How I Developed my Archery Mental Game || Casey Kaufhold

Summary

In this video, Casey shares her mental game process for archery, detailing her pre-shot, shot, and post-shot routines. Drawing from her experiences with sports psychologists and mental performance coaches, she explains how positive self-talk, visualization, and goal setting help her stay focused and manage pressure during competition. She also emphasizes the importance of journaling to track progress and mental growth. By providing insights into her mental approach, Casey offers a valuable glimpse into the mindset that has supported her success in high-stakes tournaments.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker emphasizes their personal mental game process in archery, created from lessons learned through working with sports psychologists and performance coaches.
• 😀 They outline their pre-shot, shot, and post-shot routines, which involve visualization, mental cues, and self-reflection to ensure consistency and focus.
• 😀 The speaker uses specific mental cues such as 'control the shot no matter what,' 'up set,' 'down smooth,' and 'breathe' to stay focused during the shot execution.
• 😀 Positive self-talk is a vital part of the speaker's mental game, helping them stay positive and focused, particularly in high-pressure situations like competitions.
• 😀 Affirmation cards and impact statements are used to reinforce positive self-image and boost confidence, such as 'I am comfortable with being world number one.'
• 😀 Goal setting plays a significant role in their mental approach, including long-term goals (e.g., the 2028 Olympics) and short-term goals (e.g., achieving a 300 score in Vegas by 2027).
• 😀 The speaker stresses the importance of making goals specific, realistic, and time-sensitive, framing them in terms of 'I will' rather than 'I want' to foster a sense of commitment and confidence.
• 😀 Journaling is an essential part of their mental game routine, allowing the speaker to reflect on practices and tournaments, assess what worked well, and identify areas for improvement.
• 😀 The speaker highlights how reviewing journal entries from successful days can help replicate good performances, especially when struggling with consistency or focus.
• 😀 The mental game process is an ongoing loop of preparation, execution, reflection, and improvement, helping the speaker manage pressure and stay focused during competition.

Q & A

What is the purpose of Casey's mental game process in archery?

Casey's mental game process is designed to help her maintain focus, consistency, and calm under pressure during her archery practice and competitions. She has developed a system that incorporates techniques from sports psychologists and mental performance coaches to enhance her shot consistency and mental toughness.

How does Casey prepare mentally before shooting?

Before shooting, Casey follows a pre-shot routine that includes visualizing her shot, either in a general sense or focusing on specific aspects like her release. She mentally prepares by imagining what a strong shot feels like, which helps her execute it better in practice.

What is Casey's mental process during the actual shot?

During the shot, Casey follows a series of mental cues, starting with 'control the shot no matter what' and including terms like 'up set,' 'down smooth,' 'hook stay,' 'here I go,' and 'breathe.' These help her stay focused and execute the shot consistently while managing intrusive thoughts or nerves.

How does Casey handle intrusive thoughts during high-pressure situations?

Casey relies on her mental process during her shot routine to combat intrusive thoughts. By staying focused on the specific steps in her routine, she prevents distractions from affecting her performance, even in high-pressure situations such as competition.

What is the significance of post-shot reflection for Casey?

After each shot, Casey reflects on how it went by grading the shot. If the shot was good, she visualizes repeating it. If something went wrong, she identifies areas for improvement and visualizes making corrections, ensuring she continuously improves while not dwelling on mistakes.

Why does Casey practice positive self-talk, and how does she use it?

Casey practices positive self-talk to maintain confidence and focus. She uses it to stay positive, reinforcing her belief in herself and her skills. For example, she reminds herself with phrases like 'you've got this' or 'one shot at a time,' which helps keep her mentally strong during matches.

What role do affirmation cards play in Casey's mental game?

Affirmation cards are an essential part of Casey's mental game, serving as reminders of her goals and positive beliefs. She carries cards with statements like 'I am comfortable being world number one,' helping her build confidence and reinforce a positive self-image.

How does Casey set her goals, and why does she emphasize the importance of specific, time-sensitive goals?

Casey sets both long-term and short-term goals, ensuring they are realistic and time-sensitive. She emphasizes the importance of framing goals as 'I will' rather than 'I want,' believing that the certainty of 'I will' helps drive commitment and determination in achieving her targets.

How does Casey use journaling to improve her mental game?

Casey uses journaling to track her progress, reflecting on her practice and competition performance. After each session, she notes what went well, areas to improve, and how she can make those improvements. This helps her build a mental toolkit to assess and improve her performance over time.

How does Casey's journaling practice help during competitions?

During competitions, Casey uses her journaling to analyze the mental side of her performance, noting how nerves or other factors may have impacted her shot. She uses her journal entries to track patterns and adjust her mental strategies for future events, ensuring continuous improvement.