When Your Head Gets in the Way: Learning to Handle Pressure in Sport
Pressure isn’t weakness.
It’s proof you’re doing something that truly matters.
When You Feel Under Pressure (and No One Really Gets It)
I get it. Sometimes it feels like no one understands what you’re going through. Like everyone just expects results, performances, stats… without seeing what’s going on inside.
But here’s the truth: feeling pressure is normal. It’s not a flaw, it’s a human response. Even the strongest feel it. You’re not weak if your hands shake before a game, if you feel sick during warm-up, if you’ve got that lump in your throat you can’t swallow.
Actually—it means you care. It means you’re in the game.
It’s Not Just Stress: It’s the Fear of Letting People Down
What people on the outside don’t see is the weight you carry. Expectations from your team, a parent, your coach. But often the pressure doesn’t even come from others—it comes from inside. That voice that says you have to prove yourself, that you can’t mess up, that if you fail, you’re worth less.
Let me tell you something I wish someone had told me when I was younger: you are not your results. And if you make a mistake today, you can always improve tomorrow.
What to Do BEFORE a Match to Handle the Tension
Here are a few practical things you can try right away:
Box breathing (4 seconds inhale, 4 hold, 4 exhale, 4 hold). Repeat for 2–3 minutes.
Create your own pre-game routine: a gesture, a phrase, a song—something that brings you back to your centre.
Mute the noise: turn off notifications, avoid people who stress you out, focus on you.
Write down a phrase to repeat to yourself. Like: "I’m here to give my best, not to be perfect."
You can’t erase all the anxiety. But you can learn how to steer it. Pressure becomes fuel—if you learn how to channel it.
What If You Mess Up? Spoiler: It Happens to Everyone. Even the Greats.
Ever seen Dina Asher-Smith stumble in a final? Or Marcus Rashford miss a penalty in front of millions? Or Tom Daley fail a dive on the biggest stage? It happens. Even to the best. Even to Olympic champions.
Mistakes are part of the process. You don’t need to be scared of them, because the real athlete isn’t the one who never falls—it’s the one who knows how to get back up.
Here’s something to remember: every mistake you face today is one more brick laid in becoming the person (and athlete) you want to be tomorrow.
Sometimes you win. The rest of the time, you learn.
The Silent Comparison: When You Feel Less Than Others
You scroll through social media and see someone your age with the perfect body, a viral video, a gold medal. And inside, a voice says: "I’m not enough."
Stop. Because what you’re seeing is just a piece of the picture—not the full story. No one posts their off days, their tears, their doubts.
Start learning to spot the difference between inspiration and toxic comparison. Inspiration pushes you to grow. Comparison makes you feel like a failure.
And you? You are not a failure. You’re a work in progress.
Build Strength from the Inside: Your Mindset Needs Training Too
Training your mind is like training a muscle. It takes time, consistency, and method. You won’t see it in the mirror—but you’ll feel it when it counts.
Every day you choose not to quit, every time you get back up, every time you give it another shot—that’s mental training.
You’re not alone in this. Every athlete you look up to has had rough moments. But they chose to face them.
It’s normal to feel fear. Fear is the precursor to courage.
And if you’re feeling pressure today… it means you’re still in the game. And as long as you’re in the game, you can change the ending.
Want more advice on building mental toughness and facing your athletic journey with focus and resilience? Subscribe to the DRACONES newsletter. Every week, we share articles, tools, and real stories to help young athletes grow—on and off the field.
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