To learn how to overcome fear in sports, it is helpful to understand how fear comes about.
It is normal for athletes to feel fear from time to time. Fear typically shows up in new situations such as a new team or coach, in pressure situations such as competition or games, or during injury recovery.
Fear becomes a problem for athletes when it impacts performance. It is ok for athletes to feel fear. It’s when fear stops them from enjoying their sport and playing to their ability, that it impacts them negatively.
The purpose of fear is to protect us from harm. Fear is a built-in protector. In fact, we may be grateful for fear, because it allows us to respond accordingly if our lives are in danger. This is commonly known as the fight or flight response.
Our lives are rarely, if ever, in danger. So what are we afraid of? Human beings have two innate fears. One is fear of physical harm. The other is fear of our own emotions. This is where things get interesting.
If an athlete feels overwhelming fear during a game, they may need to look deeper for the reason. In other words, what is the athlete actually afraid of? The answer: feelings (aka emotions). Typical examples are embarrassment, humiliation, a feeling of failure or letting others down.
Many athletes want to know how to overcome fear in sports. They may even understand the feeling they are fearing. But then what? How can they overcome their fear?
Here are some tips:
Remember that thoughts create feelings. For example, when an athlete is focused on thinking about what could go wrong, they likely will feel anxious, which leads to a feeling of fear.
Choose what to focus on. We have control over where we place our focus. When we are in a negative thought/feeling cycle, we can intentionally shift our focus to more empowering thoughts. Some examples are ‘I’ve done this before, I can do it again’, ‘I always do my best and my best is all I can do’, and ‘I have what I need right now’.
Learn to accept feelings and still move forward. Fear is just a feeling, and it doesn’t have to stop us. We can feel fear, and still decide to shift our focus on doing our best in any particular moment. The more we can let fear in, the easier it is to shift our focus away from the feeling of fear because we are no longer resisting it. As the saying goes, what we resist, persists.
To learn more about how hypnosis improves self esteem, contact us today for a free, 30-minute consultation and learn more about hypnosis at our Tampa FL hypnosis center.
Want to make a positive change? There’s no better time than NOW!
Lynne,
Your Mindset Mental Coach
