What is the Cause of Fear of Failure?
Summary: Fear of failure causes many athletes to underperform in competition despite strong practice performances. Fear creates anxiety, tension, and overthinking, leading to mistakes and playing too cautiously. Common fears include embarrassment, disappointing parents or coaches, or losing respect from teammates. To help athletes, coaches should guide them to identify the root cause of their fear, recognize how it impacts performance, and challenge irrational beliefs by reframing failure as feedback rather than a threat.
Do your athletes get nervous in competition? Would you go as far as saying that some athletes choke? The real sign is when athletes underperform in competition compared to their practice performance. Is this due to anxiety or worry?
Yes, but the root cause of anxiety or worry is fear. Fear affects athletes in various ways, depending on the individual. For example, a soccer player may fear letting down his teammates in the last minute of a close game.
Even though he had been cruising the entire game without a turnover, he started thinking of making one in his end of the field. He felt a tightness in his chest and began to avoid making mistakes.
He began to think each possession needed to be perfect. Out of nowhere, he lost control of the ball, resulting in a turnover that led to a score.
The change in performance was not due to a loss of physical ability, but fear caused him to experience muscle tension and mental pressure, altering his game.
From the yips to choking to performing tight, fear of failure is often the culprit… Fear of failure causes anxiety, creates physical tension, and throws off your athletes just enough to undermine performance.
Step One to Dealing with Fear of Failure
You want to start by helping your athletes understand their fears. What exactly is the underlying fear? Fear of failure is a core issue your athletes must overcome…
Most of the time, based on my experience as a mental coach, fear of failure is based on social approval. That’s when athletes worry too much about what others think of them.
Typical Fears for Athletes:
-Fear of embarrassment
-Fear of letting down the coach or teammates
-Fear of disappointing parents
-Fear of not keeping ‘star status’
-Wanting the respect from others badly
Dealing with Fear of Failure:
Fear of failure leads to self-sabotage for athletes. It often comes from focusing too much on outcomes instead of process. Use this three-step process to help your athletes face fear directly.
1. Examine the root causes of fear
Ask your athletes what failure would mean to them. Push them to be specific. Do they fear letting down a coach, disappointing parents, or losing respect from teammates? Once they identify the main worry, you can challenge how realistic it is.
2. Understand how fear has affected performance
Have your athletes describe how fear changes the way they play. Do they tighten up? Do they play it safe instead of being aggressive? Do they over-control their movements? Ask them to recall exact situations. This helps them see how fear interrupts their game.
3. Discover how to address fear head-on
Guide your athletes to assess their beliefs. Most fears athletes maintain are exaggerated or irrational. Missing a shot or losing a match rarely has the heavy consequences they imagine.
Help them challenge those beliefs and replace them with rational ones. When they learn to see failure as feedback, they take away its power.
FAQ: Fear of Failure in Athletes
Why do athletes perform worse in competition than in practice?
They often let fear of failure trigger anxiety, muscle tension, and overthinking, which disrupts their natural performance.
What is the root cause of performance anxiety?
Most of the time, it stems from fear of failure, often linked to social approval and worrying about how others will judge them.
What are the most common fears athletes face?
Typical fears include embarrassment, letting down coaches or teammates, disappointing parents, losing star status, and wanting respect from others.
How does fear affect athletic performance?
Fear causes athletes to tighten up, play it safe, over-control movements, and make mistakes they normally would not make in practice.
How can athletes overcome fear of failure?
They can follow a three-step process: identify the root cause of their fear, understand how it changes their play, and challenge irrational beliefs by reframing failure as useful feedback.
Does fear mean athletes lack ability?
No. Fear disrupts performance but does not take away skill. The issue is mental, not physical.
