Believe it or not, many athletes identify themselves as perfectionists and find it hard to manage being one.
It can be hard to manage being a perfectionist athlete because of the strong desire to be the best. Sometimes they can be hyper-focused on winning and outcomes. This is also why perfectionist athletes try to control as much as they possibly can around their sport. As a result, they may get easily frustrated when things don’t go their way.
Student-athletes who identify as perfectionists can also experience high performance anxiety, anger, and lots of emotions. They often don’t feel as though they can or should be making any mistakes. Their standards are usually set very high which makes any type of failure unacceptable.
Possible results? Burnout, loneliness, emotional fatigue, & sometimes even quitting.
Why are so many athletes experiencing perfectionism? A lot of this has to do with their environments and dealing with a lot of pressure and high expectations.
So with all of these potential negative outcomes of being a perfectionist athlete, how can athletes take their perfectionism and use it to their advantage?
For one, A perfectionist athlete commonly wants to be the best.
Athletes are often very strong-willed and are extremely determined and motivated to accomplish their goals. If athletes are able to recognize and understand that this is positive for them, then one thing they can learn is to channel this type of mindset towards process goals. When working towards a process goal, athletes have the ability to dictate what that process looks like. This gives a lot more opportunities to find success.
Secondly, A perfectionist athlete typically has impeccable work ethic.
Athletes should look to continue to remind themselves of how much work they are putting in and understand that what they are accomplishing every day is outstanding. They need to give themselves credit regularly and really acknowledge what they have been doing and what they are capable of!
A Perfectionist athlete often has a high sense of care.
Due to their desire to achieve goals and their work ethic, they typically have a strong passion for their sport. These athletes can be loyal, natural leaders, and very committed. How can athletes use this to their advantage? One way is by using their care to help other athletes care. When you have a culture of caring, support, and demonstrated passion, this energy can be contagious and channeled for competition. Perfectionists can help others see the good in themselves through acknowledgement, encouragement, and teaching others how to lead.
So what does this mean?...
Athletes have a lot of amazing traits that are helpful for their sport. They also have traits that can be unhelpful. You just need to learn how to use what you have to your advantage and apply the right techniques and strategies to better your performance. If you need some help, you can always contact us for additional support.
