Managing Emotions During Competition

Strategies From Psychologists

Strategies Given by the Psychologists of Olympic Medalists

Emotional regulation during competition is crucial for maintaining composure, and psychologists recommended several strategies for managing emotions. Firstly, it is suggested that athletes should develop the habit of periodically “checking in” with their emotions and mental state, similar to how they monitor their physical state. Athletes are able to sense how their bodies are feeling during a competition, and they make small tweaks and adjustments to compensate for how they are feeling, but the best athletes are able to do the same assessments for their thoughts and emotions. Having this self-awareness allows them to recognize when thoughts and feelings might be affecting their performance and take corrective action. Whether it is racing thoughts, frustration, negativity, or arrogance, being able to recognize when these emotions are throwing off an athlete’s mental stability and equilibrium is a skill that improves with practice over time.

Now, when an athlete does recognize that emotions are beginning to impact their judgment, how exactly are they supposed to react? The first effective technique involves taking all emotion out of the activity entirely, and redirecting all of the focus from to specific technical or tactical tasks, such as following a coach’s tactical advice or focusing on the next immediate action in the competition. All other thoughts or objectives should be actively erased from the mind. For a tennis player, this could mean solely thinking about the footwork and swing mechanics of their forehand and backhand. Alternatively, for a lacrosse player, this could mean thinking solely about their tactical positioning on the field, and executing the coach’s gameplan. Regardless, having a focus that directs the mind’s attention away from whatever thoughts are roaming around in it helps athletes tremendously in pressure moments where emotions are running high, and it also keeps athletes mentally engaged in the activity.

If an athlete is having trouble focusing on a specific objective because a particular thought is holding them back, performance psychologists suggested that they first calm their mind down before doing proceeding. And how does one calm their mind in the heat of the moment? The first and most important step for athletes is to get their breathing under control by taking long and deep breaths, and repeatedly telling themselves that it’s okay to be having these thoughts, but now they will entirely focus on the next task. This is the practice of affirmative self-talk, which eases the mind, allowing it to release the thoughts they are having, and refocus. This can be done at any point in a competition, whether that is during the breaks of a tennis match, a time-out in a basketball game, or a stoppage in a soccer game.

A second effective tool is to reformulate negative thoughts quickly by countering them with concrete facts. For example “I am playing so badly” can be immediately countered with “there have been so many times where I have played badly and recovered from it to play phenomenally, so this is no different.” Reformulating negative thoughts is one of the easier tools to utilize because it does not require an athlete to dismiss any of their thoughts. Rather, part of overcoming them requires accepting them and understanding that they are entirely normal.

Finally, the last tool that psychologists emphasize is probably the most versatile: affirmative self-talk. Science proves that no matter what ideas or thoughts are running through someone’s mind, if one repeatedly tells themself something, the brain will begin to believe it. Everyone has heard of the idea that if someone convinces themself in the validity of a lie over and over again, they eventually start to wonder whether it is actually true. This is the power of the self-talk and inner dialogue. It is important to note that negative thoughts are not bad or unnatural; in fact, they are entirely normal and common. Every athlete endures self-critical thoughts throughout their career, but those who are known for being mentally tough are able to use their inner dialogue to oppose any doubts by convincing themselves of their own abilities.

The last note that psychologists spoke about was the idea that there is no need to panic or attempt to prevent negative thoughts from occurring. The more we try to prevent them, the more they will appear. Instead, athletes should take solace in knowing that if and when they inevitably do come around, they have 3 different preventative weapons to take the emotion out of it, and refocus the mind to be able to perform at its best.

Advice From Current Athletes

Examples of Strategies Used by Select Athletes

Kyle Wolff (Baseball) – For Kyle, remaining focused and level-headed during a baseball games requires slowing the game down. People forget how to breath in high pressure situations, and Kyle makes sure that before every at-bat, he remembers to breath deeply and slowly to keep his heart rate down. He closes his eyes and visualizes where he wants to hit the ball several times before opening them again. Before he gets into the box, he wants to have a specific focus, but then he clears his mind when he steps into the batter’s box. In baseball, once the pitch is thrown, the batter has a tenth of a second to react, which is not nearly enough time to think, and if you think too much, that’s when you get into trouble. For Kyle, all of the thoughts and preparations that he does prior to stepping into the box fuel his instincts, which are what guide him when he is batting. When a pitch is flying towards him, Kyle wants to simplify his mindset, thinking about whether he should or shouldn’t swing his bat. Repeating his routine before every pitch is important, and is what allows him to stay focused throughout a long game. Breath, plan, visualize, swing, repeat.

Gunnar Guilbert (Ski Racing) – Gunnar emphasizes the importance of sticking to a consistent pre-race routine. He starts his mornings with the same meal and maintains a calm demeanor until just before his race, when he deliberately shifts into a more aggressive mindset and carrying that aggressiveness throughout his run. Gunnar has also worked with a sports psychologist to strengthen his mental toughness, stating that the tool that has helped him the most was focusing on the immediate tasks rather than outcomes. By concentrating on what needs to be done rather than the potential results, Gunnar manages to stay in the moment, which he believes is key to his successful performance. He states “Instead of ‘I can win this run’ or ‘if I win, then…’, you have to think about HOW to achieve that. How to find it rather than the result itself.” He emphasized that perfecting this mindset comes with practice, but thinking about the present actions rather than the past and the future is what enables him to get the most out of himself.

