From Nerves to Victory: How Embracing Emotions Leads to Peak Performance
As a former world champion wrestler and professional coach, I am constantly seeking strategies to help my clients and athletes maximize their performance and achieve new milestones. In my opinion, one of the most common reasons athletes struggle to perform at their best during competitions isn’t necessarily due to inadequate training or a lack of ability to secure a win. Often, it’s because they fail to tap into their highest potential and fully take advantage of all available resources.
After a match or game, if you ask those who lost, 90% will attribute their defeat to having an off day, making a mistake, or, most commonly, they’ll express frustration because they know they could have performed better.
Almost no wrestler comes off the mat, nor a swimmer out of the water, saying they didn’t train hard enough or lost because they didn’t want it as much as their opponent. All Olympians are currently training as hard as they can in preparation for the upcoming Summer Olympics. While some athletes possess extraordinary natural talent and supernatural athletic abilities that set them apart, most are differentiated by their capacity to perform under pressure. Their true strength lies in their ability to access all their resources when it matters most — during their match or game.
At this summer’s Olympics in Paris, pay attention to the commentators during events like the track and field 50-yard sprints. Notice when they say, “Look how relaxed he or she looks,” even while going “100 miles per hour.” Athletes who are most comfortable with feeling their emotions in competition settings are able to relax more, making it possible to access all their hard-earned resources and reach their highest potential. It’s all about being ready in the right place at the right time.
However, achieving this is easier said than done. We’re all aware that we can’t fully control how we feel. In fact, we can’t ever control how we feel at all. Emotions often come unannounced, leaving us struggling to understand what’s happening with us, especially when we find out that we have to go against a world or Olympic champion in competition. Our environment typically influences what and how we feel. Whether it’s a beautiful woman entering the room and making someone blush, or seeing a strong opponent preparing to compete against you, making you feel butterflies, we are often ambushed by our emotions.
Our responsibility isn’t to prevent or predict our feelings, nor is it to control our emotions once they have taken over our mind and body. Instead, it is more effective to become accustomed to feeling a certain way and performing under the influence of those emotions. This approach is proven to be more efficient than scrambling to find an exit strategy in the dark.
Let me give you an example. Last week, during Rafael’s first training session with me, I noticed something interesting. Rafael is a highly skilled black belt jiu-jitsu competitor. Once we started training, I observed that his legs were affecting his performance. Early in the workout, Rafael struggled with the bear crawl, an exercise that requires crawling around the room on hands and feet without stopping or letting the knees touch the floor. His legs were shaking, and he needed to take several breaks. At his level, struggling so early in the workout with such a basic exercise couldn’t be due to being out of shape. He was having a hard time because he wasn’t comfortable with his environment and my training style.
This is not the first time I’ve seen this happen. Athletes in excellent physical condition often struggle to perform in a new environment or under a new structure.
It quickly became clear to me that Rafael had the same problem many other athletes face. His emotional state was affecting his performance. Most people want a quick fix, something they can apply in the moment to make it all go away. I wish it were that easy. However, I shared with Rafael the same advice I share with many athletes. I told him, “You need to be wild with your emotions. Don’t try to control what you feel. Instead, throw yourself headfirst into the midst of crazy emotions and let your mind and body get used to it while you observe your behavior and how you act.”
Your feelings shouldn’t feel like an uninvited guest. Being nervous or emotional should be part of your training routine. You can only spend so much time training before your body will wear out and start breaking down. However, you can spend unlimited time feeling vulnerable and nervous. Waiting for your next competition to feel the butterflies is just childish and almost irresponsible if you are trying to become a world champion or win an important match.
“Therefore, next time you go to Starbucks,” I continued, “put your arms up and shout, ‘Everyone, look at me!’ so everyone can hear and see you. Then figure out the next step — you’ll need to decide what to say.” Observe how you react to what you feel. Pay attention to what goes through your head. Are you scared? Are you intimidated? Is your heart beating faster? Do you feel embarrassed? There are so many questions and lessons to be learned from doing something like that. All that is valuable information to learn from. I picked Starbucks just because I wanted to make a point. However, it could be any situation in your life that requires you to be vulnerable, scared, shy, or uncomfortable.
Rafael looked at me puzzled, not knowing how to respond. It made sense to him. “Our goal,” I continued, “is to make you feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations. You will feel fear, doubt, and many other feelings similar to the ones you will feel during your competition.”
Every single week you should look for opportunities to feel that knot in your throat and the butterflies in your stomach. Your body should become very familiar with these types of feelings so when they unexpectedly come around again, it shouldn’t shock you and throw you off your game. It is very common for athletes to experience sports performance anxiety so bad that their limbs become numb right before a match. I experienced it myself during a match once against Albania when I couldn’t feel my arms. They went completely numb. The score went from 6–0 in my favor to 6–5 in under a minute. I was saved by the bell. It was a very bizarre experience that left my forearms cramped and locked for hours afterward.
That is the last thing you want to happen, but unfortunately, it will. Again, we can’t control what is happening to us; however, we can learn how to react when something like this happens. This is a good lesson not only for athletes but for anyone who wants to perform better in any circumstance. Whether you are at work and under pressure from your boss and deadlines, or at home and wanting to prevent an argument that will ruin your evening, performing under pressure is one of the most valuable skills that very few possess. Sports anxiety is just another word for pressure anxiety. We all have it.
In conclusion, mastering the ability to perform under pressure is crucial for anyone striving for excellence in any field. The true challenge lies not in avoiding pressure but in learning to embrace and navigate it. By becoming familiar with our emotional responses and practicing resilience in uncomfortable situations, we can unlock our highest potential and achieve remarkable success. Remember, it’s not about controlling your emotions but about understanding and harnessing them to your advantage. So, whether you’re facing a high-stakes competition or a demanding situation at work or home, embracing pressure as a natural part of the process will set you apart and pave the way for your greatest achievements.
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