Does your mind race before games? Do you have a lot of anxious thoughts while you play?
A racing mind is a major cause of underperforming during games.
In this article, I’m going to walk you through a system you can use to calm racing thoughts before games.
First, let’s take a look at why your mind races.
Why Your Mind Races Before Games
Sports performance anxiety is a mental game challenge many athletes deal with. It was the main challenge I faced as an athlete and the reason I got into sport psychology in the first place.
Anxiety in sports is all about stress and worries about what may happen, what other people will think of you, what your stats will look like…it’s all about worries about the future.
These worries may seem okay to have, since you don’t want to play poorly and you certainly don’t want other people to think you’re a bad player.
However, the more you worry, the more your mind races. The more your mind races, the less likely you are to play well.
It is the stress and worry you have about what will happen that drives your racing mind.
But what about when your mind races about past events? Such as a bad game or a mistake you just made.
Past mistakes are another driving factor for a racing mind. Especially if the mistake was embarassing.
There are many reasons why your mind will race, from past mistakes to future worries. But at the core of all of this is an overactive mind. A mind you cannot be still and one that is not centered in the present moment.
The system I have outlined below targets overactivity and works to calm the racing thoughts, but only if used consistently.
Yes, the system will help make your mind calmer for your next game, but to still a currently overactive mind takes time and it takes repetition.
System to Calm Your Racing Mind
The system below involves daily exercises for you to do, along with exercises to complete before games. I encourage you to apply both and work to find a routine that fits your schedule.
The reason I say routine is because calming racing thoughts requires repetitive action. Over time, you will notice your mind calming, just as the sea calms after a storm.
Taking Daily Action
There are two exercises to use on a daily basis that work to calm your mind. The first is mindfulness meditation and the second is journal writing.
Mindfulness meditation has been proven to reduce rumination. Rumination is when you keep thinking the same thing over and over again. This is the struggle with racing thoughts before games. You can’t stop your mind from thinking.
Mindfulness meditation helps with that. It works to calm racing thoughts over time.
Begin with a five to ten minute meditation every day. It’s important to be consistent with the practice.
Journal writing is the second exercise you want to use on a daily basis to calm racing thoughts.
The journal writing I am referring to is a form of self-reflective writing where you write a page a day about whatever is on your mind.
Think of it like a mind dump. You are clearing out your mind, making it easier to think clearly.
Don’t worry about what to write. Simply write anything that comes to mind or is on your mind. This is a great way to work through the anxious thoughts racing through your head.
Pregame Exercises
Both of the exercises I outlined above can be used before games as a way to calm your mind going into competition. I encourage all of the athletes I coach in one-on-one mental coaching to meditate pregame.
A pregame meditation is a fantastic way to center your mind in the present moment and quiet racing thoughts.
Journal writing is also beneficial before a game.
In addition to those two exercises, there are a few more you can use.
One is count breathing. With count breathing, you inhale for a certain count and exhale for a certain count. For example, you can inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of four. You want to do this continuously.
Another exercise you can use is visualization for relaxation. To do this exercise, you want to think of a relaxing scene. Put yourself in that environment and work to get as relaxed as possible.
Relaxing yourself will help calm your mind and quiet racing thoughts.
The last exercise I want to mention is setting performance objectives. It is not so much of an exercise as it is an intent you have for the game.
Performance objectives are goals you set that are 100% within your control.
By focusing on what’s in your control, you simplify your thinking. The simpler your thinking is, the less active your mind will be.
Mental Coaching to Calm Your Racing Thoughts
The above mentioned exercises will help calm your racing thoughts before games. Especially if you combine the pregame exercises with the daily actions you need to take and you remain consistent.
However, there is much more personalized work that can be done to calm your mind. Work that pinpoints your fears and worries and works to build a stronger mindset in general.
The stronger your mindset, the easier it is to focus in the present moment and let go of racing thoughts.
If you’re interested in learning more about the one-on-one coaching I offer, click here to schedule a free introductory coaching call.
Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of success in all that you do.
