Getting involved in the hype by reading the papers, social media and/or looking up your stats. After your season is over, then you can check this stuff out. During the season, focus on always improving.
Associating with negative people. They will slow you down and taint your progress during the season. Keep your distance from them.
Making any particular match or tournament "special." All matches and practices are important, but nothing is ever special. Special adds pressure. Treat everything the same to stay consistent.
Believing ANY opponent you face is unbeatable. There are countless examples of then the underdog succeeded – David and Goliath, The Movie "Miracle", etc. It's possible for you too.
Getting hung on the past or worrying about the future. Only worry about the present and how you can do your best at this moment.
Under any circumstances using the word CAN'T. Don't ever say that word!
Dwelling on a setback or loss. The best way to get over a loss is to learn from it. Grow from the mistake and use it to your advantage.
Focusing exclusively on winning or titles. Also note when you reach new milestones or personal achievements – they are important too!
Competing not to lose. Not losing shouldn't be your goal – always play to win and achieve your goals.
Using extreme self-talk that puts extra pressure on you. Don't use words like "must," "should," or "need to." Instead, say "I want" and "I choose."
Red Flags you may need to work on this some more:
Being too cautious or hesitant.
Being better in practice than in a game or tournament.
Serving or attacking just to “not mess up” instead of being aggressive.
Poor body language.
Undermining your own potential.
Low confidence.
Very nervous before games, getting set, or serving.
Easily distracted during games.
Struggles to bounce back after errors/mistakes.
Too critical of yourself and obsessing about being perfect.
Brought to you by the Winning Mindset
Seven Cardinal Sins of Volleyball
Indifference/Apathy – There’s no room for these feelings if you want to develop your skills and improve your performance. Always put in 110%.
Stubbornness – Being stubborn leads to being uncoachable, which leads to being unsuccessful. Be open-minded and you might be exposed to a new skill or technique that you would’ve otherwise ignored.
Pride – It’s ok to be confident in yourself, but don’t let that confidence make you be obnoxious or prideful. Being prideful will lead to silly mistakes and potential embarrassment.
Self-Doubt – It’s easy to be overly critical toward yourself. Just focus on the positive things about yourself.
Cautiousness – If you’re too hesitant, you miss out on key opportunities and leave room for the other team to end a rally. Be a little risky.
Perfectionism – Be careful when setting goals because you don’t want to force high expectations on yourself. It’s ok to make mistakes and to continually work on being a better volleyball player. Plus, once you’re a “perfect” athlete, it’ll become boring!
Overseriousness – You should play volleyball because you like it and you enjoy it. If you take it too seriously, you lose some of the enjoyment and add extra stress on yourself. At times like this, try to remember why you started playing volleyball in the first place.