Understanding Anxiety in Sport

Competitive anxiety is not a flaw but a natural response to meaningful challenges. High-stakes environments activate fear because performance matters.

Playbook

1. Objective: Reduce anxiety’s disruptive impact.
2. What to do: Stop resisting anxious thoughts and sensations.
3. How to do it: Label anxiety as a normal response (“this is my body preparing”).
4. When: Pre-competition and during critical moments.
5. Progress indicator: Anxiety no longer dictates decisions.
6. Common mistake: Trying to calm down before acting.
7. Mini case (generic): An athlete notices a racing heart before competition, acknowledges it, and proceeds with their routine without delay.