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What Were You Thinking? Self-Talk Series (Part 1)

What Were You Thinking? Self-Talk Series (Part 1)

How to Focus on Constructive and Hopeful Thoughts on the Course

Monday, February 15, 2021 - 13:04

Negative self-talk can undermine your confidence and lead to cascading consequences. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen

By Dane Anderson

Positive self-talk is one of the most important skills you can use as a disc golfer. When you think constructive and hopeful thoughts, you are more likely to play with confidence rather than doubt and uncertainty. This is not surprising. The first step to cultivating positive self-talk, however, is developing your ability to notice when you are unwittingly employing negative-self talk on the course.

First, we must define the term “self-talk.” It is more than what you say to yourself out loud. In fact, self-talk is primarily inner dialogue that includes one’s thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs about their abilities. It is activated by events that elicit an emotional response. For example, let’s say you miss an easy putt you normally make 90% of the time. Your initial reaction may be to think, “I suck! I can’t even make an easy shot,” or, “Wow, today’s just not my day.” If you’ve ever had these thoughts on the course, you are certainly not alone. Many athletes experience negative self-talk because they are competitive and can’t stand the thought of performing below the level the know they are capable of. The secret is that allowing self-talk to linger more than a few moments can often derail performances that could have been much more successful and rewarding.

Is Self-Talk Helping Or Hurting Your Game?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to determine if your self-talk is positive or negative:

  • Is it evaluative or instructive? Evaluative self-talk leads you to constantly evaluate your performance, often resulting in self-critical thoughts. Instructive self-talk helps you learn from your mishaps and apply your experience to the next shot.
  • Is it future or present focused? Future-based self-talk often focuses on what you hope to avoid rather than what you can control. Present-based self-talk focuses on the task in front of you and should bring your awareness to your body and the movements necessary to execute the next shot. 
  • Is it passive or active? Passive self-talk interprets events on the course merely “happening to you,” while active self-talk encourages you to take responsibility for both the good and the bad shots. 
  • Is it random or purposeful? Random self-talk focuses on nothing in particular and includes thoughts about anything including the last hole, the joke your partner just told, your newest Facebook friend, or what you’re going to eat when you get done with the round. Purposeful self-talk shifts your focus to careful attention to each shot and your approach to it.
  • Is it pessimistic or optimistic? Pessimistic self-talk focuses on a belief that the round will probably not go the way you want it to, which may lead you to interpret your unforeseen successes as luck rather than skill. Optimistic self-talk leads you to interpret challenging shots as opportunities rather than obstacles and attribute your success to skill rather than luck.

Considering these questions will help you begin to notice when you unconsciously tune into the stream of negative self-talk. Merely being aware of this can be enough to “change the channel” and listen to more positive self-talk that will increase your confidence. When you can truly embrace the imperfections of the game, you will free yourself from the detrimental effects of negative self-talk and enjoy disc golf more fully.


Dane Anderson is a doctoral candidate offering sport psychology and mental skills training services to athletes looking to improve their mental game. He teaches skills including goal-setting, self-talk and imagery. Contact him at [email protected] or call 541-414-4289