How to Get Out of a Slump: An Athlete's Guide to Falling Back in Love with Your Sport
- Dr Paul McCarthy
- Nov 4
- 11 min read
"If you believe you can, you can. If you believe you can't, you can't." This powerful statement reveals the fundamental challenge athletes face when trying to overcome a slump in any sport.
Athletes know the feeling well. Activities that once brought joy and freedom now feel burdensome and draining . The experience remains surprisingly universal - whether you're trying to overcome a baseball slump, dealing with basketball performance issues, or feeling detached from a once-beloved sport. Players from all disciplines, from marathoners to tennis players, can fall out of love with their sport, and no one stays immune to this phenomenon .
Something crucial stands out: athletes who obsess over technique or mechanics often remain trapped in their slump . My experience with athletes shows that returning to simple fundamentals helps them play their best .
A ray of hope exists. Athletes can build confidence in six specific ways, yet countless paths lead to its destruction . This piece focuses on confidence-building strategies and shows you the way back to peak performance. Your journey to reclaim your passion and break through performance barriers starts here with practical solutions.
Recognize the Signs of a Slump
Athletes experience both highs and lows in their careers. The first vital step to recovery is spotting signs of a performance slump. My years of working with athletes have revealed certain patterns that show up when performance starts to drop.
Loss of motivation or joy
A fading passion for the sport is the clearest sign of a slump. Athletes who burn out usually lose their enthusiasm and don't enjoy practice or competition as much [1]. On top of that, your intrinsic motivation might slowly change to extrinsic motivation before it fades away completely [2].
Many athletes who end up burning out actually start with very high motivation [2]. Their drive changes and decreases as the slump gets deeper. Athletes often feel tired all the time even with enough rest—a typical sign of overtraining syndrome [3].
Avoidance of practice or competition
Practice sessions and competitions become something to avoid rather than welcome during a slump. Athletes make excuses for poor performance [1], resist going to training [2], or find reasons to stay away from competitive events [4].
Some athletes feel alone and develop habits where they spend too much time on "body work" (massage, joint manipulation, etc.) instead of actual sport training [4]. This pattern of avoiding practice can feed itself and make the slump worse.
Physical symptoms like fatigue or minor injuries
Your body sends warning signals before your mind realizes you're in a slump. Watch out for these physical signs:
Chronic muscle and joint pain
Increased heart rate at rest
Prolonged recovery time after exertion
Frequent illnesses due to immune system suppression [3]
These physical signs aren't random—they show how your body reacts to stress without proper recovery [2]. Athletes often lose weight, lose their appetite, and struggle with routine training that used to be easy [3].
Negative self-talk and comparison
The most dangerous part of a slump is the harmful self-talk that develops. Athletes focus too much on failures, criticize themselves harshly, and lose faith in their ability to succeed [5]. This negative inner voice often says things like "I'll never be able to do it" or "I am no good at this" [6].
Comparing yourself to others becomes really harmful during slumps. Research shows that athletes can benefit from comparing themselves to slightly better performers. But comparing yourself to those who perform much better reduces motivation and leads to giving up [7].
This negative thinking creates a cycle that feeds itself—poor performance leads to negative thoughts, which cause more poor performance [8]. Breaking free from this pattern needs active effort and awareness.
Spotting these signs early helps you tackle them better. But knowing the signs isn't enough—the next steps will help you learn practical ways to overcome these challenges and find your love for the sport again.
Step 1: Build Awareness of What’s Holding You Back
Athletes need to look inward to break free from a slump. You must recognize the signs of a performance rut, and self-awareness becomes the foundation to create meaningful changes in your athletic performance.
Identify emotional triggers like fear or pressure
Emotional undercurrents silently sabotage your performance during slumps. These emotional triggers work beyond your awareness and deeply affect how naturally you perform.
Athletes experience fear in many ways. You might feel afraid of failing at bat, worry about what coaches and teammates think, or fear success and its expectations. Your body often responds with tense shoulders, quick breaths, or hesitation before moving.
The pressure from outside makes things harder. This comes from:
Parents or family members who invest in your athletic career
Coaches who decide your playing time
Teammates who depend on you
Your drive to match past performances
You can spot your triggers by asking: "What scares me about performing poorly?" or "When do I feel tense during practice or games?" Your answers will point to the emotional walls holding you back.
Notice patterns in your thoughts and behaviors
Your mind and actions follow specific patterns in slumps. These patterns create invisible chains that keep you stuck in poor performance cycles.
Look at what you do before competing. Have your habits changed since the slump started? Athletes often pick up superstitious or avoidant behaviors while struggling. You might:
Put off practice
Skip proper warm-ups
Picture yourself failing
Move too stiffly or mechanically
Your self-talk reveals these patterns clearly. Watch for statements like "I always choke under pressure" or "I never perform well against this opponent." These thoughts create a cycle that keeps your slump going.
Keep a performance journal to track these patterns. Write down your thoughts before, during, and after you practice or compete. You'll start to see clear links between your thoughts, actions, and results.
Understand the role of overthinking in performance dips
Overthinking keeps athletes stuck in slumps more than anything else. Players switch from smooth, natural movements to analyzing every detail. You start thinking about mechanics that should come naturally.
