4 Tips For Quieting Your Anxiety When You Are Competing

As an athlete, you understand the importance of focus. If you aren’t able to “keep your head in the game,” you run the risk of performing poorly, getting injured, and losing self-esteem and confidence in your abilities. 

There are plenty of things that can potentially shake your focus, including anxiety. Anxiety tends to be fueled by a fear of the unknown. When you’re trying to perform at a top level, there are plenty of unknown factors that can trigger that fear and cause you to worry about what’s going to happen. 

So, how can you quiet that anxiety when you’re competing, and ensure you’re going to perform with a clear and focused mind?

1. Listen to Positive Self-Talk

One thing that can certainly cause anxiety to feel louder and more overwhelming than ever is negative self-talk. As the old saying goes, you are your own worst enemy. It’s easy for negative self-talk to creep in and convince you that you’re not good at what you do. Or, it might tell you that you’re going to fail or “choke” somehow during your competition. 

Instead of giving into that negative self-talk, replace it with positivity. That might include saying positive affirmations out loud, actively fighting back with positive words whenever negative thoughts start coming in, or finding other ways to boost your confidence. 

2. Practice Makes Perfect

As an athlete, you’re no stranger to practice and training. But, if your anxiety comes from a fear of failure, add in another practice session. Do something until it becomes second nature and you feel completely confident in it. 

Granted, you can’t control every factor of a game or other sporting event. There are some elements that will always be up in the air. But, when you’re 100% confident that you know how to execute, you can fight back against thoughts telling you that you aren’t good enough.

3. Reduce Anxiety Elsewhere

If you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed in other areas of life, it could be creeping into your mindset while competing. Quieting something like performance anxiety often requires quieting that anxiety elsewhere, too. 

So, find ways to relax and de-stress whenever possible. Things like mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and physical activity for enjoyment (not just training) can all help to reduce your stress levels. Mindfulness and meditation are also wonderful ways to improve focus and help you feel more present. 

4. Prepare for the Worst

Again, anxiety is fueled by the unknown. It’s easy for your mind to go to the worst possible scenario and fear the worst potential outcomes. So, think about those things ahead of time. 

That might sound counterproductive, but it gives you some control. When you consider the worst thing that could happen, you also give yourself time to make a plan and think about how you’ll respond, one way or another. That helps with preparedness and makes the worst-case scenario seem far less scary. 

Competing at any level requires extreme focus. If you give into the effects of anxiety, you’re going to lose focus and end up participating in a self-fulfilling prophecy that causes your performance to suffer. 

So, consider using some of these tips to combat anxiety while competing. Not only can they improve your athletic performance, but they can help you manage your mental health even when you aren’t competing. 

If you’re still struggling with anxiety, at any time, don’t hesitate to reach out for sports counseling. Often, getting to the root of the issue is the best way to start healing and moving forward. A therapist can help with that, and offer even more effective suggestions to manage your symptoms and overcome anxiety for good.