#258 Dr Mark Aoyagi - Exploring Performance Excellence
Nov 13, 2023
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Dr Mark Aoyagi, Co-Director of the Master's programme in Sport and Performance Psychology, talks about theories of performance excellence, developing curiosity as a skill, the power of curiosity in coaching and playing, developing a theoretical orientation in sports psychology, focus and attention in performance excellence, and the science of trust in sports performance.
Dr. Mark Aoyagi's mental fitness approach emphasizes focus, inspiration, and trust in achieving performance excellence in sports.
Curiosity is a crucial skill in sports psychology, driving the process of learning, exploration, and maintaining an open mindset.
Coaches should tailor their feedback based on whether a training session focuses on skills development or trust-building, aligning their approach with the purpose and objectives of each session.
Deep dives
Theoretical Orientation to Performance Excellence
Dr. Mark Ariagi discusses the importance of having a theoretical orientation in sports psychology and introduces his own approach called mental fitness. His approach consists of three elements: focus, inspiration, and trust. Under focus, he emphasizes the use of mindfulness and awareness in managing attention and concentration. He also highlights the importance of adopting a trusting mindset during skill execution, allowing the body to perform without interference from the mind. This includes training in the trusting mindset during practice to prepare athletes for competition. Finally, he explains that trust is developed through training the mind to let go and trust in the body's ability to perform effectively.
The Role of Curiosity in Sports Psychology
One key skill that Dr. Ariagi emphasizes is curiosity. He believes that a good practitioner has more questions than answers and that curiosity drives the process of learning and understanding in sports psychology. Curiosity helps athletes and coaches explore new perspectives, stay open to new ideas, and maintain an experiential and mindful approach to their practice. Dr. Ariagi attributes his own curiosity to his upbringing in a multicultural environment and the influence of his parents' immigrant backgrounds.
Focus, Inspiration, Trust in Coaching
Dr. Ariagi also discusses how his theoretical orientation can be applied in coaching scenarios. He suggests that coaches should be precise in their feedback and adapt their approach based on whether a drill or practice session is focused on training or trust. For training drills, coaches can provide technical and critical feedback to improve specific skills. Conversely, during trust-based drills, coaches should focus on holistic approaches, feeling what went right, and allowing athletes to develop a trusting mindset. This approach helps coaches align their feedback with the purpose and objectives of each training session.
Building Mental Fitness and Flexibility
In this podcast episode, the speaker discusses the importance of mental fitness, specifically focusing on mental flexibility. They explain that mental strength and endurance are often overemphasized while mental flexibility is underdeveloped in athletes. Mental flexibility is described as the ability to step back, observe different options, and choose the most effective approach in a given circumstance. The speaker emphasizes that mental flexibility allows athletes to avoid becoming stuck in their heads and overthinking, and instead, stay present and focused on their performance. They also highlight the role of mindfulness and acceptance and commitment training in developing mental flexibility.
Finding Inspiration and Commitment
In this podcast episode, the speaker explores the concept of finding inspiration and commitment in sports. They discuss the importance of having a cause bigger than one's sport or performance and aligning actions with personal values. The speaker emphasizes that performance should be seen as an opportunity for self-expression and exploration, rather than a way to prove one's worth. They highlight the distinction between motivation and commitment, stating that motivation is often fleeting, while commitment is an action-based choice. The speaker encourages athletes to focus on committed action and to prioritize staying true to themselves rather than constantly seeking external validation.
I’m excited to speak with Dr Mark Aoyagi this week. Mark is the Co-Director of the Master’s programme in Sport and Performance Psychology and Professor in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver. He is also the founder of the Center for Performance Excellence.
Mark’s areas of expertise include performance excellence, team effectiveness, and achieving meaning, satisfaction and fulfilment through sport, work, and life. He is a recognised sport psychology consultant and has worked with several professional and Olympic teams and athletes as well as NCAA athletic departments and developmental athletes. Mark is active in several professional organizations including the International Society for Sport Psychology, American Psychological Association (APA) and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
In this episode Mark and I speak about theories of performance excellence.
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