Heading into an important competition or event can often be overwhelming. Just as you’ve been physically training far in advance, you will have been building your “mental toolbox” – whether or not you’ve been seeing a sport psychologist, these skills have been developing throughout your time in sport. A mental toolbox includes tools that increase mental toughness and resilience such as visualisation, mindfulness, planning and preparation and more. When you work with a sport psychologist, we enhance and build upon this mental toolbox so that you’re better prepared for whatever may come your way.
One simple, extremely helpful thing to add to your mental toolbox is learning how to think about the controllable vs. uncontrollable factors in your sport and how to manage your perception, and therefore reaction to them. By the time you turn up to your competition, you are physically prepared – but is your mind in the right space? It’s important to have the right mentality in order to use your talent and training effectively.
Pressure and Stress
Feelings of pressure and stress are essentially the body’s alert system letting you know that something important is happening. These feelings are not inherently good or bad – your perception of these feelings will determine whether you have positive or negative reactions to this! A negative perception can lead to being on edge, anxious, muscle tension, clumsiness, fatigue, being easily distracted, and more – not qualities you want to be taking into competition. However, if you’re able to have a positive perception of these feelings, you may feel excited, in the zone, have increased energy levels and quicker reflexes, and be more focused.
Imagine two athletes: the first focuses on matters out of his control that could go wrong, such as the pitch being wet, competitor being late, or the weather. The second athlete focuses on his own performance and the things that are under his control – he thinks things like “everyone else is dealing with the wet pitch, right?” and focuses on his own performance, kit, mindset, etc. Which athlete do you think will get the best out of himself on that day?
Control
Think about some of the things that are under your control – this may include equipment, nutrition, mental preparation, training, injury care, and rest. There are also factors which are not 100% under your control, but can be very influenceable by you – such as the score, the referee, your competitors, teammates, etc. There are of course some things out of your control, such as weather, condition of the pitch, ring, or track, and the crowd. Sometimes it is useful to make a list of what is controllable, influence-able, and uncontrollable in order to see just how much you have control of before, during, and after competition. It’s important to focus your energy on the things under your control and influence – do what you do well, and you will get the best out of yourself. And when thinking about the uncontrollable factors, ask yourself some questions: is this something to be avoided or ignored (such as a bad call)? Can you change how you think or feel about this factor? And how can you react differently to this factor? You have complete control of your reaction to uncontrollable factors.
One of the most important lessons to take from this is that you have control of your perception of your body’s alert system in relation to stress and pressure. Are you feeling butterflies? Close your eyes, take 5 deep breaths, and focus on turning that feeling of anxious butterflies to excitement – this is your day. Even if things haven’t gone your way and you have fallen behind or had a tough play – your attitude towards yourself and the situation can help you recover. Focus on managing the factors under your control, and you will be able to give your best on any given day!
References
Dosil, J. (2006). The Sport Psychologist’s Handbook: A Guide for Sport-Specific Performance Enhancement. Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Hunt-Davis, B. (2015). “Improving team performance – Focus on the controllables”. https://www.willitmaketheboatgofaster.com/improving-team-performance-super-bowl/. Accessed March 2019.
Payne, K. L., Wilson, M. R., & Vine, S. J. (2018) A systematic review of the anxiety-attention relationship in far-aiming skills. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, pages 1-31
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