When The Going Gets Tough, Olympians Never Quit
If you’ve ever watched an Olympian perform, you’ve seen the passion and drive these competitors display as they strive to become champions of their sport. It’s rare, however, to see an Olympian push themselves to the point of passing out on the field, but this is exactly what happened during the recent 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. After being shot in the leg with an arrow, archer Kim Woo-jin suffered from blood loss and fainted before he could finish his qualifying match, resulting in his disqualification from the games.
How performance anxiety can be a problem
Sure, we’re all aware of nerves before a big competition. But performance anxiety is more than just pre-game jitters. It’s an overwhelming feeling that can cause athletes to freeze or shut down completely. Some are known to be so nervous before their event that they actually vomit; others suffer from what’s known as white out and go blank in front of thousands of fans on live television.
Performance anxiety can manifest in many ways
from butterflies in your stomach to physical symptoms like dizziness and nausea. All of these responses are normal when you're playing in a tournament; indeed, they're simply a sign that you're properly prepared for success. But if you ever feel like your anxiety is getting out of control or preventing you from competing at 100%, it's time to get some help.
What you can do when you start feeling anxious
Many athletes who compete at a high level experience some form of anxiety before their event. It’s normal, and it’s called pre-competition jitters. There are ways to calm these nerves and help you perform your best on game day! Here are four different techniques that can be used before an event: Mindfulness Meditation Breathing Exercises Visualization These techniques should not be used alone but rather as a package of pre-competition preparation.
Examples of when people have used this technique
Carl Lewis uses storyjumping to become an Olympic champion. Gabrielle Douglas uses storyjumping to become an Olympic champion. LeBron James uses storyjumping to win his first NBA Championship. Martin Luther King Jr. used storyjumping to initiate a nonviolent movement that changed history and is still taught in classrooms today. Steve Jobs was fired from Apple but came back 10 years later to revolutionize his industry using stories like the way we’ve always done it is wrong... (see page 86)
Showing grit at a crucial moment
In sports, as in life, you’ll encounter situations where giving up seems like a sensible thing to do. In these moments of strife it’s important to remember that success is all about persistence and resilience. Here are a few ways to show grit during trying times