Do High Jumpers need Self Esteem?
- By Joseph Ebenezer
- Feb 7, 2018
- 3 min read
As you stand in a crowded stadium filled with spectators, your family, and friends. It can be a truly lonely place to stand. The Jumper is the vision of a solitary figure. Once the official gives the 1 minute start time the jump needs to be attempted. It is important in this moment that the athlete isn't fighting 2 wars.
The first war is the height he/she has to clear or the jump he/she has to take. The second is the doubt within, the question "can I do it"?
Self Esteem
Self-esteem is a term used in psychology to reflect a person's overall emotional evaluation of his or her own worth. It is a judgement of oneself as well as an attitude toward the self.
Self-esteem encompasses beliefs such as "I am competent", "I am worthy" and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride, confidence and shame.
"The self-concept" is what we think about the self. Self-esteem is the positive or negative evaluations of the self, as in how we feel about it.
Why is a positive Self Esteem necessary for an athlete?
Even if the athlete has a positive self evaluation about that athletic ability but not about other things in their life it will always come back to hurt their performance when they find themselves under pressure. Simply put a High Jumper that possesses a negative self evaluation, no matter how physically strong steps on the field fighting two wars instead of one.
Positive self esteem encompasses emotions like pride, confidence, trust, joy, excitement while negative self esteem borders around shame, and despair. So an athlete with a negative self evaluation is emotionally unstable, and for the most part not fit to compete because they could break at any point.
A positive mental attitude keeps an athlete working hard. Words of encouragement such as "I am worthy", "I am able"," I am strong", "I am fast", "I can get better", "I can rise above" etc, can motivate an athlete to attempt and accomplish the impossible. These phrases are positive affirmations which are an important part of self esteem and the landmark for success.
Small steps can go a long way.
The journey towards a positive self esteem is different for every athlete. However there are small things an athlete can do to avoid fighting an unwanted psychological battle during competition.
Be self aware: Being aware of how you comfortable or uncomfortable you feel in different situations can help you deal with your inner struggles and help you pinpoint what boosts your confidence.
You can then make an effort to avoid any negative triggers and create an environment and a state of mind that gives you the boost you need.
Short Mantras: Short simple mantras that you can whisper to yourself during the course of a day can go a long way to reminding yourself of what you would like to be and put negative thoughts at bay.
Dress for confidence: Every jumper knows the feeling of wearing a new jump spikes, that confidence you get from the novelty of the cushion and traction. Getting a new spikes, running shoes, colorful and inspiring apparel such as t-shirts, tank tops, caps, shorts etc, can go a long way in boosting your confidence and mood and might just be enough to bluff your way through an athletic meet.
And don't forget to be your own champion!
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