WHAT happens when a player loses motivation?
Even in the high-performance world of the AFL, not everything goes to plan.
Injuries, form slumps and other roadblocks can make it pretty hard to stay motivated, especially when playing another AFL game seems like a distant prospect.
Speaking with Bec Goddard on The Inside Game podcast, Sydney psychologist Suzie Rhydderch revealed players lose motivation "all the time".
>> LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE PODCAST BELOW
Rhydderch said that losing motivation isn't fatal to a player's performance, and that working on regaining motivation could even save a player's career.
"I don't think it's too late at all," Rhydderch said, of helping players who have lost motivation.
"In fact, I had this conversation recently with a player that was delisted, so admittedly at a bit of a low point in their career.
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"I certainly think that they might come back, but certainly they were feeling pretty unmotivated by the time they got home.
"There are a few points that I think are really relevant when people have lost their mojo.
"I think these relate to people in their careers outside of sport, anybody who's trying to get up and keep going."
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Check out this week's episode of The Inside Game to hear how athletes regain their motivation, and to hear Suzie's top tips for finding your mojo in everyday life.
This week’s episode guide…
1:04 – Can athletes regain motivation?
3:25 – Why do motivations change over the course of a career?
4:20 – Are changes in motivations good or bad?
5:08 – The big difference between the Swans’ 2020 and 2021 hubs
9:04 – Has the pandemic made psychological consults harder or easier?
12:16 – Takeaway Tips, fuelled by the John West Protein+ range
14:15 – How Suzie measures psychological success in her players
16:18 – Is there scepticism towards psychology’s role in a sporting environment?
18:02 – Quick Hands: The best part of Suzie’s job, the worst part about living in Sydney
'The Inside Game' is a new podcast series that takes a peek behind the scenes of the high-performance world of the AFL and AFLW. Join AFLW Premiership Coach Bec Goddard as she chats with high-performance experts who share the one-percenters that make the difference between an average day and a great day, fuelled by the John West Protein+ range.
