When Caring Too Much About Your Sport Becomes a Risk to Your Future
Ever heard of a bell-shaped curve? It's a common visual in research, and yes, it looks like a bell! The highest point of the curve represents the most likely outcome in a data set. This curve can also represent the relationship between athletic identity and mental resilience. To perform at a high level, athletes need a strong sense of athletic identity. It helps the brain develop key mental skills such as motivation, determination, drive, and mental fortitude. Without it, building the mental strength necessary to compete becomes difficult.
However, many overlook the turning point where "caring too much" becomes detrimental. According to a study by Aston et al. (2022), professional hockey players who scored high on the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), especially those forced to retire suddenly due to injury, are at higher risk for depression. While athletic identity enhances adaptive traits tied to performance, an overly strong athletic identity can lead to emotional challenges when athletes retire (Aston et al., 2022).
There’s a lot of research showing how athletic identity foreclosure leads to psychological distress for athletes transitioning out of sport, yet little attention is given to prevention. Why? There seems to be a black-and-white mindset in sports: if you're focused on who you are outside of your sport, you can't be the best. Think of athletes who say, "I gave up holidays, family events, and summers to get where I am." But what about those who have proven you can succeed with balance? For example, in 2024, Olivia Reeves became the first American weightlifter to win Olympic gold in 24 years. Her training regimen? Four times a week, for two hours each session. That’s just 8 hours a week. Meanwhile, most aspiring Olympians train 10-20 hours per week. She talks about balancing training with other interests outside of the gym.
Yes, being a high-level athlete requires sacrifices. That's where the first half of the bell curve comes in; caring about your sport builds mental resilience. But does that mean giving up your whole life? No. Research shows that supporting athletes in developing an identity outside of their sport is crucial to reducing risk of anxiety and depression. The problem is that many athletes wait until they're injured or retired to seek that support. This relates back to the black-and-white thinking: too many athletes believe that developing an identity outside of sport will hurt their performance.
That’s why it’s important for mental performance consultants to work with athletes on building a balanced identity. A consultant understands the significance of sport but also knows that no matter the level of competition, sport is something you do, not who you are. You can indeed achieve success as an athlete while still exploring life off the field.
References:
Aston, P. R., Brewer, M. A., Kieschnick, D. W., Allen, M. C., van Roessel, P. J., Lavallee, D. E., & Rodriguez, C. I. (2022). Identity gripping or identity flight? Two distinct experiences correlated with self-reported depression in retired professional ice hockey players. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1-22.
