Many athletes sometimes get anxious when they compete with one another. Here is a list of techniques that an athlete can use to help manage the stress of dealing with the competition.
1. Learn as much as you can on your opponent.
There is always something to learn about your competition. Read the reports about your opponent and watch him or her performance. Try to figure out an angle on how you can beat your competition. This will also help to reduce your worries in the future.
2. Don’t Assume
Do not assume anything about your competition whether they are stronger or weaker than you. Every athlete has his good and bad times and just because you may be facing a stronger opponent does not mean that you will lose. You are both starting from scratch.
3. Focus On Your Performance
Focus on how you can best strive for perfection in your own event instead of worrying about your opponent. Concentrate on how you can perform your event and how you can best improve on your problem areas.
4. Can’t Win All The Time
Realize that you can’t win all of the time and that also includes your competition. You may be the best athlete in the world, however you will still sometimes lose. No one can win all of the time. When facing a tough competitor, use this fact to your advantage. Even the best athletes will make some mistakes.
About the author:
Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: Managing Fear
