Are you really stressed about playing time? Do you worry about the amount of minutes that you get when you are competing?
When we’re so stressed about playing time that we are actually taking our attention away from the game we’re playing and the moment that we’re in, it really begs the question: why are we spending so much time stressing about playing time instead of just focusing on the time that we are getting?
Why Playing Time Stress Hurts Your Performance
Of course, as an athlete, you want to get more playing time. That’s the whole reason why you’re playing your sport—so that you can actually play. Nobody wants to be a bench player. Nobody likes it when coach pulls them from the game.
But no matter how much you want to get playing time, what’s worse than even getting benched is being so stressed about playing time that you can’t focus on what you need to be doing.
You play timid and scared when you do play because all you’re worried about is:
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Am I going to make a mistake?
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If I do, will coach pull me?
This stress about getting more playing time and whether or not coach will pull you turns into poor performance. You play differently—scared, tense, timid—because your focus is on not making mistakes instead of simply doing what you need to do in the moment.
The Cycle of Fear and Poor Play
Let’s say I’m a basketball player. I’m in a game, and all I’m thinking about is whether or not coach will pull me. I know that if I turn the ball over or miss a shot, coach is going to sit me on the bench.
So what do I do? I play with fear. I hold myself back. And because I’m holding myself back, coach ends up pulling me anyway.
I’m not playing the way coach wants me to play. I’m playing differently because I’m scared of making mistakes. I’m focused on not getting pulled, instead of making the most of the minutes I do have.
So the question is: am I actually making the most of my time on the court? Or am I spending that time playing differently because I’m too stressed about whether or not I’ll get pulled?
Focusing on the Time You Do Get
Even though you want more playing time, you have to give your full focus to the time you do get. That means being more present when you play.
It’s not about worrying about the future of your performance. It’s about focusing on what you’re doing right now.
Now, I know saying that doesn’t make it easier. You still want more playing time. You still fear coach pulling you. But what we’re really trying to do here is change our attention.
If your focus is only on not getting pulled, not making mistakes, and playing perfectly to get more minutes, the result will always be underperformance. You’ll hold yourself back.
A New Goal: Making the Most of the Moment
We need a new goal when you play: make the most of the time you do get.
But this can’t mean scoring a bunch of points or racking up stats. That’s not controllable.
Instead, ask: What can I control?
For example, as a basketball player, I can:
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Hustle hard on every single play.
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Keep a good attitude.
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Stay completely in the moment.
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Play aggressive defense.
By doing this, when the game is over, I won’t ask myself how much time I got to play. I’ll ask myself: Am I proud of the way I played?
Whether I played 3 minutes or 25 minutes, I want to be proud of the minutes I did get.
Fear Changes Your Game
From personal experience, I know that when we spend so much time worrying about playing time—whether we’ll get pulled, or if we’ll play more—it changes the way we perform.
And not usually for the better.
When I played with fear, anxiety, and worry, I wasn’t proud of how I played. I left the game disappointed, knowing I held myself back.
It wasn’t about the playing time. It was about how I used the minutes I did get.
Final Thoughts
If you’re spending so much time stressing about playing time—or honestly, any type of stress while competing—you’re not enjoying the moment. You’re not making the most of the moment.
But it’s making the most of the moment, playing to the best of your abilities, and giving full effort that actually leads to better results.
If you want more playing time, you need to be the type of player that earns more playing time. And that starts with being fully engrossed in what you’re doing in the moment.
If you do that, it won’t matter how much playing time you get. It won’t matter if coach pulls you. You will be proud of yourself for how you played, instead of leaving the game frustrated because you held yourself back.
Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of success in all that you do.
