One of the main reasons you might be playing well in practice but not playing well in games has to do with the permission you give yourself to make mistakes.
One of the most common challenges I help athletes overcome is the disconnect between practice play and game play.
During practice, athletes often play freely, confidently, and up to their potential.
But once the game starts, that performance tends to drop.
Why does this happen?
Well, a lot of things change—except the fact that you’re still the same athlete. Your skills haven’t disappeared. But what does increase is fear, worry, pressure, and expectations—most of which come from yourself.
So let’s look at how you’re viewing mistakes.
How Fear of Mistakes Impacts Performance
I was working with a baseball player recently who had been struggling with his throws from third base to first. He’d been making poor throws in games. Why? Because of the anxiety he felt around making a mistake.
He was terrified of messing up.
But I asked him how he felt throwing with his dad or a friend, and he said he felt completely fine. He threw well. The reason? There was no pressure. No consequences.
Even though he didn’t say it directly, he was giving himself permission to make mistakes.
And that’s the key here: permission.
Without realizing it, during practice, we give ourselves permission to make mistakes.
But during games?
That permission is gone. We think mistakes are unacceptable. And that mindset shift—this lack of permission—is what causes the drop in performance.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should want to make mistakes. But I am saying you need to accept that they might happen.
Because when you try to avoid mistakes at all costs, what happens? You end up playing timid. You hesitate. You overthink. You tighten up. You underperform.
Trying to Avoid Mistakes Creates More Mistakes
The same baseball player told me something really insightful. I asked him, “What’s the only way to avoid mistakes entirely?” He said, “Quit.” And he’s right. Mistakes are part of the game.
But when you try to avoid mistakes, you often make more of them. For example, this player started short-arming his throws, changing his mechanics out of fear. That made his throws worse.
I’ve seen it in other sports, too. Soccer players passing backward every time they get the ball just to avoid turning it over. The result? Ineffective play and bad passes.
When you play to avoid mistakes—because you’re not giving yourself permission to make them—you will underperform.
How to Start Giving Yourself Permission to Make Mistakes
If you want to close the gap between how you play in practice and how you play in games, you must ask yourself: Am I giving myself permission to make mistakes?
In practice, you probably are. In games, probably not.
So, how do you make this change?
First, recognize that mistakes are a risk in sports. The possibility is always there. When you step onto the field or court, you must accept that reality—and play freely in spite of it. If you try to eliminate mistakes completely, you’ll end up playing scared.
Positive and Realistic Self-Talk
To start building this mindset, use self-talk.
Say things like:
- “I’ve got this.”
- “I know I can play well.”
- “It’s okay if I make a mistake. I’ll be okay.”
That last one is especially important. You’re not saying you want to make mistakes. You’re saying, If it happens, I can handle it.
This calms the worried part of your mind and frees you to perform.
Respond to Mistakes Productively
Here’s another crucial piece: how you respond to mistakes.
If you constantly beat yourself up, you’ll never believe it when you say, “It’s okay to make mistakes.”
Your actions will contradict your words.
This can create a fear not just of mistakes—but of your own reactions.
The baseball player told me he’s scared of getting down on himself. That’s his own response. We don’t want to fear our own reactions. So you must work on responding better when mistakes happen.
You don’t have to respond perfectly. Just better. Each time you make a mistake, remind yourself to take a deep breath, refocus, and move on.
Handling Real Consequences
Sometimes, mistakes come with consequences—like getting benched or being yelled at by a coach. These are real fears. But we have to build confidence that we can handle those outcomes, too.
You might lose your spot. You might get chewed out. But you’ll survive. And as long as you don’t let the fear of those possibilities control how you play, you’ll be okay.
Because that’s what makes games feel so different from practice. The stakes seem higher. But what if you were okay with those consequences?
What if you trusted yourself to handle them?
Play Free, Trust Your Training
At the end of the day, the only way to play your best during games is to allow yourself to play freely. That means trusting your training. Trusting your skills. Trusting yourself.
As soon as you start playing to avoid mistakes, you block that freedom.
So, if you want to take your practice performance into games, give yourself permission. Accept the risk of mistakes. Talk to yourself with compassion and confidence. Respond better when things go wrong. And remind yourself—you’re strong enough to handle whatever happens.
That’s how you close the gap.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to build a stronger mindset and play more consistently, I offer a one-on-one coaching program.
I’ve also created two online courses:
And if you’re more of a reader, check out my books:
Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of success in all that you do.
