Sport psychology is an objectively useful tool for athletes. It allows one to go beyond the borders of the physicality of sport and into the mental component. One of the coolest aspects of the application of sport psychology is its ability to reach into other areas of our lives as well – in other words, it is not restricted to sports.
1. Work/Career
One way that sport psychology can be utilized outside of athletics is in the work place. Consider projects, deadlines, lesson plans, phone calls, climbing the corporate ladder(s), breaking the glass ceiling(s). All of these things become significantly more manageable when you consider the implementation of goal setting, prioritization, organization, motivation. These are things that we do daily, but possibly could be doing better. That’s sport psychology in the work place.
2. Relationships
Whether it be a relationship with a partner, a friend, your boss, your neighbor, the barista at your local coffee shop – all relationships can benefit in some shape or form from sport psychology. Have you ever taken a moment to think about how each of these individuals operate? How do they communicate? How do they receive communication? Taking the time to examine these preferences and personality traits and then deciding how that impacts the decisions that you make around those people is a key component of sport psychology. You can see the clear parallel when you imagine an athlete being able to read his/her teammates and opponents. You can’t win the game without that ability, and the same is generally true in everyday life/relationships.
3. Play
This one is interesting, but also really fun to think about. I’m sure you’ve read a blog or listened to a podcast or read a book about how “play” is important and that we, as adults, don’t engage in enough play. And it’s true! If play is defined as completely unstructured activity done strictly for enjoyment – can you remember the last time you played? Sport psychology comes into the picture here when you think about being “in the moment” and honing in your focus onto what you are doing right. this. second. There’s no room for considering what the person next to you might think. You can’t successfully engage in play while also mentally adding things to your grocery list for the next morning. If that doesn’t sound like sport psychology to you, then we should have a little talk.
I encourage you to consider at least one of these aspects this week as you go on with your daily life. Try to apply a little sport psychology and see where it takes you!
