MWOD Block 2, W3: Effective Thought Regulation EMOTIONS PHYSIOLOGY PERFORMANCE P3 Thought Regulation Tactical Thought Step 1: Readied Response: Pre-define your Mindset – How do you want to be? Step 2: Recognize: “Am I being effective or undercutting my performance?” Step 3: Reset: Use Verbal/Visual/Physical Cue to Initiate Thought Regulation (e.g. deep breath, phrase, or image) Step 4: Replace: Determine Critical Elements or Mindset Needed & Replace with effective thought patterns using the P3 method. Body Language Regulation Dumb and dumber Keys to MINDSET REGULATION Believe It Use Effective Body Language Practice it

P³ Thinking Purposeful Productive Possibility The Technique: P³ BUILDING CONFIDENCE Learning Objects None P³ Thinking Primary Delivery Methods Lecture Practical Exercise Media Clip Demonstration Case Study Audience Response (e.g., iClicker) Full Class Discussion Small Group Break-outs Paired Discussion Individual Reflection Training Exercise Participant Presentation Other: Purposeful Productive Instructor Notes Click to add notes Possibility Teaching Points Consciously controlling the way you talk to yourself cultivates a powerful self-image. P³ thinking is selectively interpreting your personal experience and deliberately focusing your mind so that you mentally retain and benefit from experiences of success, progress, and effort, while simultaneously mentally restructuring experiences of setbacks and difficulties. Each of the 3P’s are essential for P³ thinking to work. Like discussed in MSF with the TPI, we have to first tune in to our thoughts and find out if our thinking is P³ Research has shown that we can have around 50,000 thoughts per day. So, the question is do you use P³ thinking? (Vealey, 2005)

PURPOSEFUL P³ Thinking Purposeful Productive Possibility BUILDING CONFIDENCE PURPOSEFUL Learning Objects Full Class Discussion – Have the class provide examples of what purposeful thoughts would look like for each of the following purposes/scenarios: Skill development & execution (“Smooth and steady”) Strategy (“One shot at a time”) Psyching up (“Be strong – I can do it”) Relaxing and calming down (“slow down, deep breath”) Self-evaluation/self-reinforcement (e.g., verbal persuasion) (“nice recovery, I’m tough”) Focus/concentration (“next shot, first shot”) Confidence (“I put in the training, let it happen”) P³ Thinking Primary Delivery Methods Lecture Practical Exercise Media Clip Demonstration Case Study Audience Response (e.g., iClicker) Full Class Discussion Small Group Break-outs Paired Discussion Individual Reflection Training Exercise Participant Presentation Other: Purposeful We must learn to be intentional and deliberate in how we think about ourselves and our performance Productive Instructor Notes Click to add notes Possibility Teaching Points People often leave their thoughts up to chance and hope they magically and automatically think the right thoughts at the right time (this is Random thinking) 3 key benefits of thinking on purpose: 1) enhances our performance, 2) helps us learn, develop and refine skills more efficiently, and 3) helps us direct our focus, manage our energy and achieve our goals. Purposeful thinking can be linked to PREP skills. (Vealey, 2005)

Productive P³ Thinking Purposeful Productive Possibility BUILDING CONFIDENCE Productive Learning Objects Full Class Discussion: What happens when our thoughts become reactive to the past (stuck, worried, focused on past mistakes/successes)? What happens when our thoughts become reactive to the future (consequences of mistakes/successes, completing mission, rewards)? P³ Thinking Primary Delivery Methods Lecture Practical Exercise Media Clip Demonstration Case Study Audience Response (e.g., iClicker) Full Class Discussion Small Group Break-outs Paired Discussion Individual Reflection Training Exercise Participant Presentation Other: Purposeful Productive Our thoughts need to be focused on the present, personally controllable, task-related, and personally relevant Instructor Notes Click to add notes Possibility Teaching Points Our thoughts need to be proactive, rational and facilitative, under all circumstances. Productive thinking helps us stay in the present moment (tie back to best/worst performances) Anxiety, choking, overconfidence occur when thoughts are past and future-related. The opposite is Reactive thinking: when people fail to control counterproductive thoughts, base their thinking on irrational thoughts or allow distractions and mistakes to determine how they think. (Vealey, 2005)

Self-Talk: Playing Offense BUILDING CONFIDENCE Possibility Learning Objects Full Class Discussion: As a person, Soldier, and Leader, what impact does Possibility thinking have on individual and unit performance? As a Leader how can YOU model this way of thinking? P³ Thinking Primary Delivery Methods Lecture Practical Exercise Media Clip Demonstration Case Study Audience Response (e.g., iClicker) Full Class Discussion Small Group Break-outs Paired Discussion Individual Reflection Training Exercise Participant Presentation Other: Purposeful Productive Instructor Notes Click to add notes Our thoughts are not limited by the current status quo or the limitations of popular thinking Possibility Teaching Points We are not likely to attain what we can’t see our selves achieving. Focusing on the possibilities helps us overcome the status quo and develop a “philosophy of excellence.” Focusing on the possibilities helps us to be hopeful and adaptable in uncertain situations which enhances performance. Leaders have the opportunity to model this for their Soldiers. When people limit themselves without even realizing it is Restrictive thinking. Attitude statements are an effective way to commit to a possibility attitude, put yourself in a positive environment. (Vealey, 2005)