FACT: Over-thinking and a negative attitude only prolongs a slump.
STUDIES SUGGEST you can break out of a slump by simply visualizing success and do not dwell on your past mistakes.
CASE STUDY: Atlanta Braves star pitcher John Smoltz was in a slump in the 1991 baseball season. He won just 2 of 11 games. Then he got some help from a psychologist. He went 12-2. What made the difference? He started watching videos of his best pitches, then recalled those images when he got to the mound, mentally encouraging the feeling of throwing well.
Psychologists think slumps happen as a result of a chain reaction. Someone has a couple of bad events. They begin to question themselves. They begin to over-think. They lose overall self-esteem.
The same principle also applies to the workplace, home and school.
DEVELOP RITUALS
Of great importance is to develop rituals to keep you in a positive state of mind. One psychologist recommends carrying a laminated card that evokes feelings of success. When negative thoughts enter your mind that question your ability, you should pull the card out immediately to stop this behavior.
Other rituals include the following tips submitted by our readers:
Jay:
I use the STOP and THINK approach. When my thoughts turn negative, I stop what i’m doing and ask myself: What do my negative thoughts look like. Are they hot, cold, etc… In just a few seconds of asking these questions, the negative thoughts disappear and it makes it very easy to change my thinking. If I’m having trouble concentrating, I do the same thing. I begin to ask myself what does my lack of concentration look like. For some odd reason, just asking this question makes them go away — making it very easy to recall past successes or past times I had a very easy time concentrating. When I think about the times I’ve been hyper-focused, it makes it a lot easier to focus on the very important.
Remember, it’s okay for negative thoughts to enter your mind. It’s not okay to entertain those thoughts if success is what you’re after. “Instead, you remember all the other parts of yourself that are strong.”
Related Resources:
- Visualization Techniques and Sports Performance
- Tips for Mastering Visualization Techniques
- How to Get Out of a Slump
- Get Off Your Butt: 16 Ways to Get Motivated When You’re in a Slump
- How to Get Out of a Slump, and Handle Pressure Situations Calmly
- How to Get Out of a Motivational Slump
Shellenbarger, By Sue. “Career Advice and Tips: Slumping at Work? How Athletes Can Spark an Office Comeback – WSJ.com.” Business News & Financial News – The Wall Street Journal – WSJ.com. Web. 20 Oct. 2010. <http://online.wsj.com/>.
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