Every athlete has experienced a mental block at some point or another. It’s basically when your body knows what to do, but your mind won’t let it happen. You might freeze, hesitate, second-guess, or just feel like you’re locked up. For example, you might not be able to play like you practice. The thing is that it’s not about your physical ability or talent. It’s more of how your brain and nervous system are responding to stress, fear, pressure, expectations, or past experiences (whether you realize what’s going on or not).
What Is a Mental Block in Sports?
A mental block is frustrating. It’s when you know what to do, but you’ve lost confidence, or you’re overthinking to the point where you can’t connect mind and body. This can happen from negative self-talk, fear, anxiety, self-doubt, or any other number of factors that inhibit your ability to perform.
Sometimes, you may not even notice what’s causing the mental block because it’s a habit that you developed, and in a strange way, as frustrating as it is, it feels normal. Some players might have thoughts like, “This is just what always happens to me.”
Here’s the thing: You’re brain’s number one job is to protect you. When it senses a threat, regardless of whether that’s physical, mental, or emotional, it signals the body to hold back. This happens because it’s prioritizing keeping you safe from danger, even if the threat is perceived (i.e., not real). So when you “freeze,” it’s not that something is wrong with you. It’s just your nervous system’s way of trying to keep you safe.
Why Mental Blocks Happen
“Get out of your head.”
How many times have I heard a coach give that advice to an athlete? While there is truth the fact that you have to get out of your own way, sometimes, that’s not as easy as people make it out to be.
Any number of factors can cause a mental block. It can stem from when fear, trauma, or self-doubt override confidence. You might worry about meeting expectations or feel like you’re drowning in pressure.
This is where awareness comes in. You have to be mindful of what’s going on in the moment, but also create space to reflect. The first step to breaking a block isn’t forcing your way through as much as it is understanding what’s underneath it. From there, you can create a perspective shift and develop new inner game habits.
Self-mastery and self-control begin with the ability to notice, understand, let go, and reframe.
Real Athlete Stories About Breaking Through
Across our podcast, Bailey and Buck Unplugged, many, many athletes have opened up about mental blocks and what helped them break through.
“I didn’t realize how much I was carrying until I finally broke down and couldn’t stop crying,” shared Jacory Harris, reflecting on a moment in college when he realized how bottled-up pain from his past was affecting his play.
His story is a reminder that we can bury the hard stuff all we want, but at the end of the day, emotional release often precedes mental freedom.
In another episode, Aiyanna Stiverne said, “I’ve actually never said that out loud — that I’m talented.”
For her, the block wasn’t physical; it was belief. She overcame it by repeating affirmations every morning, such as, “I’m strong. I’m talented. I’m grounded. I’m enough.”
In another example, an athlete told me about a problem one of his teammates was having with duplicating success from the previous season. See, what worked in the previous season was not working this season. Still, he kept trying to do the same things that once brought him success. He got stuck in a loop, both physically and mentally. He encouraged his teammate to look for new opportunities. He advised him to zoom out and see where there were opportunities for him to contribute to this team, not last year’s team.
How to Overcome Mental Blocks In Sports Step-by-Step
One of my favorite examples of how to overcome mental blocks and build confidence is courtesy of a woman who works at the front desk of a local university’s athletic department. We were chatting once about life and day-to-day frustrations when she said this to me, “I don’t see L’s. I only look at the W’s.” Her advice is so simple and smart. We’re hardwired to focus on the negative, but if you look for the positives, you’ll instantly boost yourself up.
Step 1: Notice
Before you can fix a mental block, you have to understand what’s driving it. Ask yourself:
- When does it happen? (Practice, games, specific situations?)
- What emotion shows up first? (Fear, frustration, embarrassment?)
- What’s the story behind that emotion?
Trying to keep a performance journal for a week. Make note of how you feel and what’s going through your mind in different situations, including team meetings, practice, one-on-ones with coaches, conversations with teammates, conversations with loved ones, game time, etc. Write down moments you freeze, hesitate, or tense up. Then, rate how strong it felt (1–10). This helps you recognize patterns and triggers.
Step 2: Let Go & Reframe
Once you have an idea of what’s behind your mental block, you can choose to let it go. One of best way to do this is to tell a new story.
Start by being grateful. Science shows that your brain can’t have feelings like stress or anxiety at the same time as gratitude because they are mutually exclusive neural pathways. So, focus on what feels good. Look for the W’s and what you can be grateful for.
Secondly, reframe the old belief and pattern. You get to tell your story. No one else.
“I was telling myself that I got this, and this is going to be the last one, so I wanted to make it the best one. Telling myself that I was ‘that girl,’ just going to go out there and do my thing, because that’s what I came here to do.” – Suni Lee, Self-Talk at 2024 Olympics
Step 3: Put it into Practice
Mental blocks often return when you’re tired or under pressure. That’s why consistency matters more than intensity. Here’s a simple 5-minute routine to repeat before practices or games:
- 1 minute: Notice your breath
- 1 minute: Release physical tension (shoulders, jaw, chest)
- 1 minute: Repeat affirmations
- 1 minute: Visualize success
- 1 minute: Set your daily intention (“Play free,” “Trust my body,” “Lead with calm”)
As I often say in coaching sessions: Your body follows the mind, but the mind listens when you slow down long enough to hear it.
10 Affirmations to Build Confidence and Flow
- I trust my training.
- I’m safe to perform freely.
- Pressure is just energy, and I can channel it.
- I’m allowed to let go of fear.
- I’m stronger than the story in my head.
- Every rep builds confidence.
- I play best when I’m relaxed.
- I’ve already proven I belong here.
- I let go of control and lean into flow.
- I’m free to succeed.
The Next Play
Overcoming mental blocks takes patience, presence, and conditioning, but it’s possible. Each time you notice, breathe, and reset, you’re teaching your nervous system that it’s safe to move again.
If you want a daily structure to build this habit, try the Zenletes® app — a free 5-minute “mental workout” that helps you train calm, focus, and confidence every day.
“You can’t change what you don’t notice.”
— Misty Buck on Bailey and Buck Unplugged
Try Zenletes®: Free daily mental conditioning tool here
Tired of mental blocks? Connect with Coach Misty to get started with finally making the big shifts you’ve been longing for in your mental wellness and mental performance.