Do you overthink a lot before and during games?
Before games, does your mind race, wondering about everything that’s going to happen? And then during games, do you overthink your mechanics? Do you overthink what the result will be?
All of this overthinking will limit performance. And so, in this article, we’re going to go over a tip that you can use to reduce overthinking as an athlete.
Why Overthinking Happens
Hey there, I’m Eli Straw, a mental performance coach who works with athletes from around the world on building a stronger mental game.
Overthinking can happen at any time, but mainly it’s going to occur before games and during games. We can also see it happen after games, but when it comes to affecting performance, it’s before and during games that matter most.
-
Before games: This might look like you laying in bed the night before a game, overthinking everything that will happen the next day. You might overthink what you need to do, what the result will be, whether or not your coach will get mad, or if you’ll even start.
-
During games: You might overthink what you need to be doing in the moment. For example, walking up to the plate as a baseball hitter and overthinking your swing. Or, as a tennis player, overthinking your serve.
All of this overthinking occurs because of fear about what will happen, and the anxiety and worry about what may occur.
Overthinking is really just anxious thinking—dwelling on, worrying about, and replaying thoughts about the future and what might happen.
The Root Cause: Control
The reason I say overthinking is about control is because when we are anxious about what will happen—and when we fear making mistakes—we naturally try to control the result.
-
We don’t want something bad to happen.
-
We want our stats to improve.
-
We want to have a good game.
So, our mind is seeking control.
But here’s the problem: when our mind defaults to overthinking, that actually separates us further and further from the result we want.
-
Before the game, overthinking creates more stress and tension we carry into performance.
-
During the game, overthinking keeps us out of the present moment and away from the natural rhythm and flow of play.
The Key: Simplify Your Thinking
The tip I want you to use is simple: simplify your thinking.
There are two ways to do this:
-
A tool for reducing overthinking the night before.
-
A tool for reducing overthinking during the game.
Why simplify? Because overthinking is complicated thinking. You’re trying to think about 15 to 100 things at once when all you need is to be present in the moment.
Step 1: The Night Before – Ask “What Can I Control?”
Picture yourself laying in bed at night, your mind racing about tomorrow’s game.
Here’s what you do: ask yourself the simple question, “What can I control?”
-
What can I control about playing well?
-
What can I control to put myself in a good position?
This helps redirect your thinking from the future (results, outcomes, fear) to the process (what you can actually do).
Take it one step further and ask: “Can I control any of that right now?”
The answer the night before will always be no. You cannot control the future in that moment. But by asking the question, you cut to the root of the overthinking—your mind’s need to control the future.
Step 2: During the Game – Focus on One Thing
Overthinking during a game feels like we’re controlling the outcome by thinking about it, but in reality, it only hurts us.
Instead, we want to simplify and focus on one single thing in the moment.
Here’s an example: I was talking with a high school football player, a wide receiver, who was struggling with overthinking his routes and stressing about whether or not he’d catch the ball.
He gave me a great analogy. He said he wanted his mind to feel like a sports movie moment, where everything zooms in and the crowd blurs out—the athlete is fully locked onto one thing.
To get there, he decided he would focus only on his route. By narrowing his focus onto one simple, controllable objective, he could let everything else happen naturally.
This is how you reduce overthinking in games:
-
Pick one simple, controllable objective.
-
Narrow your focus to that one thing.
-
Allow your natural skills and abilities to take over.
Why This Works
The reason overthinking hurts us is because it pulls us out of the moment.
Think about the times you’ve played your best—whether in a game, pickup, or just messing around with friends. You weren’t overthinking mechanics or results. You were just playing.
That’s the essence of trusting yourself. That’s the essence of letting go of worry and fear.
Now, that state is hard to reach when you’re stressed and anxious, but you can work toward it by simplifying your thinking:
-
Before the game: Ask yourself, What can I control?
-
During the game: Focus on one thing.
Final Thoughts
The challenge I have for you is this:
-
Before games, when you start overthinking, ask yourself, “What can I control about this? And can I control it right now?”
-
During games, always choose one simple, controllable thing to focus on in the moment.
This will help you stay present and allow your natural abilities to shine through.
If you’re interested in a more in-depth and personalized approach to managing overthinking as an athlete, click here to learn more about one-on-one mental performance coaching.
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.
