Working with Fear
Fear is one of the most common emotions in sport. Fear of losing. Fear of injury. Fear of letting people down. And yet most athletes treat fear like a weakness to be eliminated.
The problem with fighting fear
When you try to suppress fear, it grows. You spend precious energy wrestling with it instead of performing. The harder you push it down, the louder it screams.
Fear isn’t a flaw. It’s a sign your body and brain are preparing you for challenge. The surge of adrenaline, the faster heart rate, the sharpened attention — these are resources, not enemies.
How psychology reframes fear
- ACT: The skill is not to get rid of fear but to notice it, name it, and still act toward values. Fear can sit in the passenger seat while you steer the wheel.
- Schema therapy: Deep patterns often amplify fear. A “vulnerability” schema convinces athletes that danger is everywhere. A “failure” schema interprets fear as proof you’re not good enough. Awareness helps loosen these distortions.
- Brain science: Fear lives in survival circuits. When you label fear (“this is fear”), breathe steadily, and ground your body, you tell the nervous system: “We’re safe enough to act.”
Practical approach
- Notice. “Fear is here.”
- Normalise. “This is my body preparing.”
- Choose. “Courage means stepping forward anyway.”
Fear is not the problem. Running from it is. The athletes who learn to carry fear instead of eliminate it find freedom on the field, the track, the water.
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