Cole Oberg (Tennis) – Cole talked about the importance of getting “into the zone” and being entirely focused on the present moment. For him, remaining focused throughout the match is crucial in order for him to play well. Being “in the zone” means playing fluidly and freely, without overthinking his shots and his strokes. To get into the zone before matches, Cole distracts himself as much as possible from the outside factors to avoid his mind from thinking about outcomes, mistakes, or other negative thoughts that could influence his match play. Instead, he only thinks about the present moment, creating a plan, taking several minutes to visualize himself succeeding at executing that plan, and then only thinking about that plan during the match. If his focus ever slips in the match, Cole talks about using the breaks in Tennis strategically to refocus and adjust his plan so that he doesn’t let his thoughts control him. Since Tennis is a momentum-based sport, meaning that a lead can quickly slip in a matter of minutes, he tries to do whatever he can to ease his mind, whether that is through relying on superstitions or taking some time between points to breath and adjust.

Educational Takeaways:

A common thread among these athletes is the use of pre-competition planning and visualization to ease the mind enough for it to be able to fully focus. Once a sense of calm and focus is achieved, athletes consistently approach their event in the following way: plan, visualize, execute. The first and most important step is planning ahead and preparing tactically for the athlete’s approach to the competition. By visualizing themselves succeeding at executing the plan prior to the event, athletes can mentally rehearse their performance, which builds confidence and reduces uncertainty. Even by making small or large adjustments to that plan if needed, this approach minimizes anxiety and overthinking, and allows the athlete to feel fully confident in their ability to complete the task at hand. When an athlete’s mind feels at ease, the athlete can flourish by playing their sport freely and confidently. Repeating this process every time your focus slips in the heat of the moment is the best way to remain focused and prevent negative thoughts from impacting you.

Both Gunnar and Cole stress the importance of focusing on the process rather than the outcome. By concentrating on what they need to do in the moment—whether it’s executing a specific technique or staying mentally composed—they can avoid the distraction of thinking too far ahead. Breaking a big objective up into smaller, more manageable parts can help you stay focused, because your mind is constantly forced to reset and think about the next part of the goal.

Pairing this with positive reinforcement, such as focusing on past successes or positive self-talk, helps maintain a strong, optimistic mindset. For young athletes, this positivity is absolutely necessary in order to succeed in any sport throughout the adversity that they will inevitably face. For athletes looking to improve, adopting these strategies can be the key to staying composed and achieving their goals in sports.

Advice From Coaches

Insights From Former Athletes Who Are Current Coaches

Coach Arturo Solis (Soccer) – For Coach Solis, the key to managing your emotions during an event is an unbreakably positive mindset. This starts with pre-match visualization: going out to the field prior to the game and running through the in-game patterns without the ball, always visualizing the best possible outcome. When the whistle blew to start the game, Coach Solis had already done the same drill prior to that, giving him the sense that he had a small edge over his competitors. Additionally, self-talk is very important, specifically in the tough moments. It is all about how quickly you can rebound and support yourself to return, avoiding going down the rabbit hole of self-criticism and negativity. It’s hard to do but it’s critical. Critiquing performances is something you should do after a game, never during it. Instead, you need to imagine success and only success in your head, but also be prepared for the fact that in order to achieve that success, you will need to overcome mistakes and adversity. Staying positive and lifting yourself up during an event is crucial, because as soon as you let the bad thoughts come in, your confidence will quickly plummet and your mind will start going down the rabbit hole of fear and self-doubt.

Approaching Pressure Situations

Coach Matt Golden (Football) – Coach Golden spoke a lot about how he specifically approached pressure situations in a Football game. When he gets to the pressure situation, he always wants to have something that’s go-to; something that’s preplanned and rehearsed. In other words, he wants to know what he’s going to do before the game even begins. In his own words, Coach Golden said: “You gotta have a fastball. You need to be ready, during the week, know what that jazz is going to be. We’ve repped it 30 times that week before the big day, and we just know that with the game on the line, that is what we’re gonna do to hit it for a touchdown. Staying calm and trusting the play that you have come up with is the most important thing; you have done all the prep that you can, now it’s time to show it off.” This approach does not only apply to Football, in fact, having one shot, or one move, or one play that you can rely on as an athlete and keep it as your “fastball” is a fantastic way to avoid feeling overwhelmed in pressure situations. In the place of the fearful thoughts that the other athletes are feeling, you should feel confident in the preparation that you have done and let that boost your confidence. Coach Golden encourages everyone to make sure that they have this “fastball” in their back pocket, and to practice it regularly so that when the game is on the line, they know they have exactly what it takes to get the job done.  

Effective navigation of pressure situations involves a mix of well-prepared strategies, emotional control, and empowering athletes to embrace high-stakes moments. Training that simulates game pressures, fostering a mindset that welcomes responsibility, and techniques that break down overwhelming scenarios into manageable tasks collectively prepare athletes to excel in pressure situations.