{"id":7907,"date":"2016-11-17T20:48:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-17T20:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/?p=7907"},"modified":"2025-06-10T05:14:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T09:14:04","slug":"how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"How Pro Athletes Deal With Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7910\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/overcoming-pressure.jpg\" alt=\"Overcoming Pressure\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/overcoming-pressure.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/overcoming-pressure-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overcome_Pressure_in_Sports\"><\/span>Overcome Pressure in Sports<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\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/#Overcome_Pressure_in_Sports\" >Overcome Pressure in Sports<\/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\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/#Pressure_is_the_perception_of_threat_by_the_athlete\" >Pressure is the perception of threat by the athlete.<\/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\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/#Or_the_kicker_can_focus_on_the_wrong_things_that_lead_to_pressure\" >Or the kicker can focus on the wrong things that lead to pressure:<\/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\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/#Tips_for_overcoming_pressure\" >Tips for overcoming pressure:<\/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\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/#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-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/#The_Focused_Athlete\" >The Focused Athlete<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>When Minnesota Vikings punter Jeff Locke learned how to control his attention, he learned how to cope better with pressure and improved his performance in games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pressure can get to any athlete, that is, if the athlete lets it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pressure_is_the_perception_of_threat_by_the_athlete\"><\/span>Pressure is the perception of threat by the athlete.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Worrying about results, game conditions, and the opposing team can increase the sense of pressure experienced by athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But these situations or conditions are only triggers for pressure. How athletes view these trigger are what leads to pressure in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When pressure becomes excessive, athletes either freeze up in competition or overthink their next action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I notice that athletes will play tentatively, cautiously, or afraid to make mistakes when they are anxious or worried about outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Excessive pressure can cause you to lose <strong>focus<\/strong> on what really matters, which is <strong>focusing<\/strong> on the <strong>process<\/strong> or what you need to do in the present to play <strong>optimally.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focusing<\/strong> on what makes you feel pressure tends to turn performance into a life-or-death proposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a football placekicker is faced with a 20-yard field goal with one minute remaining and the game on the line&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The kicker can <strong>focus<\/strong> on his routine for the kick: lining up the kick, measuring his steps behind the ball, <strong>visualizing<\/strong> the kick, seeing the ball, approaching the ball and kicking the ball&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the kicker can <strong>focus<\/strong> on his routine this can help him cope better with the pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The kicker&#8217;s routine helps him <strong>focus<\/strong> on the process of kicking the ball instead of worrying about the outcome of missing or disappointing teammates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Or_the_kicker_can_focus_on_the_wrong_things_that_lead_to_pressure\"><\/span>Or the kicker can <strong>focus<\/strong> on the wrong things that lead to pressure:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211;The last kick he missed<br>&#8211;The importance of the present kick<br>&#8211;How teammates or coaches will respond if he misses the kick<br>&#8211;A poor snap or place<br>&#8211;Poor conditions, such as the wind<br>&#8211;The kick being blocked<br>&#8211;Worrying about losing his spot on the team with a failed attempt&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a myriad of negative things to worry about for many athletes in sports and most are outside of your direct control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you <strong>focus<\/strong> on the \u201ctriggers for worry\u201d the pressure becomes unbearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minnesota Vikings punter Jeff Locke is learning the benefits of a proper <strong>focus.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Locke averaged a career-low 37.8 net yards per punt last year. After a season of under-performing, Locke sought advice from a <strong>mental performance<\/strong> coach to help him improve his <strong>mental approach<\/strong> to kicking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the help of his <strong>mental performance<\/strong> coach, Locke takes each kick one punt at a time which has drastically reduced the pressure he experienced last year when he constantly tried to have \u2018the perfect game.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LOCKE:<\/strong> <em>&#8220;There was almost too much pressure to try to have a perfect game, which just puts pressure on you in general. It just causes too much stress. So, I&#8217;ve learned to change that approach to have a great first punt and then clear it and then have a great second punt and clear it and then just move on from there. That&#8217;s really helped me kind of string games together.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Locke\u2019s <strong>focus<\/strong> on the <strong>process<\/strong> has helped him let go of the pressure and perform his best on each attempt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LOCKE<\/strong>: <em>&#8220;We call it, &#8216;One punt at a time. You control what you can control&#8230; If I mess up, learn from it, move on, next punt. So, I can control how I set up, how I catch the ball, how I drop the ball and how I swing, and that&#8217;s it. So everything else around me doesn&#8217;t matter.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By <strong>focusing<\/strong> on what he can control and his routine, Locke has a career-best net average of 39.7 this year and is tied for second in the NFL with 21 punts inside the opponents&#8217; 20-yard line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_for_overcoming_pressure\"><\/span>Tips for overcoming pressure:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Understand that pressure is something you create for yourself, not the situation you are in when competing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s under your direct control in competition? Be specific and consider elements of effort, the process of the performing an action, <strong>mental focus<\/strong> and your reactions to circumstances during competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focus<\/strong> on what you can control for your role, not the outcome that leads you to worry and feel pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you start to <strong>focus<\/strong> on your triggers for pressure, stop and remind yourself to <strong>focus<\/strong> on your routine and what you can control. You can&#8217;t control the outcome, so no need to fret about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-athlete-cd-program\/\">Do you want to boost your concentration? Click here to learn how!<\/a><\/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\/how-to-refocus-after-making-mistakes\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-compete-well-in-pressure-moments\/\"><strong>How to Compete Well in Pressure Moments<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/refocus-quickly-when-distracted\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-perform-big-in-pressure-moments\/\"><strong>How to Perform Big in Pressure Moments<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-prevent-mental-mistakes-during-competition\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/is-pressure-your-friend-or-foe\/\"><strong>Is Pressure Your Friend or Foe?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-5726d13f-f715-4ca4-8813-2f8a9ebd8bc3\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/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\/2010\/03\/focused-athlete-teams-small.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3922\" 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>Overcome Pressure in Sports When Minnesota Vikings punter Jeff Locke learned how to control his attention, he learned how to cope better with pressure and improved his performance in games. Pressure can get to any athlete, that is, if the athlete lets it happen. Pressure is the perception of threat by the athlete. Worrying about results, game conditions, &#8230; <a title=\"How Pro Athletes Deal With Pressure\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-pros-learn-to-deal-with-pressure\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How Pro Athletes Deal With Pressure\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7909,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[244],"class_list":["post-7907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-tips","tag-overcoming-pressure"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.5.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pressure can get to any athlete, that is, if the athlete lets it happen. Pressure is the perception of threat by the athlete. 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