Performance Anxiety
Posted On: 09-13-2025
I have met very few people that do not in some way have performance anxiety as they enter a sport competition. In fact, it is normal and healthy but only to a degree. We spend so much time talking about focus and concentration, but those are difficult emotional and physiological states to achieve when we are nervous.
At the same time, being anxious we also will want to get psyched up for the event. Not saying your team does a Haka, but nonetheless there are perhaps some high fives, words of encouragement and pats on the back for encouragement. So how we understand the difference between psych and anxiety is important.
Most people with performance anxiety fear social and performance situations. They are victims of negative bias, thoughts and beliefs, comparing yourself to others and most often an attitude that I cannot win. We know though even in the toughest situations teams and people have risen past their anxiety and funneled that into a winning attitude. Take for example the Miracle on Ice in 1980, when the USA team really had no chance against the Russian powerhouse in hockey but indeed miracles do happen. I am not saying you strive for miracles, but I am saying when you perform you may do better than you even thought possible is something that can happen.
- Villanova beats Georgetown – 1985
- Michigan vs Appalachian State 2003
- Holly Holm defeats Rhonda Rousey – 2015
It is difficult to perform when you are tense especially when you don’t have the confidence in your ability to win. What happens is we enter a contest, and our negativity creates a self-fulfilling prophecy that we will indeed not perform well. To stop this, one must stop trying to predict failure, as amateur athletes are prone to something called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Without a lot of detail the disorder has an influence on athletes especially those involved in individual sports like the shooting sports.
So how does one avoid this SAD complex? One must rise to the occasion express self-confidence, be confident, positive, focused and most important BE PREPARED. By far the best way to avoid being nervous is to prepare. Once you have done your work you will no longer feel:
- Lump in throat
- Sweating
- Racing heart
- Nausea
- Avoidance
- Muscle tension
Self-confidence is expressed in your attitude especially if you have indeed done the work to be successful. As you get closer to a competition or right before do a couple things to help your anxiety:
- Make a note of what you did to prepare
- Ask yourself if you have helped your team spirit
- Have you supported others besides yourself
- Can you write down a couple positive things about what you are doing well
- Can you say to yourself:
- I am prepared
- I am a good shooter
- I know how to shoot well
- I am positive I can break targets
- I have a goal
- I will be successful
It all adds up to a good day in a competition and all of the above takes one away from the negativity and anxiety often experienced. If you do these things enough you will enter each competition with total focus on the important things like lead, follow through, visual acuity, soft focus and footwork.
Finally, as a last piece here bring your friends and family to watch you. Use their support to build your own strength and be sure to thank them for being a part of your performance.