Let’s face it, anxiety is the worst. It is physical and mental—a relentless combination of muscle tightness, a queasy stomach, racing thoughts, and constant “what-if” questions. Our natural inclination when we feel anxiety is to try to get rid of it. This response makes complete sense. Why wouldn’t we want to get rid of anxiety? It is uncomfortable, distracting, and often very frustrating. But today, we’ll consider how accepting anxiety can actually elevate performance, bringing us more joy in sports and life.
To begin, accepting anxiety allows us to be more grounded in the present moment. Trying to fight anxiety puts more focus on the anxiety itself, pulling us out of the present and into our heads. Let’s take a real-life example to illustrate this point. Right now, as you are reading this, whatever you do, do not let yourself think of a pink elephant. What did you think of? A pink elephant. The same idea goes for anxiety.
Now, imagine a nervous soccer player who is about to take a big penalty kick. If the player spends their energy trying to get rid of anxiety, they can’t focus on the kick. Instead, they will be in their head wrestling with anxious thoughts. However, no amount of mental “sorting out” can eliminate these thoughts. This is the trap of anxiety—our brain can be tricked into believing that ruminating just a bit more will help us get to the bottom of the anxiety and push it away. Yet as we’ve established, this isn’t possible. But not to worry! Here is where the beauty of acceptance comes into play. If the soccer player fully accepts their anxiety, they may still feel it, but they can now redirect their attention to the kick. It is a both-and scenario, meaning that the athlete can both feel anxiety and excel simultaneously.
The next time you face your own version of that penalty kick, embrace the nerves, redirect attention, and launch the ball into the back of the net.