Performance Coaching 

Anxiety—Both Good And Bad—Is An Integral Part Of Peak Performance

A certain level of anxiety is expected within the realms of sports, performing arts, and executive leadership—a healthy amount of arousal and anxiety can actually elevate our performance to an optimal level. However, too much anxiety becomes counterproductive, leading to stress, exhaustion, and, eventually, poor performance. And although exhaustion caused by overtraining starts as a physiological issue, it can soon affect us mentally when it breaks down our confidence. 

The higher level of performance, the more that is expected from us. Because we don't want to let others down—our parents, coaches, and teammates are counting on us—we are under extreme pressure to perform, thereby increasing our level of anxiety beyond healthy levels. In fact, research has shown that athletic performance anxiety can increase the risk of injury among athletes.

We Often Fear Being Perceived As Weak

As elite performers, we have an increased sensitivity to appearing weak to others. We may have an ingrained perception that because we are mentally and physically strong, we should be able to transcend issues on our own, not fully realizing how the stress we’re under is impacting our emotional well-being. 

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental health often prevents us from seeking help. We may experience shame for not being able to talk ourselves out of slumps. Or maybe we don’t believe anything can help us since we’ve already tried other strategies with no success. But the longer we try tough it out on our own, the longer we will experience diminished performance. 

However, the good news is there is growing evidence that “practicing and employing a range of psychological strategies can be beneficial in anxiety management.”  Performance coaching can teach you the skills necessary to reduce anxiety for improved athletic, work, or artistic performance.

 But You May Wonder Whether Performance Coaching Is Right For You…

I don’t have time for performance coaching—I’m too busy as it is.

We understand that as a high achiever, you’re likely overworked and your schedule is full. However, herein lies the problem. The anxiety and exhaustion caused by being overly  scheduled further drains your energy, contributing to poor performance and burnout. Performance coaching for professionals will restore life balance which, in turn, will create more efficient use of your time. And performance counseling is typically shorter than traditional therapy. Although you will initially attend several concentrated sessions, thereafter you can check in with your coach periodically to ensure you’re comfortable implementing the mental skills training techniques you’ve learned to improve performance in sports, arts, or the corporate world.

Nothing will help—I’ve tried everything already.

It’s understandable to feel hopeless when it seems like you've tried everything and it’s still not producing the results you want. However, performance coaching for athletes, performers, and corporate professionals offers evidence-based therapies like EMDR and Brainspotting to help produce different results by addressing your performance issues from the inside out., You have not failed, you just may need to heal and learn new techniques to build a better version of yourself. Don't give up hope, try something new.  

I’m afraid of facing the fact that I may want to step away from my sport/art/profession.

High achievers—like athletes, performers, and corporate executives—are continually pressured to evaluate their performance. Whenever your performance is down or disrupted due to stress, you might worry that you’re “washed up” and should quit. However, the first step to shaking this crisis of confidence is realizing that although it has become harder to perform lately, it doesn’t mean you have to quit altogether. Working with a peak performance coach will allow you to pinpoint what’s behind this momentary slump and help you restore your passion and improve your performance.