Performance anxiety is one of the leading reasons athletes struggle to consistently perform at their capabilities. So learning how to channel your nerves is key to performing at your best when it matters most.
Unfortunately most athletes focus on the threats of high-pressure situations.
Pressure can Provoke a State of Fear
As a result, the pressure provokes a fear state that leaves the athlete tense, overthinking, and underperforming. Here are 3 other common reasons athletes don’t perform under pressure:
Zoomed In on the Context
Overly focused on the context and making the results seem more important than they are is a sure fire way to feel the burden of the results weigh heavily on your mind.
Survive Over Thrive
Are you focused on not screwing up, or are you focused on going out there and having an impact? This is the difference between a fear mindset vs attack mindset.
Need To, Have To, Should Mindset
Creating an unhealthy relationship with your desired results often leads to a decrease in performance. The sport culture perpetuates this language with coaches often saying “this is a must win game” but this narrative often provokes the fear state.
The good news is you can overcome these limiting mindsets by following the 3 steps below – as a result you will be able to perform at your best when it matters most.
Step 1: Plan to Cope
Coping planning is essential to stress management for all areas of life, and it works particularly well for handling high pressure situations.
In short – Planning to Cope is simply what it means. You are planning for how you will respond (cope) when a stressor (pressure) is presented. It is like studying for a test – it works way better when you study before the test – not trying to figure it out in the thick of it.
We use a trifecta of coping planning concepts that reliably help athletes perform under pressure:
Zoom Out
This helps athletes that struggle to get perspective of the context. This especially helps the classic “practice player” where you perform free in practice but then tense up and underperform in games or pressure situations. The premise of Zooming Out means to see the bigger picture. This includes:
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- How games and practice are more similar than different – yes the context is different but the game is the same.
- That it is only one game – yes it might be really important, but it’s still just a game.
- That we are all just a speck of dust – reminder to REALLY zoom out and not take ourselves too seriously.
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To be clear this is NOT about caring less. It is about seeing the situation for what it is and not making it bigger than what it is. This is key accepting it.
Flip the Risk
It’s easy to see the risk from making mistakes. Coach Nicholas came up with the ‘Flip the Risk’ strategy to help overcome the fear of mistakes. The premise is to break down the risk vs reward of playing safe vs attacking. The safe approach might decrease short term risk, but it costs long term rewards. The attack approach may increase short term risk, but you gain better long term rewards. This framework exposes the safe approach to having a greater risk in the long term. The end goal is to see and feel that it is okay to take smart risks and go out there and trust yourself.
The Screw Its
The bottom line is you need to let go of results. You can have a goal and intention to achieve a certain result, but being detached from it is the superpower and the paradox to giving you the best chance of achieving it. The key to doing this is accepting the range of results. If you are not willing to accept losing – then you could benefit from reflecting on quitting. I don’t want you to, but the reality is you can quit. Reflecting on this forces you to remember that it is a CHOICE to play your sport. So if you choose to play then what are you going to choose?
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- I need to, have to, should get the result.
- Screw It – I accept the range of results – I’m just going to go play my game and trust my training.
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All three concepts are interrelated and will help you get a healthy perspective on ‘pressure’ so that you can play free. The goal for you is to lean into the ones that resonate the most.
Step 2: Mental Rehearsal
Most athletes think imagery and mental preparation is only for focusing on what you want to do and being positive, but one of the best benefits of imagery is to mentally rehearse how you plan to cope with stressors.
It is what Todd Herman calls the Positive Power of a Negative Script.
By mentally rehearsing how you are going to respond to a pressure situation makes you way more likely to respond that way.
So not only do you want to study and clarify how you want to respond then you want to hammer that into your brain.
Repetition is the mother of learning!
Step 3: Measure Your Progress
By getting steps 1 and 2 down pat you are well on your way to start performing at your best when it matters most.
This step helps lock it in and ensure you really hone your ability to perform under pressure. Here is example of what this looks like:
Identify What to Measure
E.g., I want to zoom out, feel relaxed, ready and excited before performances.
Set a Baseline
E.g., I currently feel I’m 40% relaxed, ready, and excited before performances – meaning I’m 60% tense, worried, and doubting myself.
Track Your Progress
Reflect on that number after each game and see it go up!
Adjust & Learn
When the number dips or when it stops rising, reflect on what is holding you back and refer back to Step 1 – find which coping planning strategy will help the most. This also could be a key time to getting a mental performance coach to be a third party and help you improve faster and more effectively.
The Long Term Goal
The end game is about being 95% plus in the mental state you are working on. You have full control over this – but you need to do the work above and keep pushing yourself. Note we don’t set the standard for 100% because that can cause you to fall into the trap of perfection. Instead, it’s about doing your BEST to be relaxed, ready, and excited.
In summary you can overcome performance anxiety and perform under pressure by following these three steps:
- Plan to Cope
- Mental Rehearsal
- Measure Your Progress
I hope you found this helpful. Let us know if you have any questions.
If you know anyone that could benefit from this post – please share it with them.
