Fear of Failure in Sports Articles

Quick Summary:

• Athletes play scared because of fear, not because they lack skill. Playing scared shows up as hesitation, second guessing, and holding back during games, even when athletes perform well in practice.
• The most common driver of scared play is fear of negative consequences, such as making mistakes, getting embarrassed, losing a starting role, getting yelled at, or letting others down.
• Outcome-focused thinking increases fear. When athletes fixate on results they want to avoid, their brain shifts into protection mode, leading to cautious, timid decision-making.
• Fear of injury or contact can also cause athletes to play scared, especially when they try to avoid physical situations that are required to perform at a high level in competition.
• Athletes stop playing scared by accepting fear, shifting from avoidance-based goals to controllable process goals, and training themselves to play aggressively and freely under pressure.

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