How Pros Handle Performance Anxiety

Words I like:

“You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your preparation.”

Here’s what sucks: You’re fit. You’ve trained. You’re ready. And then the lights come on… and you freeze.

Your heart races. Your mind goes blank. Your legs feel like concrete. You miss. You choke. You spiral.

It’s not about the talent. It’s not about the grind. It’s about performance anxiety — and if you don’t fix it, your season’s already over.

Why this matters:

• Your scholarship? On the line.

• Your roster spot? In danger.

• That scout watching you? They saw everything.

• And your teammates? Yeah, they felt the drop-off too.

Real talk: You will never consistently win at a high level if your brain melts under pressure.

But here’s the flip side:

Anxiety is just energy you haven’t given direction to yet.

Redirect it — and suddenly your biggest weakness becomes your competitive edge.

Elite athletes? They don’t get rid of nerves. They use them.

Same body. Same pressure. Different results.

Here’s how to make that switch:

1. Name the beast. Anxiety thrives in vagueness. Call it out: “Yep, I’m feeling it.” Now you’re in control.

2. Reframe the sensation. Heart pounding? Good. You’re alive. You’re ready. Don’t say “I’m nervous.” Say “I’m pumped.” Literally. Tell yourself: This is energy. This is fuel.

3. Over-prep like a psycho. The more you’ve done the reps, the less room fear has to sneak in. You don’t need motivation if you’ve got muscle memory. You’re not thinking. You’re executing. Only the underprepared panic.

4. Install a ritual. Don’t “wing it” on game day. Build a system. Same playlist. Same warmup. Same breathing. Rituals signal to your brain: We’ve been here before. We dominate here.

5. Self-talk isn’t cheesy. It’s a weapon. You’re already talking to yourself. Might as well say something useful. Write 3 mantras. Say them out loud before every performance

What happens when you do this:

• You stop second-guessing.

• Your body starts working for you instead of against you.

• You become the teammate they trust in crunch time.

• You stop hoping to win — and start expecting it.

Let’s be real.

If you don’t do this: You’ll keep losing games you should’ve won. You’ll keep being the “practice hero” who disappears under pressure. You’ll get passed up by someone who isn’t better — they’re just calmer.

And that’s on you.

Let’s fix it.

Here’s your assignment this week:

• Pick ONE performance routine: breathwork, pre-game playlist, whatever. Lock it in.

• Train it like a physical drill. Reps = automatic = confidence.

• Rewire “I’m nervous” into “I’m ready.” Out loud. In the mirror. 10x.

Do it every day until you feel dumb not doing it.

Then go perform. You’ll notice the difference. So will everyone else.

One more thing:

This isn’t a one-time fix. This is a skill. The best competitors build it, sharpen it, and protect it like a secret weapon.

So yeah — your teammates may laugh at your “weird rituals” or your self-talk.

Until you win. Then they’ll ask for your routine.

Let ‘em.

Want to go deeper on performance tools that actually move the needle? Reply “PERFORM” and I’ll drop a private training breakdown I only share with athletes who take this stuff seriously.

Cheers,

Jonas