Why Do We Worry SO Much? Helping Your Athletes Get Out of Their Heads! - November 2022
Does your gymnast have racing thoughts? Overthink too much? If so, it is our brain’s way of trying to control the outcome!
Many of the gymnasts I work with indicate they are very anxious. As the meet season approaches, you might find your gymnast questioning whether they will have all their skills on time. Over the past month, I have heard from numerous gymnasts, “I have a meet in just a few weeks, but I am not sure I am ready.” They are reporting an increase in stress and pressure.
When we start to doubt ourselves, we start to overthink all the things we have to do or make sure that certain things do not happen. We start to overthink and get all caught up in our heads, which in turn leads to a decrease in our performance.
Why does this happen? Well, our mind is built to solve problems. Overthinking is the result of trying to control the outcome. Overthinking is our mind’s way of trying to help us feel better as we feel we are doing something to take control of the outcome; but in the end, we just feel worse!
But to perform our best, we need to trust our training and our ability to handle challenges that come our way. We need to choose to focus on the present moment. We need to choose to take action. When your gymnast’s mind starts to overthink, help them bring their mind back to the present moment and what they need to do in the here and now, which will put them in the position to achieve the outcome they desire!
If you or your gymnast would like more support, check out my coaching services on my website.
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