Citing sporting icons, experts talk about how to stay calm in critical moments

Despite the difference in time periods and sporting discipline John McEnroe Roy Keane Conor McGregor Nick Kyrgios and Virat Kohli share something in common They are all fiery competitors with a touch of the legendary red mist It has fuelled their best performances On the downside it also leaves them vulnerable to losing control in critical momentsNick Kyrgiosrsquo anger was one of the reasons he lost focus on winning the 2022 title at Wimbledon Pic Courtesy Getty ImagesWalking this tightrope is a more difficult task than is imaginable We speak to a high performance coach clinical therapist and a leading sports psychologist to understand the key to striking a balanceRestructure your thoughtsFor Mugdha Bavare leading sports psychologist Indian Olympic and womenrsquos cricket teams all sportspersons carry a slight edge to excel This does not always find expression in anger she clarifies Anger is part of the personality for some people she says ldquoIf their personality has been to use anger to an advantage it would be detrimental to remove or reduce itrdquo She recommends working on lsquorestructuring of thoughtrsquo She says ldquoIt is when the anger becomes destructive on the field that it needs to be checkedrdquo This she adds requires a longterm effort to change the way thoughts and actions are directed in the heat of the momentKeep in mindgtgt Be aware of the emotion and its reasons This is called the restructuring of thoughtgtgt Educate people around the players to build a support system that understands and channelises their angergtgt Confront the issue and use it to boost performanceEmotions can fuel an inspired performanceAditi Surana high performance coach and founder of APT mental gym believes that any intense emotion can be a fuel for performance ldquoEmotions are not always negative They can become part of your purposerdquo she asserts As an addendum she observes that emotions can only enhance performance in the moment ldquoSportsmen and women have been building the skillset for years The anger or emotion becomes a spark to ignite their performance It cannot replace the skill itselfrdquoKeep in mindgtgt Avoid acting out of emotional impulse Let the emotion pass before you take actiongtgt Journalling can help to practice expression and prevent buildup of resentmentgtgt Do not suppress anger It can lead to a pressure buildup and explode Find creative and positive ways of expressing your emotionsgtgt Anger is natural and common Accept and forgive yourself for it Apologise for your angry outbursts when you canShift focus from anger to wellbeingShefali Vaidya clinical psychologist Apollo Spectra Mumbai believes that anger can be a fuel so long as the person seeks to move beyond the cause and focuses on the goal ldquoIf you are engrossed in what triggered the emotion it will affect your performancerdquo she says This requires an awareness of the goal and the stage Comparing two Indian captains MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli Vaidya says ldquoDhoni has an edge as well But he is able to look at the larger picture This has honed his leadership skills Kohlirsquos personality is aggressive and conflictoriented He canrsquot subdue it without affecting his gamerdquo Both she insists use different ways to channelise their energiesKeep in mindgtgt Deepbreathing exercises can help regain focusgtgt Muscle relaxation therapy can reduce stressgtgt Shift the focus from the cause of the anger to your own wellbeing Focus on the longterm effects of your actionsgtgt Venting through positive actions ie journaling or expression can help to keep it under control