Affirmations are statements which are said out loud. A great number of clients have found it helpful to use affirmations and the reason for this is that it enables them to take control of their lives outside the consulting room. Affirmations can be used for a range of problems including depression, anxiety, grief, panic disorder and social phobia. However, they can also be used in sport in order to enhance performance and/or concentration. In sport, affirmations can be done at home in order to help prepare for a sporting event; and they can be used during a sporting activity or during a break. For example, some tennis players use affirmations when they take a break between games, while darts players focus their attention on a particular part of the board when preparing to throw a dart. As a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist, I tend to offer people in sports two types of affirmation. The first is a positive statement about themselves, while the second type seems to be a short, pithy repetition of words. Here are some examples:
Long Affirmations
‘I can do this’ (general)
‘I can pass the ball with precision today (soccer)
‘May stamina is the best it can be’ (general)
‘I will train harder than I have ever done before’ (general/training)
‘I will meet my full athletic potential’ (general/athletics)
‘I can jump high’ (high jump; goalkeeping)
‘I am a winner’ (general)
‘I am dedicated to my training’ (general/training)
‘Winning is the best feeling in the world’ (general)
Short Affirmations/Mantras
‘Aim, aim, aim’ (darts; archery; pool, golf etc.)
‘Focus, focus, focus; lock’ (darts, archery, pool, golf etc.)
‘Ready, ready, ready’ (racing; running)
‘I am strong’ (boxing; karate etc.)