Self-regulation means being able to control your thoughts, feelings, and actions so that you can achieve your goals (Robazza & Ruiz, 2019). This involves setting goals, making plans, tracking your progress, and making changes when needed. Emotions are an important part of this process because they motivate you to work towards your goals (Robazza & Ruiz, 2019). Feeling good means you are making progress, while feeling bad means you need to make some changes. Self-regulation can be automatic or intentional, and it’s important to focus on the task at hand rather than getting too caught up in your own thoughts and feelings (Robazza & Ruiz, 2019) It’s also important to take care of yourself so that you don’t run out of energy to keep working towards your goals. Some ways to improve self-regulation include setting goals, using positive self-talk, and practicing mindfulness (Vohs & Baumeister, 2016).
Robazza, C., & Ruiz, M. C. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.
Vohs, K. D., & Baumeister, R. F. (Eds.), (2016). Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications (3rd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
