It’s almost the day of the event, and suddenly you’re feeling nervous. Maybe you’re thinking about what could go wrong, or how you might not perform as well as you hope. Maybe you’re just feeling the pressure of competition.

It may be hard to believe but this happens even to the most confident track and field athletes. Understand that everyone feels pressure and nerves before an event.

In fact, it’s so normal for serious track and field athletes that—believe it or not—it’s actually a good sign! It means you’re taking this event seriously, and you care about doing well.

The key is not to let those standard “pre-event jitters” get the best of you.

Yeah, it’s easy to say it.

But how do you do it, exactly?

Mindset

Well, first of all, you have to approach any track and field event in the right frame of mind. You obviously can’t go into the event thinking that you’re going to lose—or, that you’re somehow not “as good” as the other participants.

You have to go into the event knowing that you’re just as good as anyone else there.

You have to believe in your training—your strength, your speed, your agility, and your ability to perform.

If you don’t, you’ve already lost before the event has even started.

Focus

Once you’re in the right frame of mind, it’s all about focus.

• You have to be completely focused on what you’re doing—and not let anything else distract you.
• You need to focus on your strengths, and what you’ve done in training to prepare for the event.
• When you’re feeling nervous, focus on your breathing. Taking deep, steady breaths will help you stay calm and composed when the pressure is on.
• Focus on the process, not the outcome. In other words, don’t focus on what could happen, focus on what you need to do to make sure it does happen.

Example: If you’re a sprinter, your focus should be on your start, your drive phase, and your finish.

See yourself succeeding, but don’t get stuck focusing on winning or breaking the world record. Those are outcomes that are out of your control.

The only thing you can control is the process.

When you focus on the things you can control, and you do them to the best of your abilities, the outcomes will take care of themselves.

Visualization

While it’s important not to get mentally fixated on the outcome of the event, don’t forget to visualize your success.

What does that mean?

See yourself crossing the finish line first.

See yourself hitting your target.

See yourself setting a new personal best.

If you can approach this event with the right mindset and the right focus, you’ll be in a prime position to make that visualization a reality.

Believe that you can do it and you will.