PhD Candidate in Rehabilitation Studies, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USAUnited States
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USAUnited States
Associate Professor, School of Social Work, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USAUnited States
Associate Professor, Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USAUnited States
Assistant Professor, Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square N, New York, NY, USAUnited States
Also available as PDF (figures and tables appear in the PDF).
Every sports fan remembers watching a game where one team that clearly dominated another in skill and power and then, magically, quickly, unexpectedly the other team won. Expert commentators and fans alike are left scratching their heads, “what happened?” Sports psychologists have the answer. Sports psychologists emphasize that being successful in sports is not only about the physical game on the field but also the inner game of psychology. In sports management classic, Mind Gym, Gary Mack1 discusses mastering the inner game. Mack1 uses his experience with top athletes and research on the psychological factors of success to teach the reader what it takes for athletes to master themselves and make the most of their physical skills so that they can achieve their potential on the field of their choice.
Mack’s 1 style of prose is to inform and inspire, but he works hard to avoid creating a rigid system of rules for athletes. The book’s thematic mental game is one that athletes should cultivate. It makes sense that if the controllable part of the game is half mental then athletes should spend time developing this part of their game. If practicing the physical game only accounts for half of athletes’ performance, ignoring the mental game may undermine their chances of success. Mack’s insight into managing adversity suggests that fear focuses on potential future problems and that doubt lives in a person’s lack of self-worth. Therefore, this book is highly recommended to anyone interested in sports psychology, athletes actively playing their favorite games, and anyone else interested in how the mental game affects their performance in their chosen careers. The practical nature of this book lends its utility to coaches and players, and may aid in designing interventions aimed at reducing inadequate thoughts, and feelings often experienced by athletes. This book would be applicable to any athlete struggling with performance, and goal-achievement.
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.