State of Mind
/What is state?
Our state, is our way of being in the moment, our mood and the way that we feel. Processed through our body, thoughts and emotions. It’s our condition.
We have different types of states (explained below) and they are the most immediate part of our experience. Meaning, no matter what you’re doing or the level of your capabilities, how you feel will dictate your experience. Your level of skill is dictated by your state.
“I learnt from at a young age how to manage my emotional condition.”
- Gael Clichy in the Soccology book
State vs Confidence
The word confidence dominates the player experience, if a player is playing well they are seen as playing with a high level of confidence and if the player is not playing well, they are seen as playing with a low level of confidence. These opinions are formed by assessing body language, energy, outcomes etc. However, confidence is a feeling of one's own abilities or qualities. How we judge ourselves.
Players are aware of their capabilities, they use their own methods of assessment to position themselves accordingly in terms of how they see themselves, based upon their self assessment. The outcome will be the basis behind the position they choose to play and how they play in that position. Their perception of self can grow as they do, through knowledge and experience. Perception of self can decrease in certain areas too, for example, as players get older they lose mobility and accept that their capabilities in certain areas have decreased. It’s a judgement based upon an assessment of self.
State operates at a higher level than confidence, and can distort that judgement. A player will know how good they are and how capable they are, but may be fearful of carrying out various tasks because of a negative change in state. A player who usually dribbles and takes people on, may enter a period where they avoid doing so, because they struggle to manage criticism when losing possession. In turn, the player magnifies the risks that comes with their style of play, and this increases fear. The player knows his/her’s capabilities, but is scared to execute.
Types of State
Unresourceful State (URS): This has a negative and detrimental effect on a performance, a career or a life. People in this state may demonstrate anger, loss of confidence, anxiety or limiting beliefs. In football, URS can place invisible shackles on a player, leading them to take simple options, think twice about an action and leave them spiritually drained. URS also has an impact on the performance of management and coaching staff, affecting their decisions, tactics and communication.
Resourceful State (RS):
When in a resourceful state, a person operates using calculated and chosen responses. They have a tranquil inner space to access when needed. Being able to visit this place develops an awareness of choice and an ability to reflect, as well as emotional intelligence. These skills, which arethe building blocks of confidence, self-esteem and self-belief, are the basis of a fruitful performance, career and life. Coaching staffcontrol the climate in which they coach and how they manage themselves. A coach that operates in a resourceful state for the majority of the time, gives his players a comfortable foundation to build upon and is also, perhaps unknowingly, a role model in state management.
High Performing State (HPS): In football, this state is known as being ‘in the zone’. They are unconsciously powered, play- ing in the moment on autopilot. Mihály Csikszentmihályi refers to HPS as ‘flow’ and describes it as being ‘fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus’. I think of HPS in football as armour that protects you from falling victim to environmental, social or emotional wounds. The game is yours and no one and nothing can stop you from taking it. As I’ve said, players have different ways of entering a HPS: they play specific music, shout, run on the spot and more to get ‘pumped up’ and ‘up for it.
“When I make a mistake or concede a goal, I refer back to the voice in my mind and begin to coach myself.”
- Willy Caballero in the Soccology book
TIPS - Paying attention to your state
During a Soccology program delivered to a Premier League club’s under 23 team, 17 players out of 20 said they were not playing at their best, due to the environment they were in. That’s 17 players who were not fulfilling their potential based upon how they felt = Unresourceful state.
We all have buddles of talent within us and no matter where we work, or social environments we are in, how we feel, governs our performance.
Being aware of our emotional state can prevent us from slipping into unresourceful states. Here are some tips for players (that coaches can use too).
Grade yourself from 1 to 10.
Then break down the elements of your game, then grade each one out of 10.
Why did you gave yourself the grades you chose?
Now monitor your grades after each training and match (set reminders).
If there are changes, between the grades assess why? From the perspective of how the environment has affected you (coach, parents, team mates, standard of opponent etc).
When grades plummet, strategise how to combat the reasons why. When the grades rise, investigate why and how you can reconstruct the environment so you keep progressing.
I hope you found this useful, if so, please share. For more info on state, refer to the first chapter in the Soccology book/audiobook.
Thank you.
Soccology