I'm sure you've all witnessed the phenomenon - before a game of bowling, whether friendly or competitive, we have to hear everyone talk about the sore wrist, the bad back, or the sleepless night that will surely lead to a less than stellar performance. I'm not a golfer but I have heard the talk around the clubhouse in the same vein. At the athletic club where I work out, there is a lot of racquetball played. As part of the game preparation ritual players discuss why they won't be capable of moving as quickly, returning as accurately, or being able to keep up with the pace of the game. Of course, the motive behind all this is to "psych out" opponents and give them false hope that they stand a better chance against us.
But I admit I was surprised how much of this "pre-game" ritual goes on just before a play performance. In this case, of course, it is sore throats, nasal congestion, headaches, conflicting engagements, work stress, etc. that will certainly make my performance less than I had hoped. I find myself using my inexperience as a preemptive excuse for performance which by now shouldn't be influenced that much by inexperience. And I wonder, who exactly are we trying to psych out?
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