Slumps. Weve all been in one at one time or another. You cant perform to your potential, you seem to be having a perpetually bad day, and nothing you do helps extricate yourself from its deadly grip. Slumps are not fun.

What Is A Slump? A slump is any decrease in performance, over time. A slump can have mental origins or many other causes. Lets see why you have slumps and how to avoid them.

How Do You Get Out Of A Slump? My Top Five Tips.

1. Be Clear About Your Definition Of A Slump. Make sure the slump you are in is a real one. If you assume you are slumping after one bad performance, you are far too quick to judge yourself so harshly. A good working definition of a slump would be a series of poor performances.

2. Dont Let People Talk You Into A Slump. Some people love to tell you that you are in a slump. They think they can see that slumping pattern you are in. Dont let them be negative around you. Make up your own mind about your performances.

3. Check All Non-Mental Causes Of The Slump. Make sure you cover all bases on diagnosing the reasons for the slump. There can be numerous tactical, strategic, physical and other causes, some of them quite subtle, yet easy to fix. See a coach for a complete diagnostic checkup.

4. Stop Trying So Hard. Slumps are very frustrating. They can drive you crazy. They can make you exert more and more effort. From a performance psychology standpoint, only a perfect amount of effort gives great results. Too little effort and your performance can fall flat. A slump brings out too much effort in an effort to defeat the slump. Relax and try softer, not harder.

5. Get Some Coaching. A qualified, experienced coach can guide you through a slump by seeing what you cant see and by having the experience to know what interventions will make the biggest impact. In fact, seeing your coach when you are playing poorly can be one of the very best times to go, because the coach can help you figure out how to de-bug your game under real game conditions.

What Should You Do Next?

Make sure your definition of a slump is a clear one and dont assume you are in one before it is truly there. Have a slump plan ready to go and take concrete, positive action should the slump rear its ugly head. Stay one step ahead of the slump and youll keep your performances soaring.

This article covers only one small part of the mental game. A complete mental training program includes motivation and goal-setting, pre-event mental preparation, post-event review and analysis, mental strengthening, self-regulation training, breath control training, motor skill training, mental rehearsal, concentration training, pressure-proofing, communication training, confidence-building, breaking through mental barriers, slump prevention, mental toughness training, flow training, relaxation training, momentum training, psych-out proofing and media training.

For a comprehensive overview of your mental abilities you need an assessment instrument that identifies your complete mental strengths and weaknesses. For a free, easy-to-take 65-item sport psychology assessment tool you can score right on the spot, visit http://www.mentalgamecoach.com/Assessments/MentalGameOfSports.html This assessment gives you a quick snapshot of your strengths and weaknesses in your mental game. You can use this as a guide in creating your own mental training program, or as the basis for a program you undertake with Bill Cole, MS, MA to improve your mental game. This assessment would be an excellent first step to help you get the big picture about your mental game.