The Journey vs the Success: Fears of a Top Tennis Player
In an interview with Carlos Alcaraz he mentions “Honestly, I’m scared of failure. That’s probably one of my fears. Letting a lot of people down.
Not being up to their expectations. Although I’ve won a Grand Slam or now I’m No. 1 in the world, probably there will be tournaments in which there are expectations and I can’t meet them. Above all, letting the people down around me. In terms of everyone else, there are a lot of people who think and have opinions, but I’m talking about those that are close to me. That’s the thing I’m most scared of.”
The best of the best can feel fear. They can feel scared and fear failure. We see here, Carlos Alcaraz being honest with his fans when explaining his situation with fear. And yet... after watching Carlos Alcaraz play, would you think he feels fear onthe court?
This is not unique. Most athletes feel fear and nerves for many reasons. Like Carlos Alcaraz some athletes don’t want to let important others down. Other athletes do not want to feel the emotional experience when losing. We also see loss devaluing self-worth in athletes identifying highly with their sport. Therefore, athletes with a high athletic identity can feel worthless after a loss.
We are human. Fear is a natural and normal function that has protected us for generations. That’s the first step to helping athletes play with fear, allowing the fear to be with them. Try to help them understand that it’s normal to feel fear.
Next on the list of helping athletes with fear would be modeling. As a parent or coach tell athletes stories or in the moment when you feel fearful. This shows validation ofthe fact that feeling fear is part of being human. Show them how you can act in courage while feeling fearful.
Lastly, help them to understand they are more than their sport. Sit down with them and discuss their other identities. We want to help them see who they are outside of sport.
Recap on feeling fear:
