What a lovely interview with Becky James on BBC Radio 4 this morning. Fresh from becoming the first British rider ever to win 4 medals at the World Cycling Championships (including 2 golds) she happily thanked the team’s sports psychologist Dr Steve Peters for helping her tame her ‘inner chimp’.
With every top sportsperson routinely given psychological training, so why is it taking so long for the performing world to catch up? I work with a lot singers, actors and musicians, many at the highest level, and am amazed that their coaches and teachers are not yet integrating these scientifically proven techniques as essential basic training.
One day, not only our conservatoires and acting schools, but also our regular schools at both primary and secondary level, will be teaching young people the power we all have at our disposal to achieve more, and avoid unnecessary pain and distress.
Of course what Becky James and her fellow elite athletes are actually doing is a type of self hypnosis. They may use different words to describe it, but she will be trained to enter a trance when competing, to keep her focused on what she can and will do, and prevent herself from listening to the doubts and fears that inevitably arise in the human mind.
Dr Peters has kindly published the book that all Team GB athletes must read. You can buy it at a discounted rate with free P&P from Waterstones online (a company that I understand does pay UK tax, unlike Amazon) – The Chimp Paradox.
