Win the Game of Life with Sport Psychology | Jonathan Fader | TEDxRutgers

Summary

In this engaging talk, a sports and performance psychologist shares insights from her 15-year career working with high-level athletes and first responders. She discusses the natural human tendency to worry and how it can be managed using techniques like mental rehearsal, self-talk, and mindfulness meditation. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment, especially during high-pressure situations, and demonstrates practical breathing exercises to help achieve this. She encourages the audience to apply these methods to their own lives, suggesting that everyone can benefit from the mental conditioning used by elite athletes.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker, a sports and performance psychologist, uses humor to admit their own nervousness, setting a relatable tone for the audience.
• 🏆 The speaker has extensive experience working with high-performance athletes in various sports leagues, including the NFL and MLB.
• 🤔 The pressure to perform is a common theme, affecting not only athletes but also people in everyday life situations.
• 🧠 The importance of mental conditioning is emphasized, comparing it to physical training for the mind and soul.
• 🌟 Techniques such as mental rehearsal, self-talk, and mindfulness are shared as tools used by athletes to enhance performance.
• 🔥 A personal anecdote about the speaker's parents introduces the concept of mindfulness and meditation in a light-hearted way.
• 👨‍🔬 The speaker's academic background and work with elite athletes, like LeBron James, provide credibility to the techniques being discussed.
• 🚒 The application of these psychological techniques extends beyond sports, as illustrated by the speaker's work with the FDNY.
• 🔍 The speaker provides a practical breathing exercise to help manage stress and stay present, demonstrating its use in high-pressure situations.
• 🎭 The talk concludes with a playful freestyle rap, showing the speaker's ability to engage the audience and emphasize the importance of being in the moment.

Q & A

What is the speaker's profession?

The speaker is a sport and performance psychologist.

What high-level organizations has the speaker worked with?

The speaker has worked with high professional athletes in the NFL, MLB, and with the fire department in New York City.

What was the speaker's experience like during the 2015 World Series with the New York Mets?

The speaker felt the pressure and was distracted with worries about the outcome, despite being on the sidelines.

What is the main focus of the speaker's talk?

The main focus is to share techniques that help manage thoughts and stress, which the speaker has used with athletes.

What is the significance of the 'dance' the speaker refers to during the talk?

The 'dance' signifies the natural human tendency to worry about being judged and to overthink, which is a common behavior everyone in the audience can relate to.

What is mental conditioning according to the speaker?

Mental conditioning is described as exercises for the mind, similar to physical exercises like squats and curls, but for the brain and soul.

What are some techniques the speaker uses to help athletes?

The speaker uses mental rehearsal, imagery, internal motivation, adaptive self-talk, and focused breathing techniques.

Why did the speaker initially feel embarrassed about his parents' practice of meditation?

The speaker felt embarrassed because as a child, he found his parents' practice of mindfulness meditation strange and didn't want to share it with others.

How did the speaker's perspective on meditation change?

The speaker's perspective changed when he saw respected psychology professors at the University of Washington meditating, realizing that his parents were right all along.

What is the breathing technique the speaker teaches for managing stress?

The breathing technique involves inhaling for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and then pausing for two seconds.

What does the speaker mean when he says 'life is a sport'?

The speaker means that life should be approached with the same mindset and techniques as an athlete, being fully present and engaged in every moment.