Have you ever found yourself second-guessing during a game?
Maybe you get the ball passed to you, and then you hesitate for a second and you’re wondering, should I take this shot? Should I pass the shot off?
Maybe you’re going up to the plate and you are second guessing your mechanics and wondering, should I have my hands in this position? Should I look for this certain pitch early in the count?
When athletes second-guess themselves, this leads to hesitant play, and it tends to lead to underperforming.
Sometimes it is good to think through your game, and you do need to be able to think through what your strategy is and how you need to adjust mid-game. But no matter what kind of adjustments you make, the core principle of being able to be in the moment, let yourself play freely, and be present is always going to lead to peak performance.
But when you second-guess, you are always keeping yourself from playing freely.
What second-guessing Looks Like in Different Sports
Second-guessing shows up differently based on the sport you play.
It’s winter right now, so I am working with a lot of basketball players, and second-guessing is something that comes up a lot. Normally it has to do with taking a shot or passing the ball off.
But even if they second-guess themselves and then decide to take the shot, this can still become a bad shot. That split second of hesitation allows the defense to close in. So now it’s not a great shot. The same thing happens with passing — hesitation leads to steals or missed opportunities. Or athletes just feel really tense because they’re second-guessing.
Hitters will second-guess their mechanics going up to the plate. Now they’re not fully in the moment looking at the pitch. They’re distracted and not as confident because they’re starting to second-guess.
Mechanics get overthought. Positioning gets questioned. Past mistakes creep in. And athletes wind up playing tight instead of instinctively.
Core Reasons Athletes second-guess Themselves
Since second-guessing is really about overthinking and questioning what you’re doing, it’s helpful to break down what drives it.
1. Fear of Mistakes
This is the first core reason. If I’m going into a game and I’m really scared of making mistakes, I will second-guess myself because I’m trying to be perfect. I don’t trust myself to minimize mistakes and play well naturally.
2. Perfectionism
Athletes who try to be too perfect will naturally second-guess.
Basketball players looking for the perfect shot. Baseball players, tennis players, golfers trying to get perfect mechanics.
3. Fear of Judgment
Whenever we are worried about what coaches think, what parents think, what people watching think, we will naturally be scared of mistakes. We will naturally try to be perfect. And then we end up second-guessing ourselves.
4. Lack of Trust in Preparation/Mechanics
I combine these two because trust in mechanics comes from trust in preparation.
If you’re a golfer standing over a putt and you second-guess your line, a lot of that comes from not trusting your preparation.
Same for baseball players who don’t trust their swing and start trying to control the outcome instead of trusting the work they’ve put in.
Mental Traps That Fuel second-guessing
There are also certain ways of thinking—mental traps—that make second-guessing worse.
Outcome Focus
Perfectionism feeds this. Focusing too much on what might happen forces you to fixate on the result. That makes you think more about the negative result you don’t want.
Comparison
Comparing mechanics, points, stats, or performances quickly leads to overthinking and second-guessing.
Trying to Control Everything
Fear of mistakes → fear of judgment → perfectionism → lack of trust in mechanics…all of these lead to one thing: trying to control the outcome.
But since you can’t fully control what happens, you end up overthinking:
- Are my mechanics right?
- Is this the right shot?
- Should I pass?
- How should I play this point?
And that spirals into more second-guessing.
Past Mistakes
If you make past mistakes—last game, last hole, last pitch—it becomes much easier to second-guess the very next opportunity.
So What Can You Do? Strategies to Stop second-guessing
There are a few different strategies I encourage you to apply. You can use all of them or pick one or two to start.
1. Build an In-Game Resetting Routine
Use this when you notice yourself second-guessing.
Examples of when to use it:
- Basketball: after a play, running down the court, or on the bench
- Baseball: on deck or between pitches
- Golf: step back from the ball
- Tennis: between points
How it works:
- Take a quick deep breath.
- Tell yourself something that gets you into trust mode.
Examples:
- I trust myself. Let go. Play freely.
- Trust the process. Stay present.
You physically reset with the breath. You mentally reset by reminding yourself to trust.
2. Set Actionable, Process-Based Goals
If you struggle with perfectionism, worrying about others, or trying to control the result, shift your focus to controllable actions.
Examples:
- Golf: Be quick over the ball.
- Baseball: Swing nice and relaxed.
- Basketball: Work to get open.
When actions are simple and controllable, you stop focusing on right vs. wrong and start focusing on what you can do. That frees you up to be more reactive—in a good way.
3. Use a Pre-Performance or Pre-Game Routine
This gets you into a calmer, more confident mindset. And when you’re calm and confident, you’re more likely to trust yourself and avoid second-guessing.
Create a simple pregame routine you use before competition.
4. Practice Playing Aggressively on Purpose
A college basketball player shared this with me this week.
He told himself: I’ve been holding myself back so much. Now I’m going to try to be overly aggressive. I’m going to put myself in positions where I might make mistakes.
He played great because he stopped trying to avoid mistakes.
You can try this too: Practice putting yourself in situations where mistakes might happen.
This teaches you to play freely instead of protectively.
5. Train Your Self-Talk Throughout the Week
Second-guessing = unhelpful thinking.
Training your thinking daily gives you more control during games.
Do this through:
- Journaling
- Reading a self-talk list
- Writing self-talk statements
Give yourself time each day to train your mind.
6. Work to Trust Your Training More
Make this actionable:
Spend time every day reflecting on:
- What you did well in training
- Why your training will lead to success
This daily reflection is incredibly effective for athletes who historically second-guess and struggle with confidence.
Final Thoughts
If you are currently struggling with second-guessing yourself and overthinking when you play, these strategies can help.
But if you are interested in a more in-depth and personalized approach, I do offer one-on-one mental performance coaching, that can help.
Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of success in all that you do.
