Lecture Notes: Performance and Energy Management

Introduction

• Sport as a metaphor for life.
• Performance starts when you wake up in the morning.
• The term "athlete" and "performance" apply to everyone, not just athletes.
• Personal story: Former college tennis player experiencing an identity crisis.
• Similar pressure and anxiety seen in various life realms, not just sports.

Goals of the Class

• Use sports psychology theories to introduce a new lens for viewing performance.
• Applicable to both athletes and non-athletes.
• Focus on energy management as a core issue.

Energy Management

• Root cause of many issues is managing energy.
• Emotions are critical in managing energy.
• Depleting emotions: worry, anger, frustration, anxiety.
• Importance of managing physiological and psychological energy levels.
• Emotions as temporary states in response to events.

Nervous System and Levels of Arousal

• Oversimplification of the nervous system can be counterproductive.
• Arousal: blend of physiological and psychological responses.
• Continuum of arousal: motivation to burnout.
• Polyvagal theory: hierarchy of nervous system states.
  • Ventral vagal: engagement and calmness.
  • Sympathetic activation: fight or flight.
  • Dorsal vagal: shutdown or freeze.

Anxiety

• A subcategory of arousal that is negatively perceived.
• Types:
  • State Anxiety: Temporary, situational (e.g., before a test).
  • Trait Anxiety: Chronic, part of personality.

Stress

• Defined by the imbalance between demand and response capability.
• Stress generates arousal, which can be positive (eustress) or negative (distress).

Theories of Arousal

1. Drive Theory:
   • Linear relationship: more arousal equals better performance, dependent on skill level.
   • Beginners may not perform well under high arousal.
2. Inverted U Theory:
   • Optimal level of arousal exists; too much or too little can be detrimental.
   • Linked to Goldilocks principle: not too hot, not too cold.
3. Reversal Theory:
   • Impact of arousal depends on interpretation.
   • Training to perceive arousal positively.

Techniques for Managing Arousal

1. Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR):

   • Alternating muscular tension and relaxation.
   • Increases body awareness and regulates somatic tension.

2. Imagery (Visualization):

   • Create and recreate experiences mentally.
   • Enhances performance by preparing the mind.
   • Start with simple visualizations, increase complexity.

3. Self-Talk:

   • Interpersonal communication: positive, negative, instructive.
   • Listen to the body, talk to the mind.

Conclusion

• Reassess the role of theories in understanding human performance.
• Focus on energy management and emotional control for better performance.
• Encourage openness to different theoretical frameworks.
• Tools and techniques discussed are adaptable to various life and professional contexts.