Author Archives: Yani Dickens

Imagery is internally experiencing something without it necessarily being physically present. It can occur spontaneously or purposefully. Imagery is also considered a mental skill, one that can be used to purposefully prepare for and improve performance. Most performers can benefit … Continue reading →

Many performers set goals that are vague, nonspecific, or so far off into the future that their goals fail to connect to the behaviors that help performers actually achieve them, sometimes even undermining motivation. Goals like “doing my best” or … Continue reading →

The field of psychology is broader than most people realize, containing a number of sub-disciplines reflected by the 54 divisions of the American Psychological Association (APA). The public is probably more familiar with the fact that psychologists help people with … Continue reading →

Negative thoughts are common during sport and other forms of performance and can drive up negative emotions that interfere with peak performance. Performers can increase awareness of their negative thoughts, accept them without believing them, change their thoughts themselves, and … Continue reading →

How well performers manage their emotions can determine the quality of their performance. Performers are most likely to achieve peak performance when they are mentally and physically prepared, positive, focused, and able to manage emotions like anxiety. Anxiety is a … Continue reading →

Sport psychology is the field that studies mental factors that influence human performance. The field of sport psychology makes space for multiple performance activities including sport, exercise, music, dance performance, and more. For this reason, the field is also referred … Continue reading →

Have you ever tried to start something, but you just didn’t feel motivated to do it – most of us have. What is motivation, and why do we believe we need motivation to change our behavior? Psychological definitions of motivation … Continue reading →