{"id":14511,"date":"2022-02-04T07:33:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-04T12:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/?p=14511"},"modified":"2025-06-04T08:36:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T12:36:48","slug":"having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Having Fun While Performing at Your Best"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/having-more-fun.jpg\" alt=\"More Fun and Performing Better\" class=\"wp-image-14513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/having-more-fun.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/having-more-fun-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"why-did-you-start-playing-in-the-first-place\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Did_You_Start_Playing_in_the_First_Place\"><\/span>Why Did You Start Playing in the First Place<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best\/#Why_Did_You_Start_Playing_in_the_First_Place\" >Why Did You Start Playing in the First Place<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best\/#High_expectations_become_unbearable\" >High expectations become unbearable.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best\/#Tip_for_Focusing_on_the_Fun_of_Competing\" >Tip for Focusing on the Fun of Competing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best\/#Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Sports Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best\/#The_Focused_Athlete\" >The Focused Athlete<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have fun when you compete? Is sport enjoyable for you, or does it cause added stress in your life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You would think athletes have a deep passion and love for competing, but that is not always the case&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many athletes admit that competing is not fun. High expectations and pressure have taken the fun out of competing for many athletes today. Why do some athletes find competing no longer enjoyable?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think back to when you first started participating in your sport? Practices were fun. Competitions were exciting. You couldn&#8217;t wait to get home from school so you could go to practice. You enjoyed being around your teammates. Probably, many of your teammates were your close friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, as some athletes grow older something changes. Practices feel like an obligation. You fear failure. Everything about your sport is more serious. You feel you are constantly being judged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You view wins, personal bests, trophies, or accolades as the most important aspects of competition. When you focus on results, pressure and stress dominate your mind&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"high-expectations-become-unbearable\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"High_expectations_become_unbearable\"><\/span>High expectations become unbearable.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;If I don&#8217;t beat this person, I&#8217;m a failure.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;If I don&#8217;t perform at a high level, I won&#8217;t get a scholarship.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;If I don&#8217;t win, my parents will be angry.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;If I make any mistakes, my teammates will get upset with me.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All the if&#8217;s lead to higher expectations, more pressure to perform, greater fear of failing, and less enjoyment of competing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s look at this issue through the lens of an Olympic athlete. Maddie Mastro is a 21-year-old snowboarder preparing for her second Olympics at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Mastro fell short of her goal of medaling, finishing 12th in the halfpipe. Mastro explained how pressure and high expectations affected her performance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MASTRO<\/strong>: &#8220;<em>I was 17, turning 18 at the last Olympics, so I was young. I&#8217;ve had a lot of time to grow and learn\u2026 I&#8217;m going to go into the next Olympics not worrying what people are going to think, not worrying about the expectations or the pressures, whether they&#8217;re exterior or my own.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the 2022 Olympic Games, Mastro has shifted her mindset. Mastro is primarily focused on having fun and executing her game plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MASTRO<\/strong>: &#8220;<em>I&#8217;m just going to prioritize having fun and landing tricks, which is something I wish I did more of in 2018, because I did let those expectations or pressures, kind of, eat away at me a little bit. And this time, I&#8217;m just going to go treat it like any other contest and have fun.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you focus too much on results and want it badly, you become anxious and underperform. You can avoid falling into that trap by choosing a different mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Focusing on having fun and executing your game plan increases your chances of success. In addition, you will re-ignite the passion you experienced when you were a younger athlete. Shifting your mindset to a productive and positive perspective is a win-win proposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tip-for-focusing-on-the-fun-of-competing\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tip_for_Focusing_on_the_Fun_of_Competing\"><\/span>Tip for Focusing on the Fun of Competing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every day before you train or compete, remind yourself the reasons you started competing in the first place. Write a list of the reasons you had fun as a young athlete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make these objectives&#8211;what you enjoyed about sports&#8211;a priority when you compete today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, release yourself of the high expectations you have (or feel from others), such as to perform at your best all the time or be perfect. Expectations are the root of dissatisfaction when you don&#8217;t meet them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Uncover your &#8220;shoulds&#8221; or &#8220;shouldn&#8217;ts.&#8221; I should not make mistakes, I should make coach happy, or I should always perform my best are examples of expectations you want to discard to have more fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-979ef383-5bc7-43ee-b8f9-249663ca1a6c\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Sports Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-05642731-8752-4dbf-9c18-5cc4d276e821\" class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/strategies-to-set-and-achieve-goals\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-build-mental-toughness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/the-importance-of-mental-toughness\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/manage-pressure-like-an-olympian\/\">Manage Pressure Like an Olympian<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-stress-can-affect-sports-performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/have-trust-in-your-skills\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-athletes-deal-with-stress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How Athletes Deal with Stress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/pregame-stress-and-anxiety-athletes-mental-roadblock-to-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/what-separates-elite-athletes-from-the-rest\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-negative-outcomes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/mindset-to-maintain-confidence-after-a-mistake\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/staying-motivated-in-your-sport\/\">Staying Motivated in Your Sport<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-5726d13f-f715-4ca4-8813-2f8a9ebd8bc3\">*Subscribe to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a>&nbsp;on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-281f5afb-980b-4c71-9aa0-11d606b5f7c9\"><strong>Download a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/mental-toughness-report-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free sports psychology report<\/a>&nbsp;to improve your mental game!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-94138e75-d591-4645-bb1d-212cf57a8841\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sport-psychology-training-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our one-on-one mental game coaching.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Focused_Athlete\"><\/span>The Focused Athlete <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/focused-athlete-teams-small.jpg\" alt=\"The Focused Athlete Audio and Workbook Program\" class=\"wp-image-19343\" style=\"width:215px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s probably no secret that you have many opportunities<strong> to become distracted<\/strong> in sports. Athletes are bombarded with both internal and external distractions everyday in practice and competition. <strong>Focused athletes<\/strong> are able to get the most from their skills because they are more efficient with practice and more concentrated in competition. Athletes who lack focus <strong>let distractions run wild through their mind and don\u2019t know how to adjust or refocus.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Focused Athlete was developed for any level coach, parent, or junior to professional athlete who wants to improve performance and gain a competitive edge. It does not matter if you are a fledgling junior athlete; or a seasoned professional, plagued with distractions; or you just wanting to learn how to improve concentration\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Focused Athlete\u201d is a complete system to teach you how to focus like a champion and harness the power of a zone focus every time you step on the playing field, court, track, or course in practice and games!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-769fef19\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-68fab510 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-athlete-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-3043572a gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/the-confident-athlete-series-digital-download\/products\/the-focused-athlete-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Did You Start Playing in the First Place Do you have fun when you compete? Is sport enjoyable for you, or does it cause added stress in your life? You would think athletes have a deep passion and love for competing, but that is not always the case&#8230; Many athletes admit that competing is not fun. High &#8230; <a title=\"Having Fun While Performing at Your Best\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/having-fun-while-performing-at-your-best\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Having Fun While Performing at Your Best\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14514,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[324,247,1014],"class_list":["post-14511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-tips","tag-focus-in-sports","tag-mental-toughness-in-sports","tag-athlete-mindset"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.6.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Many athletes admit that competing is not fun. 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