When do I Seek Support?
When it comes to our mental well-being and performance, we often wait for things to fall apart before we seek help. It’s an understandable pattern—life gets busy, and when things seem to be going okay, the idea of adding another thing to our plate can feel unnecessary. But here’s the truth: the best time to seek support isn’t when things are already crumbling. It’s when you’re standing on solid ground and ready to build something stronger.
Think about it like this: we don’t start learning to swim when we’re already drowning. Instead, we practice when the waters are calm, so if we ever face rough seas, we’re ready. Sport and performance psychology works the same way. As I often say, “Sport and performance psychology can help teach us skills before we need them most. It can be used like preventative medicine, where we prevent its need in our hardest times because we laid a solid foundation of work which is now reflected in our daily habits.”
What Does Proactive Support Look Like?
Proactive support isn’t about solving a problem that doesn’t exist—it’s about preparing for the inevitable challenges that life, sport, or work will throw at you. Here’s an example: imagine you’re an athlete who performs well under normal conditions. But under the bright lights of a championship final, your mind starts racing. Proactively working with a sport psychologist could help you develop techniques to manage pressure, so when those high-stakes moments come, you’re equipped to handle them.
This isn’t just for athletes, either. Coaches, leaders, and even weekend warriors can benefit from learning strategies to manage stress, build confidence, and stay focused. The earlier you start, the more time you have to integrate these tools into your daily habits, making them second nature when you need them most.
Why Wait for the Hard Times?
When we wait until things feel overwhelming, our energy is often focused on putting out fires rather than building resilience. Proactively seeking support shifts that narrative. It’s about investing in yourself when you have the mental bandwidth to do so, rather than scrambling to catch up when resources feel scarce.
Research shows that skills like goal-setting, self-talk, and imagery aren’t just useful—they’re trainable. And like any skill, the more you practice, the better you get. Waiting until the pressure is on means you’re practicing under stress, which is far from ideal.
How to Start Being Proactive
If you’re wondering whether now is the right time to seek support, ask yourself these questions:
Am I consistently performing at the level I want to?
Do I have habits in place to manage stress and pressure effectively?
If a big challenge or setback happened tomorrow, would I feel equipped to handle it?
If the answer to any of these is “no,” it might be time to think about building that foundation. Working with a sport or performance psychologist isn’t about admitting weakness—it’s about recognizing the potential for growth.
The Takeaway
The best time to seek support isn’t when you’re in crisis; it’s when you have the opportunity to prepare for what’s ahead. Just like training your body for the demands of your sport, training your mind is a long-term investment. By taking a proactive approach, you’re setting yourself up for success—not just in your toughest moments, but in your everyday life.
Remember: the habits you build now are the ones that will carry you through later. So why not start today?