How to Overcome Nerves in Sports: Proven Strategies for Peak Performance

Why Do Athletes Get Nervous?

Have you ever felt your heart race, hands shake, or mind go blank before a big game? You’re not alone—sports performance anxiety affects 30 to 60 percent , from beginners to Olympians (2019 review).

The good news? Nerves don’t have to ruin your game. Elite athletes don’t eliminate anxiety—they control it using mental training techniques.

In this guide, you’ll discover:

• Why sports anxiety happens (and how to stop it from sabotaging you)
• 6 science-backed strategies to stay calm under pressure
• A 3-step mid-game reset to regain focus instantly
• When to seek professional help for severe performance anxiety

 

 

Signs of Sports Performance Anxiety (Do You Have These?)

Anxiety shows up in 4 key ways:

 

1. Physical Symptoms (Your body’s reaction to stress)

• Racing heart, chest tightness
• Shaking hands, muscle tension
• Shortness of breath
• Excessive sweating
• Nausea or “butterflies”

Example: A tennis player’s grip trembles during a crucial serve.

 

2. Emotional Symptoms (How anxiety feels inside)

• Fear of failure
• Frustration & irritability
• Loss of confidence
• Dreading competition

Example: A soccer player hesitates before a penalty kick, replaying past mistakes.

 

3. Mental Symptoms (How anxiety affects thinking)

• Negative self-talk (“I’ll mess up”)
• Overthinking technique
• Blanking out mid-play.

Example: A basketball player misses free throws they nail in practice.

 

4. Behavioral Symptoms (What anxiety makes you do)

• Avoiding competitions
• Procrastinating training
• Lashing out at teammates
• Over-relying on superstitions

Example: A runner skips races due to fear of the starting gun.

 

Why Do Nerves Happen in Sports?

Anxiety triggers include:

• Fear of failure (Perfectionism makes it worse)
• External pressure (Coaches, parents, crowds)
• High-stakes situations (Championships, away games)
• Lack of mental prep (Only training physically)
• Focusing on uncontrollables (Referees, opponents, weather)

Key Insight: Anxiety isn’t bad—it’s misinterpreted energy. The best athletes reframe nerves as excitement.

Fear of Failure & Perfectionism

• Many athletes believe one mistake defines them.
• Perfectionists struggle most, as they fixate on every error.
• Example: A figure skater obsesses over landing a jump perfectly—so much so, they hesitate mid-air and fall.

External Pressure & Expectations

• Coaches, parents, and fans often add stress by expecting perfection.
• Social anxiety plays a role—athletes fear criticism, embarrassment, or disappointing their team.
• Example: A young golfer feels their dad’s critical gaze and completely loses focus on their swing.

High-Stakes Situations & Competition Anxiety

• Big games trigger more anxiety than regular practice.
• Away games feel harder—unfamiliar environments increase stress.
• Example: A swimmer dominates in practice but struggles at national meets due to overwhelming pressure.

Lack of Mental Preparation

• Athletes train their bodies but often neglect mental training (e.g., visualization, breathing exercises, self-talk).
• Without mental strategies, nerves take over during competition.
• Example: A weightlifter’s body is strong, but their mind panics before a record attempt.

Focusing on Uncontrollable Factors

• Anxiety increases when athletes worry about things beyond their control, such as:
  • The opponent’s skill level
  • Referee decisions
  • Crowd reactions
  • Weather conditions
• Example: A baseball pitcher blames the umpire’s calls, instead of focusing on their own technique.

 

6 Proven Ways to Overcome Nerves in Sports

1. Master Breathing & Relaxation

When anxiety spikes, the body goes into fight-or-flight mode, increasing heart rate, muscle tension, and shallow breathing. Relaxation techniques help counteract this response, restoring composure and control.

✅ Deep Breathing Exercises – Slows the heart rate and stabilizes focus.
🚀 Try this: breathing technique – Inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds (repeat 5-10 times).

✅ Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) – Releases built-up tension from stress.
🚀 Example: A weightlifter tense-and-releases muscle groups before a lift to avoid shaking under pressure.

