Why Emotional Regulation is Your Secret Weapon on Game Day

On game day, it’s not just your skills that matter, it’s how you manage your state. Emotional regulation is what allows great athletes to stay composed, focused, and locked in when the stakes rise.

You will feel nerves. You will feel adrenaline. That’s normal. But how you respond to those sensations is what sets you apart.

Emotional regulation isn’t suppression, it’s awareness and control. You can’t perform well if your mind is racing or you’re stuck in self-judgment. The best athletes know how to come back to breath, body and present moment.

Use rituals like visualisation, grounding breathwork, or a reset routine between points or sets. You don’t need to be calm... you need to be clear.

Train your recovery state as much as your performance state. Regulating emotion under pressure is what allows you to access your skills when it matters most.

When athletes don’t regulate emotion, they spiral. One error turns into many. But when they have tools in place, they know how to interrupt that pattern and take control of the moment.

This work is the difference between a reactive athlete and a resilient one. Between someone who rides the highs and lows and someone who performs from a grounded, steady place.

Today's Tip: Try “Box Breathing” before competition. Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat 4 rounds. This trains your system to stay steady even when the pressure rises.

Live a successful, purposeful and fully charged life everyday!
Your coach,

Bel