about sport psychology.

Like this article? Feel free to share or leave a comment!

Is your own BS holding you back?

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 07:21:43 GMT

A whole lot of BS could be hurting your sport performance.

That's right, your own belief system (BS) could be holding you back! Beliefs can serve us, or they can defeat us.

Imagine an athlete who learned early in life that he needs to dominate others in order to survive. He may have come from a tough home situation where this belief served him well. He learned to "win at all costs." Let's say this belief serves him today as a competitive runner: he vanquishes his opponents with ruthless intensity.

But what happens when this runner encounters someone who beats him? If he can't win naturally, what might his belief system tell him to do? His win-at-all-costs attitude may lead him to use performance-enhancing drugs.

Let’s take the example of a gymnast who demands perfection. Maybe her first coach taught her that mistakes were unacceptable. Because of this, her belief system is “people won't like me if I make mistakes." So, instead of using mistakes as a learning experience, she is terrified of imperfection, and never strives to reach the next level.

The gymnast's perfectionism and the runner's desire to win at all costs may garner some impressive results, but eventually their beliefs will limit their potential. Worse, their beliefs may cause stress, burnout, and even cheating.

Changing belief systems is difficult because we may have "believed our beliefs" for so long that we don't even question them.

The key to changing your beliefs is to listen to your language. There is something in sport psychology called self-talk. It is the language - often subconscious - that we use to evaluate ourselves.

Listen to your self-talk, and you'll begin to uncover your belief system. If you have a bad game or a bad race, do you find yourself saying things like "I always miss that shot" or "I'll never get better?"

While it might not seem like a big deal, this kind of negative self-talk can be very damaging. If repeated enough, you will lose motivation and confidence.

What kind of beliefs would an athlete have to have in order to use negative self-talk such as, "I'll never get better?" Well, they might believe that it's simply too difficult to get better.

But if we drill down even deeper, a more basic belief may be uncovered. "I'll never get better" might really mean "I'm afraid to push myself to the next level because if I fail, then I'm a failure as a person."

Talking to a sport psychologist or counselor can help uncover core beliefs. But not all athletes want to do this, or even need to.

Certainly anxiety, depression, and destructive behavior merit a referral to a counselor. But most athletes can counter negative beliefs by simply changing their self-talk.

Stop using negative self-talk, and start using positive self-talk. This is the "outside-in” approach. Tell yourself something long enough, and you start to believe it.

Instead of saying "I'll never get better" say, "I want to get better." The more you stop negative self-talk in its tracks and switch to positive self-talk, the quicker you will start to shift your belief system.

Note that positive self-talk must be realistic. Saying "I will win" when you're up against tough competition is not smart. Instead say something positive and unconditional like, "strong" or "smooth."

The challenge in noticing self-talk is that it's often unspoken, or whispered under our breath.

One way to bring your self-talk into awareness is by writing it down.

After your next competition, pick something that bothered you – maybe an error you made – and write it down. Next, write the first words that come to mind about the error you made. Some colorful adjectives might come to mind. Or it may be a phrase beginning with "I should have."

If you are like most athletes, you may notice that you are hard on yourself. You may have written down some negative appraisals.

The next step is to write down a list of positive adjectives or phrases regarding the error you made.

One way to do this is to imagine a coach giving you positive words of encouragement. If you missed a shot in basketball, would a good coach say, "what's wrong with you... you always miss that shot!” Of course not, they would say something like, "let's practice that shot so you'll get it next time."

Force yourself to write down an equal amount of positive, encouraging self-talk or “coaching talk.” Look at the positive words. Let them soak in.

Every night for a week, before going to bed, look at your positive list. Visualize yourself as your own "good coach" encouraging you. Then go to bed and let the subconscious reprogramming begin!

More and more, start to notice the language you use to evaluate yourself. If it's negative or judgmental, you're in good company, many athletes are hard on themselves. But there is a difference between pushing yourself toward excellence, and berating yourself. The latter helps no one.

Next week, in Part Two , we'll learn more about the power of self-talk. Stay tuned!

Beyond Anxiety: Confessions of a Quarterback

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 08:29:49 GMT

Steve Young's Inspiring Story

Super Bowl LI is this Sunday. The Patriots and Falcons will battle it out, and quarterbacks Tom Brady and Matt Ryan will be under intense pressure. How each of these athletes manages their anxiety during key moments of the game is of paramount importance. Panic... or grace under pressure.

Sport psychologists talk about something called optimum anxiety. An athlete needs to be keyed up and alert, but not so much that they are overcome with anxiety. Some anxiety is good, but too much will hurt an athlete's performance.

Studies have shown that complex decision-making abilities plummet under high levels of stress. So you can imagine how important anxiety management is for a quarterback.

That's why I was shocked to recently discover that three-time Super Bowl champion Steve Young suffered throughout his career from debilitating anxiety. Early in his career, his anxiety almost got the better of him, and he almost quit football. Who knew? Certainly not 49ers fans.

In 1993, before a game against the Atlanta Falcons, Young was so nervous he didn't sleep for two days, and vomited numerous times. He was a wreck. He started the game anyway, and led the 49ers to a 37-30 win over the Falcons. It was shortly after this that Young knew he needed help. He sought counseling.

Counseling helped, but Young still kept his struggles with anxiety a secret. It wasn't until last year that Young finally broke his silence, and revealed his inner struggles to the world.

I recently heard an inspiring interview on San Francisco's KQED radio where Young recounts his battle with anxiety. It shows that even superstar athletes we think "have it all together" are human and struggle with their emotions. It also gives athletes permission to seek help, especially if one of their heroes says it's okay.

Click the link below to listen to the interview:

How Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young Tackled His Anxiety

Ceely Sports Launches!

mceely@gmail.com (Michael Ceely) — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

2017 marks the launch of Ceely Sports, a coaching system different from the rest. The focus is on psychology, the driving force in sport performance.

My mission is to empower athletes to find a deeper purpose for the sport they love. Once this happens, passion flows, and performance naturally improves.

Stay tuned for more news, and scroll down to sign up for my Monthly Newsletter!