Does your mood fluctuate up and down? Are you an irritable person? Are your feelings easily hurt? Are you a worrier? Do you suffer with your“nerves”?
Studies have shown that emotional instability is a significant factor inhibiting peak sporting performance. Whether or not or how well you respond to your coach, teammates or opponents depends to a fair degree on your emotional wellbeing. Clearly, the more “neurotic” you are, the less adaptable you are likely to be.
Let’s drill down a little.
If you are somewhat unexpressive emotionally, tending to keep a lid on things, it should help you cope adequately with the demands and pressures of competition. On the whole you are likely to handle stress and tension well, even using it as motivating factor. It may improve your performance and competitiveness, keeping you alert and on the ball. This can be significantly amplified by a strong sense of autonomy – your ability to function independently of others.
Being un-emotional allows you to step back and see that many things, which bother others, are simply not worth getting flustered about. If a teammate fumbles a move for example, you’re able to brush it aside rather than take it out on them or as some more emotionally volatile might do, “explode” under pressure.
Your main difficulties may arise when you are overwhelmed by stress. This can happen because your relative self‑possession may create a certain “detachment” through which you might miss warning signs of trouble to come.
Unfortunately athletes who supress their emotionality may not maximise their full competitive potential. They must learn how to understand and express their emotional facets more easily.
Such athletes might also have difficulty in dealing with others who are prone to anxiety, anger or on-field “rage.” They can easily be thrown off‑balance and leave a situation feeling irritated and frustrated, especially when with those who are closely involved with them.
Flipping the coin, if you are emotionally expressive even volatile, you may suffer a certain amount of anxiety. Although you can relax easily there are probably more frequent occasions when you feel rather uptight, distraught and perhaps even depressed - a deadly combination that will surely put your off your game. If so, you’ll need to take stock.
It could be a matter of balance between different aspects of your life both on and off the sports field. For example, while you may feel comfortable in a personal relationship, you may feel stressed or tense with teammates or coaching staff. The reverse might be true. You cope adequately in competition while experiencing anxieties in your personal life. Then again, you may be prone to stumbling at critical moments when the pressure really piles on. Minor hassles are manageable but you could feel agitated even angry when confronted with intense pressures. And when this happens you may well “choke.”
It is probably characteristic of you to avoid situations you find uncomfortable unless they are necessary. If so watch that this tendency does not impede your performance on the field.
Wherever you stand regarding you emotional stability, try and identify ways to become the person you really are rather than the one that team mates or coaches expect you to be.