How to Deal with Performance Anxiety
The Duality of the Sports Mind
We’ve all been there, on and off the playing fields – shaking like a leaf and wondering how to pull this off. The thing is, winning is always possible.
Of all the statements I get from my student’s parents, the most used is this, “It’s in their head.” They imply that their son or daughter struggles because they have a mental impediment that prohibits good play. They are probably right, but I try to tell them that it’s the case because that is what others tell them, and then they begin to think the same. Once they believe they cannot overcome their struggles, the chances of turning it around are probably near zero. I do my best to tell them that performance anxiety is a plus if it does not become debilitating, which, as implied, only happens because the player thinks it’s true, as others tell them.
Nervousness Comes with the Territory and is Good
Being anxious should be a positive if one knows how to handle it, and my reasoning with players and parents starts like this.
I have given way too many baseball and softball lessons to count, with a rough estimate of over 75,000 of them. Still, to this day, and even working with a young ballplayer, I get anxious before starting my sessions each day. Although that may seem like a lack of confidence, it is typical for athletes and coaches, a good thing too, and the day the nerves fail to show will be the one I know it’s time to hang it up.
Even more pertinent, the same nervous process occurred in my baseball playing days – a game never came at any level in which I did not feel tension beforehand. And in my second sports career of running marathons, the anxiety is super-high when facing 26.2 miles, almost five hours of running, and the mind wondering, “Why the heck do I put myself through this?”
Performance anxiety is a positive for the athlete because that sense of uncertainty brings increased focus, determination not to fail, and the adrenaline to compete to the desired level. Therein lies the essence and beauty of competition – one side of the mind is uneasy, while the other side functions perfectly because, and in spite, of it. It’s one of many instances when the duality of the sports mind is at work. It’s comforting to know that even if one tends to languish with little surety and a ton of nerves, overcoming the harmful brain waves and winning is possible with the right mental moves and mindset.
The Confidence Conundrum
Of course, the mental state parents describe usually is a lack of confidence. So once again, I try to explain it away with the following.
I don’t care how confident an athlete may seem; for most, their mindset is all over the board from moment to moment. It ranges from “I got this” to “There is no way I can win.” That’s to be expected as confidence comes and goes quickly in sports. Teams and individuals may be super confident, but the minute they think winning will come easy, the nature of sports has a way of saying, “Think again.” And then there is the opposite; when teams or players feel they have no chance, but time and again, sports show the power of the underdog. If nothing else, sports teach that overconfidence can lead to failure, and a dark horse can rise when least expected. That is why they play and why we watch and bet on them – the outcomes are variable.
Dealing with Unease
The question becomes how to deal with nervousness and confidence loss. Things to try:
1. Preparation is king! Performance anxiety lessens when you prepare and give your all in that process and at least trust that you have prepared. Remember, nothing causes a lack of self-confidence, like thinking you could have done much more for the big moment. Whenever I have a plan of attack for my hitting student’s issues, I relax and do a better job.
2. Concentration trumps all! Despite how nervous one is, focusing on the action overcomes negative thoughts. If you think of 100% of anything as absolute, then putting all thought on the “now” prohibits the pressure from taking over. Easier said than done, of course, but it is doable by practicing focus skills under pressure. I overcame insecurity in my major league career with an obsession with the baseball itself.
3. Keep an outward even keel. I enjoy watching golf, and a statement I often hear describing a player is, “His pace (or demeanor) hasn’t changed.” The implication is that even though their mind is racing with excitement, it doesn’t show, and they look like they are out for a stroll in the park. A calm body can help the mind prevent racing. So I try to look confident with my body language before the competition even though self-doubt is raging in my mind.
4. Breathe normally– an excellent follow-up to the previous point is the ability to breathe regularly in the good and bad moments. The minute breathing gets stunted or quick is when the pressure overcomes the player. So whenever I feel anxious, I try to breathe it out and pray, which always seems to calm me.
5. Believe in a fighter’s chance – optimism, no matter how “outmanned” one feels, provides the glimmer of hope that the seemingly impossible can happen. No matter my lack of confidence, I fall back on my optimistic nature to get by and succeed.
6. Avoid overconfidence – once one thinks something will come quickly, one leaves their guard down, forgets the little details, and everything comes crashing down. I rarely feel overconfident, but when I do, I usually walk away thinking I could have done better.
7. Visualize winning – those who can see themselves get to the finish line repeatedly can “will” it to happen in the heat of the moment. It’s another of those things that I sometimes forget to do, and it requires practice, but I now know that seeing me finish in my mind beforehand helps to complete the task at hand.
Finally, another duality of the sports psyche is the good and the bad that come with being a perfectionist. The positive is that “never being satisfied” pushes one to work harder. The negative is that never being satisfied doesn’t allow one to enjoy the process. The key and challenge is to find that happy medium. Happy Trails!
Coming 2023