The Thought Suppression Trap: Why “Don’t Think About It” Never Works

You can spot it before the next serve even happens. A player misses one deep, then grabs the ball and heads right back to the line. You see her shoulders rise, her routine get hurried, her eyes dart down or away. Across the net, everyone is watching. But you know what’s really going on: inside her head, the noise is deafening.

“Don’t think about last time. Don’t miss again. Just clear your head.”

But the more she tries to force that thought away, the more it sticks. It’s like telling yourself not to think about a pink elephant—suddenly, it’s all you can picture. In the gym, this is the “don’t miss” spiral every coach recognizes. The harder an athlete tries to push a thought out, the more it takes center stage.

What Actually Happens in the Mind

In volleyball, thought suppression isn’t just common—it’s almost automatic after a high-pressure mistake. A player tries to banish the memory of that last serve or shanked pass, but the mind keeps circling back. Instead of letting the thought fade, the brain checks for it, keeping it alive. The routine speeds up, focus shrinks, and suddenly, the next play feels even heavier.

I saw it just last month—our libero had a tough shank in a close set. She tried to shake it off, but you could see the wheels turning. “Don’t do it again,” she muttered between points. The next serve came, and her platform was rigid, her feet stuck. It wasn’t mechanics—it was her mind, locked in a tug-of-war with itself.

Why Pressure Makes It So Loud

On a normal practice day, thoughts drift by. Add a packed gym, a scoreboard, and a moment that feels big, and every thought gets louder. That missed serve? It’s not just a mistake anymore—it’s personal, maybe even embarrassing. The voice in your head isn’t just noise. It’s urgent, insistent, and hard to ignore.

You know it’s bad when a player starts asking, “What if I let everyone down?” or “What if coach pulls me?” Under pressure, these aren’t just thoughts; they’re emotional landmines. And the more important the moment, the more they stick.

When Attention Turns Inward—and the Game Slips Away

This is where matches can quietly unravel. Instead of reading the court, listening for a teammate’s call, or seeing what’s actually happening, the athlete’s focus turns completely inward. The rally keeps moving, but the player is now fighting a private battle. From the bench, it might look like “overthinking.” But inside, it feels like being stuck in a room with the volume all the way up.

I’ll never forget hearing a player whisper, after a string of errors, “I just want the ball to go somewhere else—anywhere but to me.” That’s not lack of effort. That’s attention hijacked by the mind’s own alarm system.

The Body Follows the Mind

When attention narrows and anxiety spikes, the body comes along for the ride. Breathing gets shallow, movements stiffen, the serve is guided instead of hit, and a good hitter starts swinging tentatively.

You see it in those moments when a player hesitates, or when a normally smooth swing turns robotic. The athlete isn’t just battling the opponent—they’re battling their own head.

What the Best Do Instead

Elite players aren’t immune to unhelpful thoughts. The difference? They don’t waste energy fighting them. Instead, they notice the thought, maybe even name it, and then let it drift by without obeying it.

I watched one of our captains after a crucial missed serve in a tournament. She bounced the ball, exhaled, and said quietly, “Alright, it’s there. So what?” Then she locked eyes with a teammate, called the next play, and let her training take over. The thought didn’t vanish—it just lost its power.

That’s not about having a blank mind. It’s about building flexibility.

Why Acceptance Wins

The mind calms down when we stop fighting it. Acceptance in sport isn’t about liking mistakes or ignoring nerves. It’s about recognizing, “My brain is doing what brains do under stress. That’s okay.” With that shift, attention can return to the next serve, the next pass, the next play.

The thought might hang around, but it’s no longer running the show. The athlete gets back to the game, instead of staying stuck in the last moment.

The Real Skill

The best athletes aren’t those who never doubt or never worry. They’re the ones who get good at returning their attention to the present—even when their mind is noisy.
Back to the serve.
Back to the pass.
Back to the next ball.

Again and again.

Because the second an athlete stops fighting their own mind, they make room for what actually matters: reading the game, connecting with teammates, and letting their skills show up under pressure.

Coach’s Takeaway:
Next time you see an athlete stuck in the “don’t miss” spiral, try this on the sideline: “It’s normal to have that thought. Notice it, then come back to what’s in front of you. Let’s play the next ball.”
Simple, real, and it works.

That’s where performance—and confidence—start to come back online.