In rowing, selection and race preparations can push athletes to their limits—not just physically, but mentally, and emotionally too. While racing plans, stroke rates, and attempting to balance life often take the spotlight, there’s one frequently overlooked but game-changing element: your inner dialogue.
How you speak to yourself when the stakes are highest can either fuel your performance or quietly sabotage it.
Let’s unpack what this really means, why it matters, and how to build an inner conversation that helps—not hinders—your ability to perform under pressure.
1. Your Inner Voice Isn’t the Enemy. It’s the Guide
We often talk to athletes about how they communicate with themselves. This inner dialogue isn’t just a pep talk or a hype machine—it’s the ongoing narrative inside your head that shapes how you interpret challenges, setbacks, and pressured moments.
Many athletes make one of two mistakes:
- They try to silence uncomfortable thoughts.
- They believe every word of their negative self-talk.
Neither approach works. Suppression doesn’t make doubt disappear—it just builds up under the surface like water in a bucket. Eventually, it spills over. And believing every critical thought? That’s like handing the wheel to your worst critic during the hardest part of the race.
Instead, high-performing athletes learn to observe, acknowledge, and negotiate with their inner voice.
This isn’t a weakness, it’s a mental skill. It’s the same as refining your catch or your finish—it’s a practice.
2. It’s a Dialogue, Not a Dictator
You’re not trying to “win” against your thoughts or pretend they don’t exist. You’re trying to build a conversation that helps you orient yourself toward action.
Let’s say before a seat race or final, your inner voice says:
“I’m exhausted. I’m not sure I’ve got it today.”
Rather than battling that voice, try this:
“Okay, I’m noticing that I feel exhausted. That makes sense—this is hard. But what’s the next step I need to take?”
This mindset gives you options. And every time you give yourself a choice, you take back control. It’s like adding power to your own engine. This is what builds resilience—not silencing emotion, but working with it.
3. Stop Judging. Start Noticing.
Judgment keeps you stuck. Awareness gives you leverage.
If you notice you’re anxious before a race, don’t layer on guilt for feeling that way. Instead, just say:
“I’m noticing that I feel anxious.”
That awareness creates space. In that space, you get to choose. Respond. Adjust. That’s emotional agility—the ability to feel, recognise, pivot, and keep going.
4. Break It Down—Step by Step
One of the fastest ways to feel overwhelmed is to obsess over the outcome: Will I get selected? Will we win? Will I make the cut?
Instead, bring it down to the moment:
- What’s the next step?
- What can I control in this stroke, this set, this piece, this moment?
Rowing is a game of inches and strokes. You don’t race the whole 2k at once. You win it stroke by stroke. And the same goes for your mindset.
5. Make It a Habit, Not a Hail Mary
Most athletes only lean into mindset tools when they’re on the brink—when things are tough, the race is near, or selections are close.
But the athletes who thrive under pressure are the ones who practice this every day. They’ve trained their mental habits like their technical drills. They’ve built trust with themselves—not just in the heat of battle, but in the everyday grind.
Think of emotional awareness and self-talk like a muscle. You don’t build it during the race. You build it before the race—so it’s there for the race.
6. Emotional Agility Over Toughness
Being mentally strong doesn’t mean being rigid. It doesn’t mean ignoring pain or pushing endlessly without reflection.
True strength is sustainable.
It’s knowing when to push and when to pace. When to lean in and when to breathe. It’s not about wrapping yourself in cotton wool—it’s about building a foundation that can go hard and go again tomorrow.
Resilience is the ability to show up again. And again. And again.
Final Stroke: Trust the Process, Talk Like a Teammate
The most powerful conversations you’ll ever have as an athlete are the ones you have with yourself.
So ask:
- Am I helping myself right now, or hindering?
- What am I noticing—and what choice does that give me?
- Am I speaking like someone I’d trust in a boat?
You don’t need to be endlessly positive. You need to be real, reflective, and ready to respond.
Your inner voice is your most consistent teammate. Train it well—and it’ll carry you through the toughest waters.
Stephen Feeney, Mental Performance Consultant for Olympic and World Champions
About The Author
Discover more from JRN
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
