The competitive pressure that every athlete feels, regardless of his or her skill level, is determined by several factors. The following are the main ones:
Uncertainty - In competition, one is never certain of the outcome; one can deliver the best performance but it may not be enough.
High expectations - When one feels prepared and fit, expectations may be high but this is of no use if one is not focused in every moment of the race.
Lack of time - Anxiety often results in a perceived lack of time to change the outcome or increase effort, the greater this state of mind the lower the performance effectiveness.
Constant change - Training and competition are situations in which the only certainty is constant change; one must learn to accept it.
High visibility - Competitions are social situations in which everyone is asked to prove themselves. It is a confrontation that takes place between people who have the same goal and in the presence of an audience.
Lack of self-control - This type of deficiency prevents people from performing at their own level. There are athletes who act impulsively, so they act without thinking while there are others who slow down for fear of making mistakes and go into thought overload.
Tough choices - In every competition there are moments of increased competitive pressure, making the correct choices at these times is crucial to the quality of performance.
Compete - The competitive mindset requires every athlete to express themselves to the best of their ability in competition with like-minded opponents. Competing involves feeling ready to express oneself and challenging others to do the same.
Myself - Every athlete must be the first supporter of himself, regardless of what is happening in the race.
Motivation - A Ferrari without gasoline is defeated by a 500 with a full tank.
