Overactive thoughts plague a lot of people, and for athletes, this can be particularly distracting when they are expected to be focused during training, practices, meetings, and games. There is an incredible amount of pressure in day-to-day schedules, never mind the pressure to perform and excel. Learning how to stop overthinking requires awareness, training, and discipline. It’s really just another piece of athlete development and mental wellness.
Free: Overthinking Survival Guide – 3 Steps to Get Off the Mental Merry-Go-Round
Why do athletes overthink?
Overthinking and overanalyzing are habits that people develop for several reasons. One reason is that the individual may be a perfectionist, which means that they only trust what they can control and they don’t want to be the one making the mistake. Oftentimes, it’s natural for perfectionists to get caught up in overthinking because they are mentally frantic trying to prevent a mistake from happening.
I’m a perfectionist and that’s a hard pill to swallow because I know it means I often over-compensate out of fear that I’m going to lose. What if I’m not good enough? What if they don’t like me or they don’t pick me? Is my survival at stake? It’s a tough habit to break, but it is possible with deeper self-awareness.
Another reason people overthink is to protect themselves. It may develop from anxiety, low self-esteem, an overactive ego, extreme pressure, etc. Regardless, it’s rooted in fear because the person is more than likely consumed by a fear of failure due to an internal issue. Therefore, they may compensate with an overactive thought process that is constantly focused on what did happen or what might happen with the goal of preventing further pain.
Personally, when I catch myself overthinking, it’s always because I’m scared that something that I did in the past, or something that might happen in the future, will bring an undesired result (i.e., a result that I fear for whatever reason). Similarly, overthinking during practice and games can result from a fear that he or she is going to miss something, underperform, or lose.
The one component missing in these moments is trust. I think what people who overthink share in common is that they want to protect themselves from failing, but they don’t trust that they won’t fail anyway. There is mistrust in the individual’s inner game, but they also likely mistrust their environment and the people in it.
It is possible to achieve your highest goals without being perfect. Trust in your ability to succeed. Trust in your training and trust that you will win.
How to stop overthinking
1. Identify what you’re afraid of. Protecting ourselves from feeling negative emotions is often why we do what we do, but sometimes that backfires because it holds us imprisoned in a flurry of thoughts.
When you catch yourself overthinking, ask yourself discovery questions such as these:
- What am I afraid of missing?
- What am I trying to make happen?
- What am I trying to control?
- Who am I trying to control?
- What am I trying to stop from happening?
- How would it feel if I really trusted myself and trusted the process?
2. Ground yourself in the present by surrendering to the moment. Take a moment to pause. Take a really deep breath. See what’s really in front of you right now. Each moment is a free-flowing opportunity. Focus on one thing at a time and let everything else just be.
3. Train your mind to slow down with meditation. Meditation is the most effective tool I’ve found for slowing down thoughts.
“I meditate everyday… I think it’s important because it sets me up for the rest of the day. It’s like having an anchor. If I don’t do it, I feel like I’m constantly chasing the day as opposed to being controlled and being able to dictate the day. Not that you’re calling the shots on what comes forward but the fact that I am set and ready for whatever may come my way. I have a calmness about whatever comes my way, a poise, and that comes from starting my day off with meditation.” .
– Kobe Bryant
4. Be patient. Try to not get frustrated with yourself when you realize you’re overthinking. That only creates more negative energy for your thoughts. Instead, be patient with yourself. Remind yourself that overcompensating with thoughts is a go-to habit. Then, take a deep breath, let go, trust and be patient as you train your brain.
Learning to trust yourself is not always an easy task, but it’s no different than trying to meet your next physical goal. It’s possible. Contact me to learn more about coaching.