Using Self-Compassion to Manage Difficult Sport Experiences

Abstract

Do you ever have that awful feeling in your gut after you mess up during an important competition? When training is really tough, do you ever say to yourself, “I am not good enough”? Do not worry, you are not alone in these tough times. All athletes—including us, the authors of this paper—have difficult sport experiences. Fortunately, there are skills we can learn to manage these difficult experiences! We can learn to recognize that sport is sometimes difficult and that all athletes mess up from time to time. We can also learn to be kind to, and supportive of, ourselves just like we would be to a close friend or teammate. Having self-compassion in sport can reduce the negative thoughts and feelings we might have about ourselves, and can decrease fears we might have about failing. Self-compassion can contribute to reaching our potential in sport; but how can we be self-compassionate?