Golf
Tips for Self-defeating Thoughts:
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Let
Go of Self-Defeating Generalizations
Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.
Peak Performance Sports
Have
you ever got off to a poor start to the round and said: "here
I go again…I'm going to struggle all day"? This
is what I call a self-defeating generalization. You generalize
about your own game based on a past experience. Have you ever
said to yourself "here I go again, playing like an idiot"?
If so, you are a prisoner of this syndrome. This thinking
process becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that influences
your performance on the golf course.
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If
you think you are playing "like an idiot," you will probably
find a way to make it become a reality the rest of the round. Players
engage in several forms of "here I go again." Here are
some examples:
"Here I go again-messing up another good round with a double
bogey."
"Here I go again-making a stupid mistake, which negates my
entire round."
"Here I go again-following a great first nine with poor play
on the back."
"Here I go again-finding a way to shoot myself in the foot
the last three holes."
"Here I go again-blowing the lead I had early in the match."
I've
often worked with players who think that a poor start to the round
is a bad omen for the rest of the round. I strongly discourage this
kind of thinking. Just because it's happened before doesn't mean
history will repeat itself. Some people take generalizations to
an extreme. I worked with a college golfer who had to fold his glove
a certain way in order to have his best chance at making birdie
on the next hole.
The power of a self-fulfilling prophecy makes you truly believe
that if something happened in the past it will happen again. Every
day is different. Every game is different. How many rounds have
you played in which you finished the round well after a poor start?
Do you ever remember those rounds when you played well after getting
off to a poor start? It's irrational to generalize that history
will repeat itself in the negative, but not the positive.
Your problem is that you maintain too many negative generalizations
and self-labels. To be your own best friend, you need to stop making
false generalizations. Also, discard your negative labels, such
as "I'm worst putter in the world." How will you ever
make putts or be a good putter with this type of thinking? Also,
don't adopt negative labels that others give you, such as when someone
says, "gee, you can't buy a putt today."
Note:
This article is based on Dr. Patrick Cohn's new book Going Low:
How to Break Your Individual Scoring Barrier by Thinking Like a
Pro.
Dr.
Patrick J. Cohn is a master mental game coach who works with golfers
of all levels including PGA and LPGA Tour players. Visit Peaksports.com
to gain access to over 400 exclusive mental game articles, audio
programs, and interviews with athletes and coaches to enhance your
golf potential: or call 888-742-7225.
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