We all have fears; fear we aren’t good enough, fear we won’t make that team, fear we will have a bad performance, fear we may let those closest to us down, the list goes on. Everyone’s fear may look different, but all fears boil down to trying to protect ourselves from one thing – failure. Fear of failure is a common issue in sports that can have a huge impact an athlete’s performance and mental well-being. Here are 5 strategies to not let fear get the best of you or stand in your way of success on the court!

• REFRAMING – DON’T FEAR YOUR FEAR

An extremely powerful tool to help conquer your fears is to reframe your fears. We often think of our fears as something to be scared of, rather than looking at them as opportunity. An easy way to reframe your fear is to look at it as opportunity, rather than something to be afraid of. Instead of going into a big game thinking of everything that could go wrong, reframe your thought pattern to start thinking of everything that could right. Replace your self pressuring thoughts of “I need to have a good game if I don’t I’m a failure,” to “I have a huge opportunity to let all my hard work show today.” 

By adapting a “fear vs opportunity” mindset, we take the power away from our fear. Instead of fuelling your fear with self deprecating thoughts, starve that fear with an opportunistic alternative. We often view our opportunities as stress and pressure, when they are really blessings! Enjoy the challenge of competition and embrace the feelings that come with it. Reframing our fears puts us in the drivers seat, rather than being a victim to our irrational fears and doubts. By reframing and even embracing our fears, we make them less scary, and at the same time, giving ourselves a sense of control. 

• THE WILLINGNESS TO TRY — DARING TO SUCK 

Our fears generally come from a lack of self trust. Maybe you don’t believe in your abilities, or maybe you are too scared to use them because your bigger fear is making a mistake. Facing your fears all lies in your WILLINGNESS TO TRY. If you want to eliminate fear, you have to be brave, you have to be courageous, and you have to be willing to make mistakes. 

The late and great Kobe Bryant said it best – “When it came to basketball, I had no fear. What I mean by that is, if I wanted to implement something new into my game, I’d see it and try incorporating it immediately. I wasn’t scared of missing, looking bad, or being embarrassed. I always focused on the fact that I had to try something to get it, and once i got it, I’d be that much better. If the price was a lot of work and a few missed shots, I was ok with that.”

Kobe was not afraid to fail, and that’s what made him great. You can’t be afraid to fail if you want to achieve greatness – and Kobe exemplified that. It takes BRAVERY to face your fears. Often times, the best players are the bravest players. They have failed more times than you can imagine, but they keep trying. They don’t let one missed shot stop them from taking the next 10 shots. They choose to believe that the next shot will go in. They don’t allow doubt or negative self talk win. They let the power of courage guide them. When your fear activates your fight or flight response, you are left with two choices – sink or swim. Are you going to let your fear take you down, or are you going to face your fear and rise the occasion? 

• SELF AFFIRMATIONS – THE POWER OF POSITIVE SELF TALK 

Positive affirmations hold incredible power in shaping your mindset and overcoming your fears. While it may sound cheesy, the way we speak to ourselves matters – a lot! Speaking to yourself in a positive way can not only boost your motivation and performance, but it can boost your confidence and quiet the voice of self doubt in the back of your mind. 

The next time you are heading into a game or even a training session, stop for a moment and rehearse a few of your favourite self affirmations to yourself. Here are some examples, but make sure you find something that rings true to you! 

“I am strong and focused”

“I am capable”

“I trust my abilities and training” 

“I am deserving of this opportunity” 

“I am fearless”

“I’m the best player on the court”

“I am a winner”

“I got this” 

Self affirmations have been shown to work best during high pressure situations and are a great way of helping us relax and stay focused during these high stake moments. Positive self talk and affirmations are about reminding ourselves what matters most to us and who we are- it’s a way of grounding ourselves in the truth of our own stories- it makes it feel less dependent on the approval of others and even comfortable with their disapproval. Practicing consistent positive self talk will increase your confidence, while lowering your stress and anxiety levels.

• PROCESS > OUTCOME : REDEFINING SUCCESS

Focus on the process, not the outcome. When we place too much emphasis on the outcome, we set ourselves up for failure and discount all the import smaller milestones it took to get us there. A lot of the time our fear lies in not reaching our goals, but goal achievement is fleeing. Redefine success to prioritize hard work and long term development over short-term outcomes. Although the outcome remains of great importance in sport, it is for the most part out of our control. The process however, includes daily acts within our control that can help us achieve our goals. By focusing on the process and not only the outcome – we allow ourselves to experience the feeling of accomplishment more regularly (while also allowing self compassion if things don’t go our way). When we focus on the PROCESS (hard work, effort, preparation, consistency, good habits) and not only the RESULT (winning, having 30 points, making that team), we shift our focus from the end result, to the journey itself. By valuing and prioritizing the process, our fears will become less intimidating as they don’t hold the same power over us.

• VISUALIZATION: PRACTICING MINDFULNESS

What if instead of picturing yourself failing, you could visualize success? The mind is a powerful thing – we are what we think. By prepping our minds before competition by visualizing ourselves playing confident, feeling powerful, and conquering whatever fears may be standing in our way – we are psychologically priming our brains to bring that reality into fruition. The process of visualization is a scientifically proven technique to help not only reduce stress and anxiety before competition, but also improve our performance. By rehearsing positive mental imagery before we step on the court, it helps us feel more in control, more present, and less fearful.

Find a quiet location before the game and fill your mind with scenes of you succeeding and conquering whatever fears you may be struggling with. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths to center yourself and calm your mind. Next, focus on what you want to happen, not on what you don’t want to happen. See yourself knocking down shots. Feel yourself playing with confidence and pride. See yourself winning and walking out of the gym with your head high. Be specific about what you want to happen. By priming your mind and visualizing yourself succeeding on the court, you should feel relaxed and confident headed into your game.

Fear can make or break us. We can either rise above it, or we can let it stand in the way of our dreams. It’s up to us to choose, and while you do, just remember that – everything you’ve ever wanted is on other side of fear!