Cause of Fear of Failure in Sports
Quick Summary:
- The root of fear of failure in sports is not the mistake itself, but the perceived consequences of making a mistake.
- Emotional pain—such as embarrassment, disappointment, letting others down—drives fear more than any physical pain caused by an error.
- Fear can stem from past negative experiences (a bad game, criticism, etc.) that leave mental impressions and trigger avoidance behavior.
- Fear can also arise from imagined futures—worrying about what might happen (losing playing time, letting parents/coaches down) even without prior experience.
- The antidote is to shift the goal: move from “don’t make mistakes” to “play freely, give full effort, play toward success” rather than away from failure.