Written by Diedre Connelly
As a sport psychology consultant, I often meet athletes or other talented performers who are disappointed and frustrated by an inability to perform at their best when it counts. Underperforming or “choking” in pressure situations happens to the most highly-trained performer. The underperforming tends to happen in situations that have emotional importance to the performer. While some people seem to thrive under pressure, others seem to implode or sabotage their performance. The cause is usually a combination of increased anxiety, internal distractions and loss of emotional control.
Pressure is for lazy people
Pressure is just part of competition, right?bNot necessarily. Unless you really do perform better under pressure, and that pressure really does bring out the best in you, it is time to learn to prepare and perform without added pressure. Most competitive or high stakes situations have built-in pressure because the outcome matters, the environment can be challenging and the performer really wants to do well. So why add more tension by declaring that this needs to be your “best performance ever,” or “everything hinges on this” or noting who will be in the audience judging you? These are natural thoughts to have, but smart
competitors and performers know that they get in the way of quality performance. Pressure works best for lazy people who may not work hard enough in preparation without reminders of the importance of the event, or people who need extra incentive to live up to expectations. Most goal-oriented people don’t respond well to added tension when it comes time to show their skills. Demanding an excellent outcome usually insures that it won’t happen. Instead, sport psychologists encourage using the event as an opportunity to show what you’ve got by controlling your stress leading up to it.
Controlling Pre-Competitive Anxiety
Many people assume that pressure is part of competition, when actually pressure is our own response to the situation. While wanting so much to achieve a goal, some people experience “evaluation apprehension,” a strong concern over how they will be evaluated or judged. Others fear the disappointment of not measuring up to the task. This apprehension impairs performance.Instead of preparing to do well, the focus shifts to thoughts of what can go wrong and the consequences of not doing well. Normal pre-event anxiety often becomes exaggerated and more distracting prior to a big event. It can cause you to doubt your training or preparation, your ability to put it all together when it counts and your chances of doing well. The closer it gets, the more we naturally start to entertain doubts. But why trust your doubts when you are trying to stay motivated and achieve your goals? It’s normal, but it needs to be brought under control in order to get the most out of the opportunity. Recognize when it is happening and turn the focus back to your training and preparation. The concept we use in sport psychology is: “control yourself in order to control performance.”
Be your own best coach
Make sure self–talk is rational, that is, neither overly negative (it is not helpful to pile it on when you are already anxious or down) nor overly positive (“you are the best,” “you can do this, no problem,” “I am the greatest”) because that won’t work either. Rather, acknowledge that performance under pressure is hard and you have a lot invested in doing this, but go back to “it is what it is”—no more, no less. If it is not motivating to consider how big the task is or what the consequences might be, don’t keep focusing on those things. The athletic skill is the same at the championship as it is in practice, it is the outside meaning attached to it that gives it “the power to be scary.” Use rational talk to tame the “scary.”
Managing the rest—a few other strategies for when you are under pressure
Breathing Simple and it works! In through the nose, out through the mouth; lift ribcage out, sink ribcage in; shoulders down—breath low and slow… however you want to cue it, do it. Practice intentional breathing every hour on the hour for just 30-60 seconds. The more often you use it, the more natural it wil become and the more effective under pressure. Try it using the phrase, “Breathe energy in, breathe tension out.”
Centering Being in the moment! Along with breathing, bring your awareness to the present. Use simple phrases that suggest gathering in and settling down despite the stuff going on around you. While breathing, try cues such as, “Stop, let it go.” “Be still—be here,” “It is what it is”… Let your shoulders drop and raise your head slightly while you breathe.
Regular relaxation All competitors and performers should practice relaxation skills. Breathing, stretching, centering and walking are all good ways to reduce anxiety and tension. The activity should be calming, distracting or mildly strenuous. A little bit goes a long way in helping manage tension and staying present focused.
To prevent jitters Reduce caffeine to the absolute minimum needed for alertness—more caffeine jump-starts panic. If this is difficult, switch to half-caffeine and be sure to reduce gradually. Check your nutrition and sleep habits. While it is not necessary to eat really well or sleep a lot, you should try to adequately cover the basics. We cope (and perform) better when we are rested, well nourished and hydrated.
The general concept is to keep overall stress/anxiety as low as possible leading up to the competition or performance. During preparation, elite achievers look for anything that works—it might mean staying in and keeping a low profile, or spending time mentally reviewing performance or other low key preparations for the event. Once the training and preparation are complete, resist obsessing.
Finally, remember that each occasion that requires dealing with “major event anxiety” provides an opportunity to add to your experience bank. Regardless of the outcome, if you can resist adding additional pressure you will improve your chances of being able to perform to potential over time.