3 Emotional Intelligence Hacks Every Athlete Needs During High-Pressure Moments

Big moments yield big emotions. Whether it’s a buzzer-beater, a final exam during the season, or a playoff performance, stress and pressure have a way of testing more than just your physicality. Just because an athlete performs the best under stress doesn’t always mean they’re the most talented; however, it does speak to their level of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions and those of others. In high-pressure moments, this can be the difference between fear and balance.

Here are 3 emotional intelligence hacks every athlete should master:

1. Name the Emotion

Pressure doesn’t immediately harm performance, but bewildered and unrestrained emotions do.

When adrenaline is high, a lot of athletes try to shun what they feel, but most of the time, that backfires. Instead, label the emotion in real time:

• “I’m anxious.”

• “I’m angry.”

• “I’m overwhelmed.”

Why? This identification of the emotion sparks the sensible part of your brain and prevents emotional overload. It makes space between what you’re feeling and what you do next.

Try this: Before a big moment, take a breath and silently name the feeling. Awareness is key.

2. Shift Your Thinking

High pressure often pulls athletes into the future:

• “What if I mess up?”

• “Everyone is looking.”

• “This has to be perfect.”

  
  

This mentality creates nothing but anxiety and distraction from the goals ahead.

Emotionally intelligent athletes work to return their focus to what is important that they can control, such as:

• Footwork

• Breathing

• Form

• Communication

• Effort

Try this: Ask yourself a baseline question.

“What’s the next best thing to do?”

3. Use Positive Self-Talk

Your inner voice is most important when the pressure is on. Negative self-talk hinders confidence and strains the body. Emotional intelligence assists athletes in managing that voice instead of letting it go awry.

Replace negative thoughts like:

• “Don’t mess up.”

• “I always choke.”

With affirming statements such as:

• “I can do this.”

• “Stay smooth and steady.”

• “Trust the process.”

  
  

Try this: Think of 1 or 2 reset phrases you can say to yourself during high-stress moments.

All in all, high-pressure moments will happen, but don’t panic. Emotional intelligence provides athletes with tools to stay calm, self-assured, and in control.

The goal isn’t to take away the emotion, but to reframe it for positive use.