You’ve trained for years. Your stats are strong. You’ve earned your spot on the roster, but a quiet voice still creeps in: “What if I’m not good enough?”
This voice, known as self-doubt, is one of the most powerful silent opponents college athletes face, and it doesn’t care how talented you are. 

Self-doubt is the internal struggle of questioning one’s ability, value, or performance. For student-athletes, it often appears before games, after mistakes, or when comparing themselves to teammates or social media highlights. According to Vealey and Chase (2008), low self-confidence in athletes can directly increase anxiety and disrupt concentration, leading to underperformance (p. 96). When this cycle repeats, it can damage not only athletic performance but also mental health and self-worth. 

Student-athletes are also vulnerable to perfectionism and fear of failure, which can intensify self-doubt. A study by Sagar and Stoeber (2009) found that fear of failure predicted heightened levels of shame and anxiety in competitive athletes (p. 560). This often leads to emotional exhaustion and even burnout, a growing concern in collegiate sports. 

Furthermore, many athletes tie their identity entirely to their sport. Brewer et al. (1993) explained that athletes with a strong athletic identity experience greater psychological distress when their performance declines or they suffer injury (p. 240). This identity-driven self-doubt can leave athletes feeling lost or worthless beyond their sport. 

But self-doubt doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re human. Recognizing it is the first step toward managing it. Whether it's through positive self-talk, journaling, mental skills training, or simply talking to a coach or counselor, support is out there. You are more than your performance. And you’re not alone.

Have you ever felt a lack of support or encouragement from coaches and administrators during your athletic career? Collegiate athletes have big responsibilities trying to be a full-time student, athlete, and work a part-time job(s). It can be hard to transition into that life for some student-athletes. In reviewing literature, it has been found that coaches and administration are often responsible for numerous negative impacts on athletes, such as burnout, body image issues, feeling unsupported, feeling ignored, and fearing the coaches. Coaches can do this by being dishonest, being sexist, and instilling fear in athletes by criticizing them harshly rather than constructively, not building a strong relationship, or establishing inconsistent or unclear expectations. Vealey and Colleagues (1998) found that various coaching behaviors were significantly related to burnout in athletes. Athletes who scored higher on the burnout dimensions of negative self-concept, physical and emotional exhaustion, psychological withdrawal, and feelings of devaluation perceived that their coaches were less empathetic and emphasized winning as more important than the development of athletes (p. 297). This demonstrates that coaches negatively impact athletes when it comes to burnout and do not prioritize either their athletes' emotional or physical well-being. 

Another factor that is not emphasized by some coaches and administration is how much of a priority academics are. Lack of priority in academics puts a lot of stress on the athletes because if the coach does not take their athletes' academic success seriously and make time for it, then the athlete is more likely to fall behind in classes, and this can lead to burnout. Not all athletes feel as though their coaches prioritize academics as much as they say they do, and this leads to emotional instability (Gould & Whitley, 2009). Another impact coaches and administrators have on collegiate athletes is enhancing a fear of making mistakes. Coale and Simon (2020) found that most athletes develop a fear of making mistakes due to the backlash that athletes get from coaches and administrators. Most athletes reported that they knew that when they made a mistake, the verbal backlash would be “demeaning” to receive (p. 92).  In doing this, it can cause athletes to fear making mistakes, but it can also negatively impact athletes in their social and professional lives.

Lastly, coaches can be dishonest, and this can lead athletes to not have a strong relationship with their coaches. This can have a negative impact and be a root cause of the negative impacts stated above. Coale and Simon (2020) also found that the coach’s inability to be honest, mainly through the recruiting process, led athletes to feel a lack of trust, a lack of respect, and this caused athletes to enter the transfer portal (93). Being dishonest about expectations can harm athletes and affect their performance. These are all reasons why coaches and administration have a big impact on athletes. Not only can this affect their athletic performance, but it can also affect their social and academic performance outside of their sport. 

