Athletes can carry a wide range of emotions after their sports competition. From being frustrated and disappointed by their performance to being thrilled and stoked by their accomplishment.
Whether if the results were good or bad, journaling their emotions and writing about what they think and how they feel, is a good way of reviewing their competition’s outcomes.
If the outcomes were unfavorable, athletes, shouldn’t beat themselves for how they played. Reflecting on their performed and moving forward to what they can do next is what they should be doing. It is also recommended to be speaking to themselves kindly, like if they were talking to a dear friend. And when telling someone how it was, it is always good to end the sentence with something positive.
For example:
1. “It was a hard match, I am not satisfied with my results.” This statement is not action oriented. It will only reinforce the negative feelings that you might be experiencing.
2. “It was a hard contest, I am not satisfied with my results, but I will reflect and review my performance to understand what I can do better next time.” This is an excellent way of expressing themselves. This “redemptive storytelling” gives them an interesting and different perspective than the first version because it is action-oriented. They will most likely be pro-actively taking action to improve their performance.
Journaling is a form of feedback loop that can completely change the athlete’s outcomes and improve their general mindset and performance.