THE 'S' IN C.U.D.I.T. VBS SYSTEM

S- stands for self-talk and how we set up the story within the C.U.D.I.T.® VBS System. Self-talk is vital to complete the VBS System. It is the final piece of the puzzle to start taking the steps of mastering the mind and empowering the individual.

Motivational components of self-talk include calming and control effects. For example, telling oneself to breathe and relax, while monitoring the action has been proven to put the body in a relaxed state allowing for a higher level of performance. Also, becoming aware of negative thoughts that may arise and shutting them down before they spiral is a very powerful form of self-talk and self-control. Once, the negative thought arises, the person must CATCH THE THOUGHT, CANCEL THE THOUGHT, AND CONSTRUCT A NEW THOUGHT. This is a form of awareness and empowerment for the athlete. THE TRIPLE C METHOD IS TAUGHT IN DEPTH TO ALL C.U.D.I.T.® CONCENTRIC COACHES.

"The idea of self-talk is focusing on the desired thought that will lead to the desired action and to clear the mind of irrelevant thoughts that interfere with performance" (Johnson, Hrycaiko, Johnson & Halas, 2004). This is the highest form of power within guidance to mental visualization. The athlete will learn to speak the steps and create the story in their mind. Once they have learned the power to construct a positive story, they are on their path to truly training 90% of the game.

In his famous Ted talk, Martin Hagger, Professor of Psychology at Curtin University, discusses how successful athletes build their confidence, manage their anxiety and handle pressure utilizing imagery and self-talk. Self talk is used as a strategy with a motivational component but also a calming effect through the use of mantras.

In 2004, a study by Johnson, Hrycaiko studied four female soccer players from an elite under fourteen regional soccer team and examined the effects of the self-talk strategy on performance. They found that the self-talk strategy improved soccer shooting performance for two of the three experimental participants. Participants were quoted to believe that the self=talk strategy helped them to gain and maintain appropriate intentional focus for the task and also increased their confidence during performance.

A positive controlled mindset is a must have for all Licensed C.U.D.I.T.® Concentric Coaches. This is obvious in the coach's motivation, tone, and presence which makes C.U.D.I.T.® above the rest. Remember, C.U.D.I.T.® is more than drills...

Sources:

Johnson, J.M., Hrycaiko, D.W., Johnson, G.V., & Halas, J.M. (2004). Self-Talk and Female Youth Soccer Performance. The Sports Psychologist, 18, 44-59.

Hagger, M. (2013). Sports psychology- inside the mind of champion athletes: Martin Hagger at TedxPerth. Retrieved from:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG7v4y_xwzQ