Your brain works differently during peak performance and slumps. The default mode network takes over during flow states, letting practiced movements happen automatically. During slumps, your prefrontal cortex becomes too active and disrupts your natural flow.
This explains why trying harder often backfires. The more you focus on mechanics, the more you disrupt the automatic processes that lead to peak performance. It creates a tough situation - your efforts to improve actually make things worse.
Start fighting overthinking by noticing it without judgment. Just observe when your mind shifts to analysis mode while performing. Don't try to stop these thoughts right away - just note them: "There's my overthinking again." This small step helps break the analytical cycle.
Understanding emotional triggers, thought patterns, and overthinking gives you the awareness to escape your slump. This knowledge prepares you to rebuild your confidence with specific strategies.
Step 2: Rebuild Confidence with Small Wins
Building confidence back takes time, just like losing it. You need to take deliberate steps through small wins to rebuild your athletic confidence once you know what's holding you back.
Focus on past successes
Your brain tends to focus on recent failures more than past wins after disappointing performances. You can fight this by looking back at your accomplishments. Take time to watch videos of your best games or read old journal entries from when you felt proud. This isn't just about remembering good times—it reminds you of what you can still do [9].
Remember that your skills haven't vanished—you've just lost touch with them. Athletes often break through slumps by keeping a "success inventory" of their achievements. This turns fuzzy memories into solid proof of their capabilities.
Set process-based goals
Studies clearly show that process goals lead to better performance, unlike outcome goals [4]. Process goals target specific actions you can control, like finishing every practice or using proper form during competition.
Process goals also boost your self-efficacy—your belief that you can achieve specific results [4]. A researcher found that "Outcome goals didn't improve performance much, but Performance goals did. The best results came from athletes who set Process goals" [4].
Use positive self-talk and visualization
Your self-talk can make a huge difference in performance. Studies show athletes who use positive self-talk have more fun, value their effort more, and feel more capable [10]. It helps boost motivation, confidence, and manage anxiety [10].
The words you choose matter a lot. Research proves positive sport self-talk builds confidence (β = .272), while negative talk hurts it (β = -.229) [11]. Stick to positive, present-tense phrases like "I am capable" instead of "I will be better."
Visualization helps create success patterns in your mind to counter recent setbacks. Picture yourself performing well between competitions, especially in situations where you struggled before [12].
Limit comparison with others
Comparing yourself to others only creates extra stress and worry [13]. Fear often lies at the heart of most slumps—fear of failing, embarrassment, or not meeting expectations [14]. Research states, "Constant comparison with others' successes leads to stress and anxiety. You'll enjoy yourself more and feel less stressed by focusing on your own progress and taking small steps toward your goals" [13].
Focus on your path and celebrate small wins. Keep a daily journal of three tiny victories—these small gains add up to big progress over time [3].
Step 3: Develop Self-Trust and Let Go of Pressure
Self-trust might seem counterproductive during performance struggles, yet it's exactly what you need to break free from your slump.
Change from outcome to execution mindset
Athletes often get caught in the trap of outcome focus. They fixate on results instead of the process. Research shows this approach can backfire. Elite Australian athletes often experience psychological burnout in environments that value outcomes over processes [2].
The outcome focus creates a paradox - your desperate desire for results makes underperformance more likely. This happens because:
Future possibilities consume your thoughts instead of present actions
Your performance becomes tense and rigid from worry and fear
Mistakes crush you instead of teaching you
You lose focus on what you can control
The process focus works differently. You concentrate on specific, controllable steps that lead to desired outcomes. Your nerves calm down naturally and anxiety reduces because your mind stays in the present moment [2].
Practice in relaxed conditions
Building self-trust requires practice in low-pressure environments before high-stakes situations. Athletes don't try new moves in championship games, and you shouldn't test new techniques during vital competitions [1].
Start practicing with friends, family, or teammates who support you. These relaxed sessions help build your confidence without the pressure of potential risks [1]. Your self-trust grows step by step through experience.
Learn to perform without excessive control
Research shows athletes who control themselves too much hurt their performance. Hockey players make 24% more errors in skills after exerting too much self-control [15]. This happens because excessive control disrupts the automatic processes needed for peak performance.
Champions understand a surprising truth - you gain control by letting go. One expert explains that true self-trust means "not putting blind faith in anything," including rigid plans or predetermined approaches [16]. You need to step back from overthinking and let your well-practiced movements flow naturally.
Your trip out of a slump requires understanding that self-control is a limited resource. Take only what you need to perform your best [15].
Reconnect with the Joy of Your Sport
Joy is the cornerstone of athletic excellence, yet athletes often forget this during slumps. You can overcome these challenging periods by reconnecting with your original passion.
Reflect on why you started
The love of the game drives most athletes to start playing. What made you fall in love with your sport? Maybe it was competing, hanging out with friends, or just moving your body. Young athletes play sports because it's fun - they compete, spend time with friends, and enjoy the game. Looking back at these early motivations can reignite your passion.
