​It’s what you do with the feeling that counts.
 
Oftentimes during a sport psychology session, on the cusp of a breakthrough, a client will share something they’ve been keeping to themselves. But before doing so, they offer a disclaimer. “I know I shouldn’t feel this way,” they say, “But…”

It can teach us life lessons, but it’s not always that deep.
  
"I'm going to go out there and prove I'm a good person."
 
This declaration was made by a young woman who was an excellent tennis player and even better person. It was during a sport psychology session, and we had been discussing her struggles handling pressure and staying focused during critical points, both of which require mental skills that, if honed, can serve a player not only on court but also in life.
 So I knew (or thought I knew) what she was getting at. She had a big competition coming up, and she wanted to convince herself she had what it takes to do well. But it was deeper than that for her. Tennis was a core part of her identity, and having accepted the notion that “tennis is life,” this tournament felt like a referendum on her goodness as a person. 

​It’s about more than just putting in the time.
 
If you want to be great at a sport – or great at anything, really – you must be willing to put the time into it. A lot of time. The consensus is that it takes ten years and 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become an expert. And deliberate practice requires more than just showing up. Indeed, some people “practice” for years and barely get better, while others improve by leaps and bounds. It’s not just about showing up, but also how you show up. In this column, we cover five guidelines for getting the most out of your practice time.

“If you don’t know where you are going,
you’ll end up someplace else.”
- Yogi Berra
 
            Goals are the driving force of our efforts. Whenever we read a book, listen in class, or run down a drop shot, it’s because we’re pursuing a goal. Same goes for hopping in a car and driving somewhere. We do this because we’ve got a destination in mind, and as the Yankee legend quoted above so cleverly reminds us, if we aren’t aware of our goals, we’re unlikely to achieve a desired result.
            Thoughtful goal setting is a foundation of success. A helpful guideline for setting effective goals is to make them SMART. This acronym stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable (with effort), Relevant, and Time-based. Let’s look at each of these in turn.

We have plenty of obsessions and compulsions. Whether it's disordered is less clear.
​https://edgeforscholars.org/ocd-in-the-time-of-covi-19/

Click below for insights from providing therapy during COVID-19:
​https://edgeforscholars.org/emotional-connecting-while-social-distancing/