Keywords

flow, goal-setting, gratitude, mindfulness, motivation, performance, well-being

Abstract

Because of the emphasis of sports in today’s society, athletes experience near-constant pressure from the public, coaches, and fans. This can make it difficult to control feelings of stress, anxiety, and even depression. Positive psychology interventions have been shown to be useful in teaching athletes to cope with difficult emotions and to handle the stress that accompanied advanced competition (Gabana, 2018). The benefits of positive affect have been shown to enhance motivation and attention, facilitate coping with hardship, and increase problem-solving skills (McCarthy, 2011). The practices of gratitude, mindfulness, and goal setting are some of the most effective skills taught to athletes, improving both performance and motivation (Gabana, 2018). Gratitude is a skill that can expand positive emotion, helping athletes to become more creative, on-the-spot thinkers, which is important in a fast-paced sports environment (Gabana, 2018). Mindfulness also assists athletes in blocking out distractions and negative thoughts to focus on performing well (Foster, 2018). Lastly, goal setting may increase motivation and drive among athletes because of the incentive to accomplish something meaningful (Fairall & Rodgers, 1997). Each of these positive psychology strategies is thought to be a factor in athletes’ ability to reach the state of flow, essential in performing at their best ability. When each strategy is implemented daily, physical and mental well-being among athletes can increase significantly. For these reasons, athletes should aim to utilize such strategies in their training to reach their maximum potential.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2025-09-05

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Psychology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Sophomore

Course

Psychology 307

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Psychology Commons

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