IntelliSport

Summary

"Tiger Woods is such a dominating golfer that his presence in a tournament can make everyone else play significantly worse. Because his competitors expect him to win, they end up losing; success becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Competition expert Jennifer Brown argues that this superstar effect de-motivates athletes in almost all forms of competition. The presence of a superstar makes other competitors nervous, and they over-analyze actions better performed on auto-pilot.

Implementation

• When competing with a superstar, athletes shouldn't lose confidence in their own talent. Athletes should trust the hours of practice and many competitive experiences that have led to the current event. The last thing one should do when confronted by a superstar is question one's own abilities.
• Athletes shouldn't over-think actions that are normally completed on instinct. For example, after hours of practicing a putting stroke, good golfers can rely on their instincts when it comes to competition. Suddenly over-thinking a movement when confronted by a superstar is a recipe for disaster.