Stress Management: "You create your own stress"

In elite sports, the statement "You create your own stress" takes on its full meaning. It underlines a fundamental truth of mental preparation:

For an athlete, learning to recognize and transform this perception is essential to effectively manage stress and maximize performance.

1. The perception of stress in sport

Athletes face a variety of stressors: competition pressure, expectations from coaches and the public, performance goals, and the fear of failure.

However, these external factors alone do not cause stress.

This reaction often stems from automatic thoughts , frequently negative or exaggerated, which amplify the pressure. In mental preparation, a significant part of training involves learning to identify and transform these automatic thoughts. This mental reprogramming helps reduce the intensity of perceived stress and maintain an optimal mindset for performance.

2. Mental preparation: transforming the perception of stress

Mental preparation allows athletes to understand that, while they are partly responsible for their own stress, they also possess the keys to mitigating its effects.

Before a competition, an athlete may, for example, experience intense stress, perceiving the event as a threat to their image or career. By reassessing the situation and viewing it as an opportunity for improvement, they replace this negative perception with a more constructive perspective, thus reducing the pressure they feel.

Techniques such as visualization, breathing exercises, and meditation are powerful tools to help athletes refocus and adopt a calmer, more positive attitude toward challenges. These techniques enhance the ability to and disproportionate reactions remain mentally prepared for competition.

3. Individual responsibility in stress management

Recognizing that we partly create our own stress doesn't mean that all stress is negative. Many athletes use stress as a motivating factor , a way to stay focused and engaged. Mental preparation involves learning to use this energy positively, preventing it from becoming paralyzing.

By recognizing that stress can be modulated through perception , athletes become more autonomous in their emotional management and better able to maintain high-level performance, even under pressure. This self-management process also strengthens resilience, a major asset in careers where mental and emotional endurance are essential.

Stress is no longer seen as a constraint they endure, but as a variable they can work with, influenced by their thoughts, reactions, and perceptions. By cultivating this awareness and integrating mental preparation techniques, athletes transform stress into an ally for performance.

This change in perspective allows them to face challenges with a calm and resilient mindset, paving the way for higher performance and lasting emotional stability.