Sport psychology Archives - Page 6 of 14

The Hidden Key to High Performance

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2021-06-26T09:41:58-04:00June 26, 2021|Categories: Sport psychology|

I spend a lot of time reading, listening to podcasts, and attending trainings on high performers and performance psychology. As a geek and techie from way back (think technological stone age), I am as excited as the next person about the latest neuro-psycho-bio hack. I love the advancement of our knowledge and understanding where it connects to human performance. I make it my business to stretch myself, learn new skills, and integrate the new and exciting with what I already know to be helpful.

One of the measures I use to evaluate new discoveries and ideas is how well they align with core ideas from a variety of different perspectives and disciplines. While I never summarily dismiss ideas that are “way out there,” I have always been an integrationist and get excited when ideas converge and I discover the commonalities from different ideological camps. One of these points of convergence relates to the underlying foundations of high performance. That is the fundamental importance of human wellness as a foundation for high performance.

Surprisingly, wellness can be a difficult term to define. My favorite definition so far has been offered by Dan Siegel, MD. In his book Mind: A journey to the heart of being human he offers the acronym FACES to point to what he considers the foundational aspects of wellness; Flexible, Adaptive, Cohesive, Energized, and Stable. As helpful and interesting as these target attributes of wellness might be, it was Dr. Siegel’s description of a well functioning system which he believes underscores human wellness that really captured my imagination.

At the risk of oversimplifying, a well functioning system is one where there is an open and free flow of energy and information between all the different parts of the system. I was working with a rider yesterday and I was reminded of of deeply influential these ideas are in my work. It is hard for me to imagine any suggestion or intervention I make that is not easily described in these terms. In yesterdays session we talked about building physiological awareness (flow of energy and information between our body and our conscious mind). We later talked about mindfulness as a foundation for growing emotional tolerance and reducing reactivity (flow of energy and information between attentional systems, conscious thought, emotional systems and behavioral systems).

The bottom line is that we can hack away making use of the latest research and information about neurobiology or physiology or psychology to enhance our performance; but, if we don’t attend to our fundamental wellness as human beings it is a lost cause. The hidden key to high performance is wellness. The hidden key to wellness is integration. We need to nurture and care for each “part” of ourselves and, we need to invest in the healthy integration of body, mind, and spirit. If we invest in our overall wellness we open the doors to reach our peak potential. ~ Paul

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The Power and Promise of Collaboration

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2021-05-07T12:27:25-04:00May 7, 2021|Categories: Horsemanship, Sport psychology|

I have always been fascinated and excited when I discover similarities or commonalities in different systems. Whether that is a repeated pattern in different people, or a commonality across species, or an identifiable dynamic in different systems. My eyes light up when I notice these connections. Perhaps this is because, by my very nature as a human, I am desperate to notice patterns and predict what is going to happen in order to survive in this world. However, I like to think it is more a result of my curiosity and my interest in helping people. You see, it is my experience that the awareness and understanding of patterns and similarities that exist across species and relational systems are often the key in helping people progress toward their goals.

I think this is what people mean when they say that “horses are our mirrors.” In their interactions with horses they become aware of a pattern that they recognize either within themselves or in their relationships with others. At times, these patterns represent positive and adaptive qualities. At other times, the patterns are unproductive or perhaps even destructive.

Learning and growth is all about creating new patterns. This can happen by learning and adopting entirely new and different patterns of thought, emotion, behavior, and/or interaction. Or, this can can be accomplished by shifting old patterns through smaller changes. The challenge is often recognizing our patterns, both good and bad. And, at the same time, growing our awareness of the possibility of new and different ways of being. Simple awareness of existing patterns without openness and connection to the possibility of growth only leads to self-judgment and despair.

Connecting to a world of possibility, growth, and change requires us to be open to others. We seek out instructors and mentors in order to open doors and windows to growth. As insightful or gifted as an instructor can be, I am always aware that each mentor (I include myself in this) is limited by their own knowledge and experience. In seeking out new ideas, how can we prevent ourselves from being tossed around in a sea of different and contrasting perspectives? How do we know when a new and different approach has value?

The answer to these questions is not simple. I can only share with you how I approach this in my own life and horsemanship. First and foremost, I connect to core values. For me these are compassion, empathy, integrity, passion, and respect for horse and rider. I look for these in every mentor I seek out. Second, I look for the spirit of collaboration.

True collaboration is an amazing thing. When people collaborate with each other they are saying, “I have something to offer” and “I have something to learn” at the same time. My advice for you as you look to advance your horsemanship and grow as an individual is to surround yourself with people that embody this true spirit of collaboration and approach every interaction, especially those with your horse, this way.

Have an amazing day. ~ Paul

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Are You a Life-Long Learner

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2021-04-02T08:48:06-04:00April 2, 2021|Categories: Sport psychology|Tags: equestrian sport psychology, growth mindset, learning, Mindset, sport psychology|

There have been many times in my life where I realized that I have only given lip service to the idea of being a “life long learner.” Sure, I would read, consult with colleagues, and attend conferences and clinics, but what I realized was that I often limited myself by drinking from the same fountains of knowledge over and over again. I had decided ahead of time what knowledge and skill sets were useful and, to a large extent, disregarded the rest.