✅ Meditation & Mindfulness – Keeps athletes present and focused instead of obsessing over past mistakes or future worries.
🚀 Best for: Solo sports like golf, gymnastics, or archery, where mental clarity is crucial.

 

2. Use Visualization Like Elite Athletes

The mind doesn’t distinguish between real and imagined experiences, which is why visualization is a powerful tool for peak performance.

✅ Mentally Rehearse Success – Picture yourself executing your skills perfectly in competition conditions.
🚀 Example: Instead of stressing about missed shots before a big game, a basketball player takes a different approach. They close their eyes and picture themselves sinking smooth, controlled jump shots, going through each move with precision—just like in competition. By mentally rehearsing success, they strengthen their confidence and set themselves up to perform at their best when it counts.

✅ Overcome Challenges in Advance – Instead of fearing failure, visualize yourself handling setbacks with composure.
🚀 Example: A soccer player steps up for a high-pressure penalty kick, imagining the roaring crowd and the goalkeeper’s intense focus. Instead of fearing a miss, they visualize staying composed, striking the ball cleanly, and even recovering confidently if things don’t go as planned. By mentally rehearsing both success and setbacks, they build resilience and step up with unshakable confidence.

 

3. Reframe Negative Thoughts

Your inner dialogue shapes how you respond to anxiety. The key is replacing self-doubt with empowering thoughts.

✅ Reframe Negative Thoughts – Instead of “What if I fail?” shift to “I’ve trained for this. I am ready.”

✅ Thought-Stopping Techniques – If anxious thoughts creep in, use a cue word or action to refocus.
🚀 Example: A tennis player whispers “trust” before every serve, blocking out fear of mistakes.

 

4. Develop a Pre-Game Routine

Athletes who follow structured pre-performance routines experience less anxiety because they feel in control.

✅ Mental Warm-Ups – Just like physical warm-ups, preparing the mind primes athletes for success.
🚀 Example: A runner does breathing drills, listens to pump-up music, and repeats a mantra before a race.

✅ Use Focus Cues – Simple words (“calm,” “focus,” “strong”) keep attention locked into the moment.

 

5. Focus on Process, Not Outcome

Focusing only on winning creates paralyzing pressure. Instead, direct attention to controllable actions.

✅ Emphasize Execution Over Results – Trust your training, rather than obsessing over scoreboards or rankings.
🚀 Example: A baseball player focuses on proper batting mechanics, not hitting a home run.

✅ Break the Game into Small Segments – Instead of thinking about the entire match, focus on one play at a time.
🚀 Best for: Sports like basketball, tennis, or football, where multiple moments define success.

 

6. Seek Professional Help (If Needed)

If performance anxiety interferes with your ability to compete, working with a sports psychologist or mental performance coach can provide personalized solutions.

✅ When to Seek Help:

• Anxiety leads to panic attacks or physical symptoms like nausea.
• Avoiding competition due to overwhelming nerves.
• Struggling to control negative thoughts, despite trying different strategies.

🚀 Action Step: Many elite athletes work with mental performance coaches to build confidence and control under pressure.

3-Step Mid-Game Reset (When Nerves Hit)

When nerves hit mid-game, use this quick mental reset strategy to regain control:

1. Mentally prepare yourself ahead of your competition: Engage in a mental warmup that allows you to access your resourceful state and gets you into the proper mindset before competition. This could include intentional breathing exercises, visualization, and words of affirmation.
2. Identify your role in achieving success in the competition: These are key performance indicators (KPIs) that you always have the ability to have an impact on. What skills do you want to use? What emotions do you want to feel? What actions/behaviours can you engage in throughout the competition?
3. Check in on your KPIs throughout the competition: Find times in your competition that allow you to take a moment and ask yourself: How am I doing right now? How do I feel about it? What am I doing well? What needs improvement?

Shifting the focus to controllable actions helps reduce competitive anxiety in sports, leading to improved confidence and better overall performance.

 

Additional Resources

If you want to develop mental resilience and improve consistency, check out our Brain Training for Athletes course (Click here). Learn to master the mental game and reach peak performance.

Want to get into a flow state faster? Book a free consultation with one of our performance specialists today.

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Lauren Williams | High-Performance Athlete Mindset Coach