Try playful or unstructured sessions
Athletes thrive when they play freely without scripts or pressure. Research shows that unstructured play helps athletes grow physically, technically, tactically, and mentally [17]. A study revealed that athletes who took a 4-week break with unstructured activities showed better performance [18]. These relaxed sessions help you rediscover your sport's joy without formal training pressure.
Explore cross-training or new challenges
Cross-training blends different exercises beyond your main sport to boost overall fitness. This mix keeps your workouts fresh and lowers injury risks [5]. New activities break the routine and keep you mentally sharp [5]. Your body benefits too - cross-training works different muscle groups that your main sport might miss [6].
Spend time with supportive teammates or mentors
Your relationship with sports can feel refreshed when you surround yourself with positive people. Support from coaches, teammates, and family plays a vital role in recovery, especially for young athletes [19].
Conclusion
Athletic slumps affect everyone during their sports trip. These periods offer chances to grow and renew ourselves instead of seeing them as permanent setbacks. In this piece, you'll learn practical strategies that help you find your love for your sport and return to peak performance.
Your awareness is the foundation that breaks you free from a slump. The clarity you need comes from spotting emotional triggers, negative thought patterns, and understanding how overthinking hurts your performance. Athletes often notice these barriers lose power just by naming them.
Building confidence starts with small wins. Look back at achievements that show what you can do. Set goals based on process rather than outcomes. On top of that, daily positive self-talk makes a huge difference - your inner dialog shapes your performance.
Athletes perform better when they focus on execution rather than results. This builds self-trust naturally. Take time to practice in relaxed environments where you can rebuild confidence without pressure or judgment.
The sort of thing I love is finding joy again in sports. Think about what made you fall in love with your sport at the time. Maybe it was mastering new skills, competing, or being with teammates? These core motivations can spark your passion once more.
Slumps take time to resolve. Recovery needs patience, kindness to yourself, and steady effort. By doing this and being systematic, you'll get back to that flow state where everything feels natural and fun.
This challenge is just one part of your athletic story. Trust the process, learn from the struggle, and soon this slump will be nothing more than another chapter in your sports journey.
Key Takeaways
Breaking out of an athletic slump requires a systematic approach that addresses both mental and emotional barriers while rebuilding your connection to the sport you once loved.
• Recognize slump warning signs early: Loss of motivation, practice avoidance, chronic fatigue, and negative self-talk signal it's time for intervention.
• Build awareness of mental barriers: Identify emotional triggers like fear and pressure, notice destructive thought patterns, and understand how overthinking disrupts natural performance flow.
• Rebuild confidence through small wins: Focus on past successes, set process-based goals instead of outcome goals, and use positive self-talk to counter negative mental patterns.
• Develop self-trust by letting go: Shift from outcome to execution mindset, practice in low-stakes environments, and learn to perform without over-controlling every movement.
• Reconnect with your sport's joy: Reflect on why you started playing, incorporate playful unstructured sessions, try cross-training activities, and spend time with supportive teammates.
Remember that slumps are temporary challenges, not permanent setbacks. The key is patience with yourself and consistent application of these strategies. Most importantly, trust that the athlete who once performed at their best is still within you—sometimes you just need to clear away the mental clutter to let that natural ability shine through again.
References
[1] - https://perceptionacademy.com/lowstakes/?srsltid=AfmBOopT1sWmhi9bISpCT-dFqN-8pe8Iz7JLPRCwpnygBKuSQWOd9WaI[2] - https://www.successstartswithin.com/sports-psychology-articles/focus-training-for-sports/process-vs-outcome-focus-in-sports/[3] - https://purposesoulathletics.com/5-ways-to-stop-comparing-yourself-as-an-athlete/[4] - https://www.tmrcoaching.com/race-insights/goal-setting[5] - https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/cross-training[6] - https://www.caryortho.com/cross-training-for-athletes/[7] - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1469029221001667[8] - https://www.sportpsychologytoday.com/youth-sports-psychology/performance-slumps-in-sports/[9] - https://thementalgame.me/blog/handling-setbacks-confidence-rebounds-for-athletes[10] - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7429435/[11] - https://www.drpaulmccarthy.com/post/how-professional-athletes-use-positive-self-talk-examples-to-win-big[12] - https://www.successstartswithin.com/sports-psychology-articles/athlete-self-confidence/how-to-rebuild-confidence-after-a-bad-game/[13] - https://completeperformancecoaching.com/2020/07/15/getting-out-of-the-comparison-trap/[14] - https://completeperformancecoaching.com/2021/11/30/3-steps-to-get-out-of-a-slump-in-a-sport-you-love/[15] - https://www.ntu.ac.uk/about-us/news/news-articles/2021/08/athletes-who-exercise-too-much-self-control-could-hinder-their-performance,-research-suggests[16] - https://www.8020endurance.com/how-to-build-self-trust-as-an-athlete-and-why-its-important/[17] - https://shura.shu.ac.uk/12315/1/Davids how structured and unstructured.pdf[18] - https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2018/06000/four_week_unstructured_break_improved_athletic.22.aspx[19] - https://www.return2play.org.uk/2025/03/12/recovering-from-injury-the-importance-of-athlete-wellbeing/
