ABSTRACT
The first mental skill psychologists address is Positive Self-Talk, likely the most foundational of all mental skills. Being positive involves intentionally stopping negative self-talk and replacing it with positive self-talk, using positive self-talk to build confidence, and focusing on the controllables – those aspects of the situation psychologists can impact. Positive self-talk focuses on what a person can do, what is right about the situation. Positive self-talk recognizes that there are issues and challenges, but focuses on the best-case outcome in a difficult situation. Successful athletes are confident. Confidence is developed over time through a combination of positive thinking and success experiences. Confident athletes consistently use constructive thinking to focus on and benefit from their successes and to minimize errors and losses. Confidence enables psychologists to trust their performance. Direction refers to whether one's focus is internally directed to a person's thoughts or externally directed toward the environment and those in the environment.
