Expectations! The Evil Competitor of the Elite Athlete!

Last week I ventured out to the Vic Open golf tournament, the first event of the year for the players after their Xmas and NY break.
For most of the players, the tournament came too soon into the NY as they hadn't really switched back on and ready to compete at their best, and for some, even close to their best.
Im sure they knew that they were coming into this event under done, a little out of touch and not quite running on all cylinders.
Then there were a few golfers that had been putting in some good practise and ready to compete close to their best.
Last week really reaffirmed to me that the players in either one of the above situations, still struggle enormously with being able to handle and control the level of their expectations heading into a tournament week.
I perceive Expectations to be one of the most detrimental aspects of being an elite athlete and especially in the game of golf, where there are so many facets to a players game and success, it is difficult to have all componenets align on any given day.
Expectations can show in many different forms for an athlete, and these many different forms can also have many different meanings to an individual and this is one of the main reasons I love my job so much!
Trying to help a player understand how they function, what aspects of human nature trigger certain actions and behavours in them and most importantly, what happens when they DO perform at their best.
2012 for me is going to be all about creating strategies and techniques to help athletes eliminate expectations as the percentage of time expectations have a positive impact on an athlete, I perceive is minute compared to the percentage it can destroy a players performance.
Expectations dont just destroy an athletes performance, but it can have devastating effects on their emotional state and mental well being.
My motivation for 2012 is to create a wide variety of techniques to be able to help as many athletes that I come accross, seeing that we all function differently, I need to have a variety of tools to use for the varying personalities that I come accross.

Think about what expectations you have for yourself today and in 2012 and try and look back and see how having expectations have impacted your performances in the past!

Stayed tuned in 2012 for any help eliminating expectations from getting in the way of your performances!

 Bryden and I at the Australian Masters ready to have FUN:) Having fun was a process that helped him win the British Amateur in 2011 and will be one we focus on for 2012 and beyond!!