Navigating Perfectionism in Endurance Sports

Many of us would likely say we hold high standards for ourselves as endurance athletes (🙋🏻‍♀️ myself included!). Loved ones, however, may simply say it’s perfectionism. Regardless of what we call it, this personality trait can drive us to take on some pretty impressive training schedules and races. That said, not all forms of perfectionism are helpful for athletes participating in endurance sports. Maladaptive perfectionism, which typically shows up as an overwhelming fear of failure and self-criticism, can really hurt our athletic performance. Let me explain why.

The Setbacks of Unhelpful Perfectionism

Unhelpful (aka: maladaptive) perfectionism can be described as an overwhelming urge to show up the “right” way; it’s fueled more by a fear of failing than by the excitement of success. You know unhelpful perfectionism is knocking at your door when your brain says, “I have to do well today, or else…” Research shows us that athletes with high levels of maladaptive perfectionism tend to experience more stress, anxiety, and burnout. Those three things can significantly impact their performance. Athletes with unhelpful perfectionism tend to have a hard time moving on from mistakes. They are constantly replaying the mistakes in their minds while wishing for better outcomes. They view setbacks as disasters and tend to overthink. When this happens, athletes can lose their enjoyment and commitment to their sport.

In endurance sports, we know mental toughness is important, but NOT at the expense of our mental health. When unhelpful perfectionism is running the show, the constant self-criticism and fear of not meeting our expectations can actually push us to overtrain, increasing the risk of injury and exhaustion. To double down on the negative effects, the ongoing chase for external validation can actually hurt our internal motivation. This will make it harder for us to stay engaged and satisfied in the long run. As a sport psychologist, I see a lot of these patterns in my athletes when Strava and the comparison game are mentioned. That said, perfectionism doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. We just need to learn how to channel it appropriately.

The Bright Side of Perfectionism

This is where we get to turn to the fun stuff: adaptive perfectionism. This type of perfectionism can be a GREAT tool in the toolbox! Adaptive perfectionism takes place when we set high standards and push for excellence, but we do it with a balanced perspective–one that makes room for setbacks. Adaptive perfectionists value the learning process and understand its importance, even when mistakes and setbacks hit hard. They’re fueled by optimism and a growth mindset. They view challenges as opportunities for development rather than threats to their athletic identity, worth, or reputation.

Adaptive perfectionism allows us to focus on process goals in endurance sports–goals that focus on the daily or the weekly grind–so that we can emphasize effort and personal improvements over outcomes. This approach helps us navigate the inevitable ups and downs of our athletic journey with more ease and enjoyment. 

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So How Do We Transition From Unhelpful to Helpful Perfectionism?

For athletes who are overwhelmed by maladaptive perfectionism, it’s ENTIRELY possible to shift to a more adaptive mindset. You just have to do it with plenty of intentional effort and a bit of strategy–just like physical training. Here are some practical tips:

1. Double down on self-compassion: Accept the fact that mistakes are an important part of growth, even though they’re never fun. Practice self-respect and remind yourself that setbacks don’t define your worth. We’re all human. And because of that, we’ll all screw up once in a while, whether we like it or not.
2. Set realistic goals: Focus on process-oriented goals that reflect personal signs of progress, rather than how you compare to others. This approach reduces pressure and keeps you motivated. Instead of focusing on times, focus on other things, such as heart rate or fueling. Other things to focus on include: what you want your rest days to look like and how often you want to incorporate lifting into your training regimen.
3. Embrace Feedback: Actively ask for constructive criticism for trusted mentors and coaches. Use this feedback as a tool for improvement, rather than seeing growth edges as a reflection of your potential as an athlete.
4. Practice Mindfulness: Integrate mindfulness techniques into your daily routine to stay present and manage anxiety. Doing so helps you focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about making mistakes.
5. Limit Comparisons: Avoid comparing yourself to others. And when you do, don’t beat yourself up for it! Just notice it, name the fact that it happened, Then return to focusing on your personal journey and signs of progress.
6. Schedule Rest and Recovery: This one is important. Acknowledge the importance of rest as a component of success. Avoid overtraining by prioritizing recovery and self-care. This means SCHEDULING it–not just assuming it’ll happen. (Also: rest days aren’t the days to take care of that landscaping in your garden, do 10 loads of laundry, or deep clean the kitchen. Rein yourself in when needed.).
7. Create Supportive Environments: Surround yourself with people who encourage a healthy balance between mental health and excellence. I’m not saying you can’t have both, because I think most people can. As a word of caution, don’t let a focus on excellence or performance get in the way of social support and making some time for fun.
8. Reflect on Achievements: Regularly take stock of your accomplishments and celebrate your progress, no matter how small. I like to do this each day by asking myself, “What went well?”. Another popular approach to this comes from the positive psychology literature: note three good things each day, similar to what you would do for a gratitude journal.

Final Thoughts

Understanding and managing perfectionism is crucial for those of us who want to push for performance without compromising our mental health or enjoyment of endurance sports. While unhelpful perfectionism poses some major challenges, pivoting to adaptive perfectionism can lead to a much more fulfilling and successful athletic career. By adding these strategies to your regular training regimen, you can slowly turn those perfectionistic quirks into a new tool for your mental tool belt. Those tools will help with enhancing both performance AND enjoyment of sport.

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