248 Embracing Fear And The Dreaded Yips

Demystifying Mental Toughness

The “yips” is a word that strikes fear into many golfers, cricketers, darts players and many other performers. With the yips, comes huge emotional and physiological responses. Lack of enjoyment, and often thoughts about and decisions to quit your chosen sport or pastime. It doesn’t have to be that way however as Trevor Jones a PGA Professional Golf Coach and Mental Performance Coach and I discuss in this episode. We go on to talk about leaning into your fears, embracing discomfort, Acceptance Commitment Therapy or Training (ACT) and mindfulness to help golfers and performers.

Key Learning Points:

• The yips is a significant problem which can escape into other areas of your sport and life.
• The practice of "dropping anchor" remaining still for extended periods can help you remain present.
• Consider what values would make enduring discomfort worthwhile as motivation to regularly practice exercises of this type.
• Explore ways of incorporating mindfulness techniques into other areas of your life to build mental flexibility.
• The still lake exercise is a helpful technique to find flow.

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To Listen To Golf or Yips Related Podcast Episodes To Help You

Ep012: Alessia Bruno – The Yips, Crashes, Trauma in Sport there is hope for Athletes

Ep099: Trevor Jones – How to Deal with Overthinking on the Golf Course

Ep167: Karl Morris – How To Manage Your Emotions To Improve Your Golf

Ep101: Compilation - 25 Mental Game Secrets to Improve Your Golf

Ep156: Ruth Chiles - There is Hope: How to Overcome Focal Dystonia

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