Don’t fall into the pressure trap

After winning two bronze medals at the ongoing Paris Olympics and making history as the first female shooter from India to bag a medal at the Olympics Manu Bhakerrsquos message to her fans included a humble plea for them before her third event to ldquonot get angryrdquo if she couldnrsquot add another accolade to her already impressive tallyThe 22yearold voiced a fear that resonates with many athletes especially those who find themselves in the national spotlight shouldering the burden of 14 billion expectations And while Bhaker may have gracefully handled the pressure and even gone on to win a second bronze and earn the distinction of becoming the first Indian woman to win two medals at an Olympics her words were a timely reminder of how even the most accomplished individuals are not immune to feeling the heat of public scrutiny within and beyond the sports arenaMental fortitudeldquoThe reason why mental conditioning is such an important part of the game is because itrsquos crucial for athletes to handle pressure The media is watching there are expectations from the athletesrsquo parents and of course the audience is breathing down your neck It is very important to be able to control your thoughts as the pressure can negatively impact your performance on the field During my time as a cricketer I would lose my sleep and appetite I would often struggle with headaches While I realise that pressure is an inevitable part of the game it taught me the significance of strong mental skillsrdquo says Kiran Powar a professional cricket mentorCoach Ronak Pandit left with Bhaker after she failed to qualify for the finals of the 10m Air Pistol at the Olympics Games 2021 in TokyoKunashni Parikh a clinical and sports psychologist who has been the former vicecaptain and goalkeeper for the India U17 football team as well as a statelevel gymnast shares that pressure can affect an athletersquos selfesteem selfimage and selfconfidence ldquoLosses and setbacks on the field or court can trigger guilt and anxiety for future performances In scenarios where the athlete doesnrsquot succeed they can begin to question their worth and can even go into depressionrdquo she saysDrawing parallels to corporate India leadership coach Farzana Suri points out that performance pressure can take a toll on aspiring and established leaders alike ldquoIn many ways it is akin to juggling flaming swords while riding a unicycle mdash stress poor decisionmaking and burnout are all part of the act High expectations can leave you frazzled and overworked which isnrsquot great for strategic thinkingrdquo she explainsAlso ReadConstant emotional and physical exhaustion may be a sign of burnout ExpertsWhen accepting feedback consider the source and whether it aligns with the resources you have at hand to implement itDrown out the noiseAll the experts emphasise that the best way to cope is to distinguish critiques from criticism and personal attacks and to take the positives from each experiencegtgt Change whatrsquos in your control ldquoAfter the match go over what went wrong and what you can learn from it Write these down on a piece of paper When you are practising focus on these aspects so that you can improve your gamerdquo Powar advises When it comes to sports especially everyone has an opinion regardless of whether they understand the intricacies of the game Here itrsquos essential to focus on the facts of the performance and analyse whether the feedback aligns with whether you have the resources at hand to execute what is being suggested Also consider who the advice is coming from If it is a coach or a trusted senior use their insights to improve your gamerdquo says ParikhMeditation or journalling can help you focus on the present and drown out the surrounding noise Representation Picsgtgt Develop a toolkit In the corporate sphere Suri suggests assessing feedback based on its merits and not the delivery ldquoLook for actionable points and not emotional tones Remember constructive criticism helps you grow while negativity often lacks useful insights If the feedback isnrsquot clear ask for specific examples or suggestionsrdquo she adds Certain techniques can help you to develop mental fortitude and enable you to handle pressure more constructively says Parikh elaborating that she helps athletes with breathing techniques visualisation skills preperformance routines and match analysis strategies ldquoJournalling can help immensely with selfreflection as can meditation mdash the latter enables you to keep your mind in the present drown out the noise and focus only on what you need to All of these should be regular practices in your mental fitness routinerdquo she saysKiran Powargtgt Seek support ldquoCommunicate your needs your limits progress and challenges to your superiors This can help you avoid misunderstandings clarify expectations negotiate priorities and seek supportrdquo Suri suggests While Powar recommends that the athletes he coaches steer clear from tracking news updates or even social media after a disappointing match Parikh highlights not minimising your emotional state after the performance ldquoItrsquos crucial to analyse performances not just from a cognitive standpoint but also from an emotional perspective Think about how you feel Address your fears and any feelings of embarrassment and guilt Learn to differentiate between your personal expectations and the expectations that others have from you If necessary seek the support of a therapist counsellor or mentorrdquo she summarisesKunashni ParikhIn her third event Womenrsquos 25m Pistol event Bhaker came fourth in a tough battle with her opponent A saluteworthy effort overall but we hope the tears that flowed soon after werenrsquot an indicator of the same pressure which made her utter those telling words in the first place