How I Reset After a Bad Performance: 5 Things to Help You Get Better

Bad performances used to feel like the end of the world to me. I’d replay every mistake, compare myself to everyone else, and wonder if I was even good anymore. But the more I’ve grown as an athlete, the more I’ve realized something important: One bad day doesn’t erase all my progress.

Here’s what I’m learning to do when things don’t go the way I hoped and what actually helps me reset with confidence.

1. I Admit It Wasn’t My Best. Without Letting It Control My Confidence

It’s easy to act like a bad performance didn’t bother me, or to pretend I don’t care. It’s also easy to swing to the other side and beat myself up. Now, I’m trying to stay somewhere in the middle.

I tell myself: “Yeah… that wasn’t my best. But I’ve had good days before, and I’ll have them again.”

It helps me stay honest without tearing myself down. Because bad days happen even to the best athletes I look up to.

2. I Zoom Out and Look at the Bigger Picture

When I only focus on the performance that went wrong, everything feels dramatic. But when I step back and look at the whole season, things look different.

I remind myself:

• I’ve been training hard.

• I’ve gotten better in areas I used to struggle in.

• One off day doesn’t erase the work I’ve already put in.

  
  

Zooming out helps me realize: A bad moment isn’t a bad athlete, it’s just a moment.

3. I Look for the One Lesson I Can Use to Improve

Instead of replaying everything that went wrong, I try to find one thing that I can actually learn from.

Sometimes it’s something simple, like:

• I didn’t warm up the way I usually do.

• I rushed because I felt nervous.

• I let one mistake turn into five.

• I stopped trusting my routine.

Once I figure out the lesson, I stop obsessing over the rest. The performance becomes feedback, not proof that I’m “bad.”

4. I Set One Small Goal for My Next Practice

Trying to fix everything at once makes me feel overwhelmed, so instead I choose one small, specific goal.

It might be something like:

• “Focus on my breathing before I start.”

• “Lock in during my first rep.”

• “Stay positive no matter what happens.”

• “Stick to my routine and don’t rush.”

When I hit that one small goal, even if it’s tiny, my confidence starts coming back. One small win can reset my whole mindset.

5. I Let It Go. So It Doesn’t Follow Me Into the Next Game

After I’ve learned the lesson and set my goal, the most important part is letting the rest go.

Sometimes letting go means:

• Talking with a coach or parent

• Listening to music

• Taking a walk

• Stretching

• Doing a light workout

• Breathing it out

• Or simply giving myself some space

Holding onto the performance only makes it heavier. Letting it go gives me room to grow.

I remind myself: “This one performance does not define me. My response does.”

And once I let it go, I’m ready to get back to work.

I'm learning that resetting is a skill, not a talent.

Resetting isn’t something that just happens. It’s something I’m practicing. And every time I bounce back, even a little, I get mentally stronger.

One performance doesn’t decide my future. But my ability to learn, reset, and keep going? That’s what makes me an athlete.