Nicholas Santino is a Senior High-Performance Coach, PhD Candidate, and the official Mental Performance Consultant for Elite Prospects. From his specialized psychology research program, to his PhD studies, Nicholas has gained a tremendous foundation of knowledge and appreciation for the human experience. His passion for psychology has accumulated to a commitment to studying and applying positive psychology and stoicism. This commitment has led Nicholas to conduct many research studies focusing on understanding why and how some people thrive and prosper while others do not. His admiration for evidence-based solutions has propelled Nicholas to produce studies revolving around mindfulness, grit (perseverance and passion), performance, quality participation, social relationships, and well-being.
A Native of Quebec, Sara was part of the St. Lawrence University Women’s Ice Hockey team that competed in the NCAA Division 1 hockey league ECAC. During this time, Sara helped her team appear in four ECAC Hockey Tournaments and two NCAA Frozen Fours, and was a four-time member of the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Squad. Following her career at St. Lawrence University, Sara played one year of professional hockey with Lugano, where she truly honed her skills in understanding the intricate connection between mindset and performance.
Blair has over 13 years of experience as a Professional Dancer, Assistant Dance Captain & Cast Manager, as well as an additional 17 years of training. Over the last 3 decades, she has lived and experienced first hand the highest of highs & lowest of lows that come with pursuing a career in the Performing Arts.
Natasha Habert draws from her training in sport and performance psychology, personal experiences as a competitive athlete, and deep passion for consistent high performance. She is a lifelong athlete and high performer, excelling in volleyball as both a player and coach.
Luciano’s hockey career is highlighted by his time playing college at the University of Victoria and two professional seasons in Europe. Throughout his career, he struggled with performance anxiety, a lack of consistency, fluctuations in confidence, and being caught in the results trap. This eventually led him to deviate from the main reason why anyone should play sports – for the enjoyment of the game. As a former athlete, Luciano has a unique understanding of the psychological pressures and struggles that athletes experience.
Alexis Woloschuk is a name synonymous with mental fortitude in the world of professional hockey. Throughout her career originating playing boys hockey, going to an academy away from home, playing her four years at Boston University and 7+ years in pro hockey she’s learned the importance of resilience, confidence, and dismissing both fear and other’s opinions. With a blend of relatability, confidence, and an acute understanding of playing to one’s potential, Alexis helps athletes reshape the way they perceive and harness the power of their minds.
Sean Mahoney is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and a Master’s candidate in the Sport and Performance Psychology program at the University of Denver. For as long as he can remember, Sean has been fascinated by human performance and how to gain an edge over the competition. For most of his athletic career, he focused on the physical aspect of performance but neglected the mental. Because of this, he struggled with performance anxiety, focus issues, and limiting beliefs pertaining to confidence and self-doubt. His lack of focus on optimizing his mental game prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Savannah Fitzgerald is earning her M.A. in Kinesiology, Sport Psychology Option at California State University, Fresno. Possessing an internal motor that fires her rage for success, Savannah forged this attribute over five years while competing as an NCAA D-I water polo player and swimmer. Combined with her opportunity to represent and compete for the United States, she feels that sport has significantly impacted her professional development. Due to her personal experience playing at all levels, Savannah’s passion for mental performance began when she struggled to overcome pre-competition nerves and post-competition processing. When she discovered a world out there that people were referring to as ‘sport psychology,’ she felt like a piece of her brain was unlocked. Reality shifted as she stumbled into a space consisting of the most beautiful blend of elite performance, mental well-being, and athletics.
Gabe is currently completing his Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria. Although Gabe played several years of high-level baseball, including a stint in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League (BCPBL), he chose hockey as his sport to pursue at the highest level possible. Gabe went on to play four years of junior hockey with the Richmond Sockeyes in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) while also coaching minor hockey. Prior to junior hockey, Gabe played 3 years in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) where he experienced the pressures and expectations of moving on to the next level. During those three years, Gabe constantly compared himself to others and struggled with coping when things did not go his way. Over time, he learned how to focus on his own process and path to the next level, while also developing strategies to improve well-being.
Louie is a mental performance coach from Toronto, Canada with a professional hockey career spanning over 14 years. Being a standout player at the University of Michigan, Louie was a Hobey Baker finalist and a 1st team All-American, which led him to getting drafted by the Ottawa Senators and playing in renowned leagues across the globe, including the DEL, SHL, and AHL.
Mia Landry is a former varsity hockey player at Brock University, where she competed at the USPORT level and was part of the 2021-22 OUA gold medal team. Mia currently represents Canada on the Women’s National Ball Hockey team and is pursuing a Master of Kinesiology Sport Psychology at her alma mater. Her research focuses on areas such as team cohesion, group dynamics, leadership styles, and sports culture.
As a former member of McMaster University’s women’s soccer team, Emilie intimately understands the demands and challenges athletes face on and off the field. Although she encountered many challenges as a high-level athlete, particularly struggling with self-doubt and overthinking, Emilie was able to make a remarkable transformation when she began to embrace the principles of sports psychology.
Max is currently attending William James College, where he is earning a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Masters Degree in Professional Psychology. During his time as an undergraduate student, Max was inducted into the International Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi), and played on the Quinnipiac University men’s club ice hockey team.