Have you ever considered how much external pressure collegiate athletes face beyond just competing in their sport? Many student-athletes juggle being full-time students, maintaining peak physical performance, managing personal responsibilities, and, for many, navigating financial strain. Injuries, for example, can be one of the most threatening external factors. Not only can they take athletes out of the game physically, but they can also endanger scholarships and reduce playing time. Many athletes feel pressure to play through pain, risking their long-term health for short-term security. The stakes feel incredibly high, and that stress adds up quickly.

Financial stress is another burden many athletes carry. While some have full-ride scholarships, many do not, and they may face the same economic challenges as non-athletes. The introduction of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities has helped some athletes earn money, but it has also introduced new stressors like public scrutiny, time management, and added responsibilities. Family expectations can also weigh heavily. Athletes may feel pressure to go pro or succeed for their family’s sake, especially if they come from low-income backgrounds or are expected to help support relatives. This sense of responsibility can be a silent stressor that affects mental and emotional well-being.

Coaching and team culture further complicate the experience. The environment coaches and teammates create can either support or harm an athlete’s motivation and mental health. Some athletes experience peer pressure, unhealthy competition for playing time, or negative coaching styles that contribute to anxiety or burnout. Institutional support varies greatly between schools, meaning some athletes have access to academic tutoring, career counseling, and mental health services, leaving others to figure it out on their own. When these resources are lacking, athletes are more likely to struggle in school and sport.

Travel and time commitments also take a toll. Long road trips, missed classes, and late-night study sessions wear down even the most disciplined students. Fatigue, stress, and lack of social time can lead to emotional exhaustion, making it difficult to maintain motivation or focus. These external factors, injuries, finances, family pressure, team culture, lack of support, and intense time demands, form a complex web that collegiate athletes must navigate daily. These issues deserve more attention, not just from coaches and administrators, but from institutions as a whole, if we want to support the long-term success and well-being of student-athletes.

Wise Interventions

1. Recognize the Current Pattern

   • Recall a recent athletic or academic setback.

   • Ask yourself: What exactly happened (when, where, what went wrong)? What negative thought followed (“I always fail,” “I’m not good enough”)? How did that thought affect your confidence, motivation, or focus?

2. Change the Narrative

   • List the facts: date, location, and precise details of the event.

   • Reflect: What did I learn, even if it was tough? Which strengths or skills did I build? How has this shaped me as an athlete or person?

   • Rewrite: Transform “I lost because I’m not good enough” into something like,
     “I faced a tough challenge when [event]. Although it was difficult, I learned [lesson], which is helping me improve and grow both on and off the field.”

3. Visualization

   • Mentally rehearse successful performances and specific skills

   • This primes your brain to execute under pressure and boosts confidence.

4. Mindfulness

   • Practice staying present—observe thoughts without judgment

   • Reduces anxiety and helps you refocus when distractions arise.

5. Memory Recollection

   • Reflect on past successes and moments of growth.

   • Reinforces your capability and counteracts self‑doubt.

6. Self‑Reflection (Journaling)

   • After practice or competition, write down what went well, what to improve, and any surprising insights

   • Encourages a learning mindset and helps you track progress over time.

7. Power Talk Journal

   • When: 5 minutes each morning or before practice.

   • Write:

     1. One positive affirmation (e.g., “I have the skills to get better today”).

     2. One strength or success from the past week.

     3. One thing you’re grateful for in your athletic journey.

   • Why: Daily focus on positives rewires thought patterns, reducing self‑criticism and enhancing resilience.

8. Additional Practices

   • Positive Self‑Talk: Use cue words or phrases to interrupt negative thoughts.

   • Mental Skills Training: Incorporate breathing exercises, concentration drills, or guided imagery.

   • Seek Support: Talk candidly with a coach, mentor, or counselor to build trust and clarify expectations.

Implementing these steps can help you shift from reacting to setbacks with self‑doubt or burnout toward a proactive, growth‑oriented mindset, on the field, in the classroom, and beyond.