Ever wondered why some athletes crumble under pressure while others soar? The answer may lie not just in training, personality, mental skills, but in an often-overlooked realm—how our emotional systems have evolved and developed. Discover how Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) could evolve our understanding of sports psychology and athlete performance.
What is CFT?
I recently had the privilege of attending the CFT Annual conference featuring Paul Gilbert, the mastermind behind CFT—a rapidly growing, evolution-informed, biopsychosocial psychotherapy approach.
❓ But What Does That Mean?
Paul Gilbert is a renowned brain-state theorist. To put it simply, he explains how various evolved mental states can shape our emotions, thoughts, physical responses, and actions.
Driving The Emotional Car
Gilbert proposes a 'Three Systems Model' for understanding how our emotions are grouped:
Threat System: This system is designed to protect us and keep us safe, and it's regulated by our sympathetic nervous system. For example, when we receive criticism from a coach. It's triggered by any threats and activates responses to shield us.
Drive System: This is the engine behind our motivation and ambition, fuelled by our brain's reward mechanisms. It takes the reins when we are preparing for a match or heading into a training session.
Self-Soothe System: This system encourages emotional recovery and rejuvenation. Picture it stepping in to restore equilibrium after a challenging match or during quality time spent with loved ones.
How Do These Systems Influence Us?
Each system has its own way of shaping our thoughts, physical reactions, and behavior. They can be helpful or not, depending on the situation. Past experiences can make certain systems more sensitive.
Implications for athletes and high performers:
Threat driving the mind
If you are fueled by fear of failure or have had experiences in toxic environments or adverse personal experiences - Threat might be the one often driving your mind, especially when something doesn't go to plan..
Trigger: You make a mistake at a critical moment in the game.
Threat System Activates
Emotions: Feelings of anxiety, anger, or self-criticism?
Cognition: Thoughts like "I'm an idiot, it's my fault if we lose" while noting others' disappointment, recalling past mistakes or imagining things go wrong...
Physiology: Body tense, heart racing, palms sweating?
Actions: More mistakes due to distraction, overcompensation, cautious play or tension?
Consequences: Leads to inconsistent performance, elevated self-criticism, relationship issues, and mental health concerns.
⚖️ Striking the Balance
The goal is not to eliminate any one system but to find balance.
First Steps
Understand your three systems - what triggers each one? is one more active that the others? What happens to your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours?
