PARTNERSHIPS UNDER PRESSURE

In sports, the stakes are high, competition is fierce, and stress is an ever-present companion. While it has the potential to strain relationships, stress can also serve as a powerful force that can test and fortify bonds within the athletic community and the relationships that bind it together—athletes and coaches, coaches and staff, parents and players.

Understanding how stress manifests in challenging interactions is crucial to building the resilient skills—and partnerships—that support the unique pressures of athletic life.

Focusing on the positive: Overcoming mindset challenges
I see athletes fall into the comparison trap every day—and their performance suffers for it. Because when you are constantly looking to the left or right, watching others play their game, your head is not in yours.

Remember, peak performance looks different for every athlete. Stay focused on what you can control—your own game—and keep your attention on the moment.

Stop: Striving for perfection.
In the face of challenges, it’s natural to fixate on the negative. In fact, this “worst-case scenario” inclination is why we humans have survived. A heightened awareness of potential threats increased the chances that we would live another day. In modern times, however, a negative mindset decreases the chance of success by eroding confidence, performance, and team dynamics.

To counter this instinctive mindset during times of stress, we have to retrain our brains by deliberately tuning our minds toward the gains rather than the gaps. Focusing on how far we’ve come (versus how far we have to go) allows us to fuel continued progress with proof of our accomplishments.

When an athlete says: “I’m never going to get this down.”

Help them rephrase: “I don’t have this down yet. I’m getting better every time I try.”

Fortune-telling: Creating the future you want
In addition to thinking negatively in the present, humans are also (unfortunately) great at assuming adverse outcomes for the future. We psychologists call this “fortune-telling,” which is anticipating failure in a future event. As you can imagine, this negative forecasting becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, as athletes may unconsciously align their decisions and actions with the impending loss.

To overwrite fortune-telling, successful athletes use positive visualization techniques to change their future—at least in their minds! Visualizing success can harness emotions and even the senses to enhance preparation and performance.

When an athlete says: “My coach won’t start me again because I messed up.”

Help them rephrase: “I know what I did wrong, and I can see and feel myself doing it right the next time I go in.”

Internalizing feedback: Navigating emotional responses
It’s common for athletes to perceive a coach’s critique as a measure of their skills or their value as a person rather than an opportunity for improvement.

When we can look at critiques as an investment in our peak performance— instead of as a withdrawal from our self-esteem—we are more likely to accept them with gratitude, grit, and growth.

When an athlete says, “I can’t do anything right,” help them focus on the collective goals of the team, as well as their individual strengths and opportunities, so they can say, “I know we need to be great with rebounds and quick changes so we can control the court. I’m good at rebounds, and I can help my team when I work on my speed.”

Negativity isn’t a poor attitude—It’s a primal response.
As a sports psychologist, I often see stress manifesting as negativity— what many may consider a “poor attitude.” I encourage parents, coaches, and athletes to see it for what it is—an instinctual form of self-protection. Our role as their support system is to turn that need for protection into a desire for positive preparation. By shifting “negative” mindsets and reactions to stress, the athletic community can transform stress from a potential strain on relationships into a powerful catalyst for growth, unity, and enduring success.

Find out how to train your brain for better sports relationships and results at elevive.com.