It’s been interesting to hear the observations of expert commenters that athletes perform better when the are relaxed. If they are not in the right frame of mind their chances of success are greatly reduced.
When you think about it this applies in many areas. In cricket, for example, your mind has to be totally in the right space to win. The same team can win one game but lose another against the same opposition just by not having their minds in the right space.
Watching the beach volleyball last night it was clear that the Brazilian pair did not gell and they were thrashed by the Chinese.
These are lessons we should take onboard in our business lives.
I also hear the mantra “it’s the taking part that is important”. Well of course taking part is important but so is winning. You try telling Victoria Pendleton or Christine Ohurogu that silver is ok when for the last 4 years their mind has been totally focussed on winning gold.
Taking part is nice but it is better to be a winner. Again it’s all about attitude. Mental strength.
One reply on “The importance of psychology”
Completely agree. I also think this is one reason why it’s so important for bosses to foster a good environment at work. I know that whenever my mind is focused, well slept and thinking about the right stuff then I can easily get 2 or 3 times more done.
Like most people I’ve also worked in environments where this doesn’t happen and there is a more unfriendly / unfair working ethos, which just makes you not want to go in and perform at your best. Then you get the “too much middle management” approach to business where the grass roots and hardest working ordinary staff get sucked into hours of wasteful daily meetings when they should just be getting on with the job.
Rewards, recognition for good workers and fairness make a world of difference without needing to sacrifice ones authority. Going for gold can thus become just as fun as the taking part 🙂 .