The Myth of Fearlessness
Be fearless.
I see this everywhere. It’s on shirts, mugs, posters. For athletes, it’s even more common; though it can be said in some other ways:
Suck it up.
No pain, no gain.
Just do it.
It’s always presented as the gold standard, the thing that you are supposed to aim for and become. The best of the best athletes are fearless. They can enter into a competition and stare it down.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. The importance of being fearless is a LIE. Fearlessness occurs only when you have zero things to fear. And any time you enter into the competition area, you run the risk of losing. The fact that there is a risk means that fear will also exist. There is uncertainty in sport which turns into doubt and fear. You can’t be certain that you will get a hit, make that field goal, or win the game. It’s this uncertainty and the chance to have success in the face of the risk, that makes us love sports.
So if being fearless is impossible in sport (unless you are only ever playing 5 year olds), what are you going to do? Always be afraid?
No.
Turn that fear around so that it is helpful for you. Think about the times you are fearful in your sport. What are you afraid of happening? Most often, you are concerned about things outside of your control. Instead, identify two or three things within your control that have the most impact on your athletic performance. Create a checklist using yes or no questions so that you can combat that fear by reminding yourself of what you know to be true.
Doubt Checklist:
Am I prepared for this competition mentally and physically?
Am I giving my best effort?
Am I focusing on what’s most important right now?
If you answer yes to everything, you know you can do the best you can and will have to leave the rest up to the unknown that comes with sport. If you answer no, then you have a specific direction to make an adjustment.
Fear is useful in checking in to make sure that you are doing what you need to do to put yourself in the best position for success. Use it.
Stop trying to be fearless. Start being brave.