ATTITUDE
An attitude is a way of thinking, acting or feeling. It is the manner when you consider something. In bowling, it is a key that unlocks the door of opportunity for better performance and more rewarding experiences. One’s attitude involves a player’s confidence, optimism, courage, calmness and ability to handle difficulties.
Having a good attitude in bowling does not come about by chance. Much of it is developed through your discipline and your application of it. Certainly in this consideration some individuals start ahead of others. With a good attitude, much that seems negative can be transformed into a positive. A player’s temperament is often the most obvious of all the attitude variables. Ways of players controlling their negative emotions and temper is just one indication of the quality of their attitude. Temper will resulting one to become the victim of anxiety, and ANXIETY INEVITABLY DESTROYS THE COHESIVENESS OF ALL THE COORDINATING ELEMENTS FOUND IN BOWLING PERFORMANCES.
Among the major reasons of why people become anxious and unsettled are the fears of failure or an overriding concern with the evaluation of others. Often, it is easy to combine the two because people may fear failure not just for the failure itself, but also because they are afraid of looking unqualified, stupid, embarrassment, and etc., in the eyes of others. For many, it is not easy to face the possibility of anxiety when their ego has been risked. Overcoming this obstacle in order to improve performance is yet another learning process.
This touches on the primary reason for contrasting attitudes. Body chemistry has much to do with an individual’s psychological make-up. For some, large amounts of adrenalin pour into the bloodstream under normal circumstances, while for others the amount is much less. IN ORDER TO BEST DEMONSTRATE ATTITUDE, SOME MUST LEARN WAYS TO REDUCE EXCESSIVE ADRENALIN FLOW, WHILE OTHERS HAVE A NEED TO INCREASE IT.
We all have a natural tendency to be too “up” or “down”. Some folks are naturally over-aggressive because of natural adrenalin flow is too high and some are too “laid back” because it is naturally low adrenalin flow.
Where do you stand in this assessment? Perhaps you are one of those rare in between. If not, then work on getting emotionally up or down so that your temperament will be at the optimum level, in order to produce the proper adrenalin flow. This is just one example of how proper use and development of a biochemical factor in your mental approach to bowling.
A common reason why many bowlers demonstrate a bad attitude is their own over concern with perfection. Human is imperfect and winners are not crowned for perfection, but for having made the least number of mistakes.
Finally, an ideal attitude involves the power of positive thinking. What you see on a doughnut? You see the dough or the hole? However, be careful not to fall into deception. You have a great wisdom. Think optimistically but not at the expense of objectivity.
Ones attitude often involves the ability to “lock in” of the anxiety, fear, noise, performance, and etc., which would adversely affecting you. Some will say this is concentration. To a degree this is true. There is often a correlation between a bowler’s style of play and the mental outlook that is best suited for that individual.
There are additional forms of attitude in bowling which are referred to as “specific attitudes.” For example, when about to bowl the 10th frame and you need that “big strike” to win the game, what kind of an attitude should you assume? Should you play it cool, unconcerned and let the luck decides? Or should you empower yourself with thoughts such as, “I will strike! I must strike!” in your mind?
Well, a lot depends on the bowler. There are players who produce better in this situation with their attitude remains unchanged. Some will to produce better when employing stronger motivating thoughts.
From my observations over the years, I believe the most commonly effective attitude under pressure situations is the one that does not affect your normal style of play. A player with this compromising attitude has a fully understands of challenge and has optimally alerted his or her determination is more on execution as opposed to the result will be. This bowler is not thinking so much. Making a good shot is the priority.
We all think differently and respond to situations in different ways. Therefore, we must develop specific attitudes that best deal with these differences. Furthermore, because of these attitudes are individualistic, don’t try to pass them on to others. Most often they will not work. Each bowler must develop his or her own good attitudes for best performances.
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