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In this post we'll explore the second technique that elite athletes use to manage pre-competitive anxiety. If you missed the first one check out this link.



I can't imagine an athlete that hasn't doubted him or herself before a big competition. You know those nagging thoughts:

"Did I train enough?"
"What if something goes wrong?"
"What if I don't do as well as I should?"
And the list goes on.

Even elite athletes have their doubts. The difference between how an elite handles these negative thoughts and how the average athlete handles them is cognitive restructuring.

On the surface, cognitive restructuring is pretty simple. "Just say no" to anything negative. Take any negative thought that crosses your mind and stop it. Then counter it with a positive thought. Here's how one of the elite athletes participating in the Hanton, Wadey and Mellialieu study described it:

Every athlete experiences some negative thought ... especially during the lead up to an important competition. But, you never really know when a negative thought is going to creep in ... What's important though, is that when it does you know how to use it to your advantage to help your performance.

How is this done? About 25% of the participants in the study of elite athletes used the following technique: First, they would broaden their perspective to draw upon personal non-sporting events with which they had successfully dealt (e.g., death or serious illness of family member). They would recognize and acknowledge the strength they possess that got them through these events. They would then turn to positive statements and images of previous sporting accomplishments. This lowered the intensity of their irrational thoughts and increased their feelings of self-confidence and the belief that they would perform successfully.

So it's clear that cognitive restructuring can help you in many ways. Here's a way that it wont. Hanton, Wadey, and Mellalieu found that athletes who used cognitive restructuring still felt anxious. However, the elites did not necessarily see that as a bad thing. As one participant in the study said, "You'll never remove all the worries. As if you didn't feel nervous you would be relaxed like you don't care." What cognitive restructuring did give athletes was the feeling that their self-doubts about their performance were under their control and were helpful, as can be seen in these athlete quotes:

"It [cognitive restructuring] just helps you to see your nervousness in a different light. It's still there, but you see it as something positive for performance, rather than negative."

"Once the battle in my head is under control, I feel more confident as I know the nerves will help my performance. And the more confident you are, the more likely you will perform better."

So should you use cognitive restructuring? Absolutely. If elites do, shouldn't you?

I'll close this post with a quote by Julia Cameron,

What we focus on, we empower and enlarge. Good multiplies when focused upon. Negativity multiplies when focused upon. The choice is ours: Which do we want more of?

Keep checking back for more cognitive strategies. Next up: Pre-performance routines.

As always, if you know athletes who might benefit from some mental prep training tips, by all means let them know about the Sportsminded blog. That's what we're here for.

Reference: Hanton, Wadey & Mellalieu (2008). Advanced psychological strategies and anxiety responses in sport. The Sport Psychologist, 22, 472-490.



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