I am eternally grateful to the many friends and colleagues I have met along the way who opened my eyes and invited me to consider the value of different perspectives; Arieahn Motamonasa, PhD, Joe Lancia, DO, and Molly Sweeney just to name a few. Everything I read these days reinforces this lesson. A few months ago I read a book on trauma entitled, The Body Keeps the Score. In addition to the thoughtful presentation of the current knowledge and research on trauma, Dr. van der Kolk shared his journey in exploring wide ranging approaches to trauma treatment from psychopharmacology to psychodrama. His curiosity and openness to these varied ideas and approaches is inspiring.

My sister Susan Haefner is an accomplished actress with several Broadway appearances. Sue and I often share our experiences and insights gained in our respective work. When she talks about her teaching and coaching work, I am struck by how valuable many of those lessons would be for my clients who are dealing with mental blocks, show jitters or performance anxiety. I muse about how singing lessons might help my clients free up their diaphragm and improve their breathing while riding. Or, how acting lessons might engage my clients imagination and help them to more easily enter and hold onto their desired performance mindset.

Justin and I frequently have wide ranging conversations. We talk about physics, spirituality, psychology, equine ethology, osteopathy (and so many other topics) as well as our recreational activities and experiences like guitar, ballroom dancing, books we have read, meditation, yoga, and relationships. We regularly get to explore and share the insights we gained and how they relate to our horsemanship.

So, in the spirit of expanding stretching ourselves, expanding our boundaries, and living up to the true meaning of life-long learning; explore something new in the world. Email my sister and take some acting or singing lessons. Take up ballroom dancing. Learn a new instrument. Read a book about something you know little or nothing about. You may be surprised how it can transform you and your experiences with your horse. And, if your horses are anything like mine, they will thank you… Paul

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Casual Conversations: A Word on Safety

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2021-01-19T13:41:16-05:00January 19, 2021|Categories: Sport psychology|Tags: equestrian, equestrian sport, equestrian sport pschology, Safety, sport psychology|

In this week’s Casual Conversation Justin talks about safety, the judgements we make about safety, and what he considers to be the most import considerations. Casual Conversations are a series of clips from a conversation that Paul and Justin had about their journeys, insights into humans and horses, the nature of fear, pathways to growth, and much, much more. If you have missed the past clips, you can find them on our Facebook page or watch them on our YouTube channel – Riding Far, LLC

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Casual Conversations: Dr. Paul’s personal struggles in his horsemanship.

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2021-01-06T14:28:04-05:00December 16, 2020|Categories: Sport psychology|Tags: equestrian, equestrian sport, equestrian sport psychology, personal growth, self awareness, sport psychology|

In this week’s Casual Conversation Dr. Paul talks about his personal struggles in developing his horsemanship. Casual Conversations are a series of clips from a conversation that Paul and Justin had about their journeys, insights into humans and horses, the nature of fear, pathways to growth, and much, much more. If you have missed the past clips, you can find them on our Facebook page or watch them on our YouTube channel – Riding Far, LLC

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Casual Conversations – Justin’s Journey: From Knowledge to Awareness

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2020-12-08T17:40:35-05:00December 8, 2020|Categories: Sport psychology|

In this week’s Casual Conversation Justin talks about the importance of awareness and how he actively works to transform information and knowledge into practical, applied awareness. Casual Conversations are a series of clips from a conversation that Paul and Justin had about their journeys, insights into humans and horses, the nature of fear, pathways to growth, and much, much more. If you missed the earlier clips are sure to check them out.

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Casual Conversations – Justin’s Journey: Nurturing Informed Intuition

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2020-12-02T07:46:13-05:00December 2, 2020|Categories: Sport psychology|

Casual Conversations continue… a series of clips from a conversation that Paul and Justin had about their journeys, insights into humans and horses, the nature of fear, pathways to growth, and much, much more. Enjoy this clip where Justin talks about developing and nurturing his informed intuition about horses. Enjoy… #transformation #sportpsychology

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Casual Conversations: Dr. Paul’s Foundation

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2020-11-17T14:14:11-05:00November 17, 2020|Categories: Sport psychology|Tags: equestrian, equestrian sport, equestrian sport psychology, horses, sport psychology, Transformation|

Welcome to Casual Conversations. This is a series of clips from a conversation that Paul and Justin had on a recent vacation. They talked about their journeys, insights into humans and horses, the nature of fear, pathways to growth, and much, much more. Enjoy this clip where Dr. Paul talks about how he went from a non-horsey family to a full-time equestrian sport psychologist. Enjoy…

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Desperately Dependent or Fiercely Independent: Finding the right balance.

By Paul Haefner, Ph.D.|2020-08-28T11:32:09-04:00February 28, 2020|Categories: Sport psychology|

In this episode of Sport Psych in a Minute, equestrian sport psychologist Dr. Paul Haefner explores the balance between relying on oneself and relying on others for guidance. He talks about the importance of balance and developing your “internal measuring stick” to help determine your own dynamic balance between the two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWFp5FKWm5I&feature=youtu.be

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