I'm thinking the level of anxiety I have leading up to meets, especially championships, is telling me competition is not worth it for me. I wish I could see myself improving through a season so that I can be excited to find out how fast I'm going to race at the end of it. Unfortunately, I'm at that age where I'm only getting slower, and I don't have the technical background to draw upon that some others do. I always feel relieved just after a big meet, but in the months and weeks leading up to one, I have anxiety even going to the practice pool. I dread the fact that I'm facing work, not leisure. That almost guarantees a bad practice. 'Sounds crazy doesn't it? Is it time for me to quit competing? In re-reading my first sentence I'm considering, maybe I need a therapist to help me learn what small reward keeps me going back to something so stressful, or to figure out how to give myself permission to quit. I saw a video on USA swimming in which they mention, Ryan Murphy used to puke before big events. That was a little validating. So how do you forumites manage your anxiety? Or if you don't have any, how did you achieve that serenity?
I get super nervous before big meets, happened all through college. A little less now that Master's doesnt have as much riding on it as NCAAs, but I had some specific goals for Masters Nats in May and was definitely feeling the pressure I put on myself until I made them.
But for me, that feeling - and the other feelings associated with challenging yourself and then after rising to that challenge - is why I love competing so much. You just dont get those kinds of feelings in every day life.
I never competed in anything in grade school, high school or college. Never played any sports. So Masters is it for me and I don't have experience with performance anxiety or accepting failures. At first it was just let me see what I can do.. then it became about trying to better my times... at first that was easy, now it is soooooo difficult just to make an old seed time. I set moderate goals and stretch goals for myself. I never make the stretch goals. Maybe the goals are where the pressure comes from. Sometimes they are personal records, sometimes just to medal, sometimes just to even split or, just not make errors. It depends on the circumstance. Regardless, I think I'm chasing unicorns. It does help to know I'm not the only one that experiences anxiety.
I get super nervous before big meets, happened all through college. A little less now that Master's doesnt have as much riding on it as NCAAs, but I had some specific goals for Masters Nats in May and was definitely feeling the pressure I put on myself until I made them.
But for me, that feeling - and the other feelings associated with challenging yourself and then after rising to that challenge - is why I love competing so much. You just dont get those kinds of feelings in every day life.
I never competed in anything in grade school, high school or college. Never played any sports. So Masters is it for me and I don't have experience with performance anxiety or accepting failures. At first it was just let me see what I can do.. then it became about trying to better my times... at first that was easy, now it is soooooo difficult just to make an old seed time. I set moderate goals and stretch goals for myself. I never make the stretch goals. Maybe the goals are where the pressure comes from. Sometimes they are personal records, sometimes just to medal, sometimes just to even split or, just not make errors. It depends on the circumstance. Regardless, I think I'm chasing unicorns. It does help to know I'm not the only one that experiences anxiety.
