#298 Dr Kimberly Wagner - Mental Skills and Characteristics for Enhanced Performance
Sep 9, 2024
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Dr. Kimberly Wagner, a licensed clinical and sport psychologist with a competitive athletic background, shares her insights on enhancing performance through mental skills. She reveals the vital role of resilience and positive self-talk, particularly in baseball. The discussion highlights the connection between mental health and athletic success, emphasizing tailored mental skills training. Kimberly also illustrates how these skills can be applied beyond sports to elevate performance in professional settings, offering listeners practical tools to navigate mental barriers.
Resilience and the ability to recover from failure are critical mental skills for athletes to achieve success in baseball.
Maintaining focus and managing stress are essential for preventing burnout and facilitating peak performance throughout a demanding season.
Deep dives
The Importance of Mental Skills in Baseball
Dealing with failure and resilience emerged as crucial mental skills for Major League Baseball players. The sport is characterized by its high rate of failure, where a player can still achieve greatness despite striking out most of the time. Players emphasized how their ability to bounce back from setbacks contributes significantly to their success. Resilience, in this context, allows athletes to maintain their performance levels amid the challenges inherent in baseball.
Effective Focus and Stress Management
Athletes highlighted the necessity of maintaining effective focus and the ability to toggle their concentration throughout the game. In baseball, where participation in plays can be intermittent, athletes must learn to regain focus at the right moments while also allowing themselves periods of mental relaxation. Additionally, players discussed managing the stress associated with the constant pressure of performance, external scrutiny, and the daily grind of the sport. These skills are vital for maintaining peak performance and preventing burnout over a long season.
Character Traits That Enhance Athletic Longevity
Several key characteristics were identified by players that contribute to long careers in baseball, including a strong work ethic and self-confidence. The players understood that diligent practice and a commitment to being the first at training and the last to leave were essential for success. Self-confidence, stemming from within rather than external validation, was noted as crucial for sustaining performance. This internal belief allows athletes to navigate pressures and expectations more effectively, thereby prolonging their careers in a competitive environment.
Building Self-Confidence and Motivation
Rebuilding self-confidence was identified as a significant focus for athletes, especially following setbacks such as injuries or performance slumps. Techniques such as positive self-talk and visualization were recommended to help athletes regain their confidence and motivation. Furthermore, recognizing each individual's unique motivating factors was emphasized as essential for fostering sustained engagement in their sport. By addressing both the mental skills and the underlying motivations, athletes can enhance their performance and overall well-being.
I’m delighted to speak with Dr Kimberly Wagner this week. Kimberly is a licensed clinical psychologist and sport/performance psychologist.
With a background as a competitive athlete and a passion for psychology, Kimberly focused on clinical psychology as well as specialising in sport psychology while at graduate school. Her doctoral dissertation research focused on sport psychology, specifically she studied the mental skills and characteristics which enhance performance in Major League Baseball players.
During her research, Kimberly conducted extensive interviews with Major League Baseball players discussing what mental skills and characteristics they utilise to enhance their performance, and what gives them the competitive edge at an elite level of competition.
Kimberly has presented her research at multiple international and national conferences including at the 2013 and 2016 annual American Psychological Association (APA) conference as well as the California Psychological Association (CPA) conference.
Kimberly has experience working with high school and collegiate level athletes as well as junior professional and professional athletes on improving the mental component of their game as a way of facilitating peak performance.
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