Sport Psychology on Negative Thinking and Performance Pressure
• “I have missed my last three shots, I suck.”
• “Coach might cut my playing time now.”
• “I’m letting my teammates down.”
• “I have to make the next shot, otherwise we could lose this game and not make playoffs”
• “This ref hates me!”
• “He calls everything on me and completely misses the same calls on the other end!”
This is an example that demonstrates an athlete’s stream of consciousness while
struggling with negative thinking and performance pressure. As an athlete there is a large
focus on physical factors, and understandably so. However, mental and emotional
processes play a critical role in performance, influencing the likelihood of either success
or failure.
Sport and performance psychology could help this athlete navigate stressors more
effectively with three of the following strategies inspired by Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT):
Positive Reframing:
This is not to be confused with toxic positivity (“That didn’t matter. You’re fine.”) which
ignores life’s challenges. There are two important parts of positive reframing, first,
validating your challenges (frustration with missing shots). Second, is applying a ‘glass
half full’ perspective. How to use positive reframing to address one of the automatic
negative thoughts from the example above: “I am frustrated about that missed shot and I
got the next one! Nice and smooth”.
Process Focused versus Outcome Focused:
Being process oriented helps athletes to be mindful and truly focused on the task at hand
(shooting a shot or running a play). Being focused on the outcome is thinking about a
made or missed shot or winning or losing a game. Being process oriented is helping pull
an individual’s focus to the here and now and building small actions or tasks towards an
outcome. If an athlete is worried about winning or losing they are distracted from what is
happening right in front of them.
Focus on What is in Your Control:
During games, matches, or competitions there are many factors outside of an athlete’s
control that can easily influence their thoughts and emotions (missed calls by referees,
rude fans, or inclement weather). By focusing on things in an athlete’s control can assist
with regulating emotions, building confidence, and letting go of uncontrollables.
Overall, sport psychology views athletes as multidimensional people. Athletic
performance not only requires physical training (they are not just a body), but also
intentional development of mental and emotional skills. While these strategies take time,
effort, and consistency to implement initially, they can be beneficial towards an athlete’s
performance in the long-term.
Please feel free to reach out if you believe you would benefit from the expertise of a
psychologist that specializes in sports and performance to assist you in enhancing your
mental and physical capabilities.
Kayla Kovach, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral Psychology Fellow
8224 Mentor Ave #208 Mentor OH 44060
P: 440 392 2222 #302 F: 440 565 2349
kkovach@behavioralwellnessgroup.com
www.behavioralwellnessgroup.com
Supervisor: John A. Glovan, Psy.D.
Phone: 440-392-2222 #302 Fax: 440-565-2349
jglovan@behavioralwellnessgroup.com