At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Priya Lohakare for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say it further, Priya is a Sport Psychologist, Peak Performance Trainer and an Influencer. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Priya:
What inspired you to become a sports psychologist, and how did your journey begin in this field?
I have always been deeply connected to sports and athletic performance. Although I did not play sports at a very high level during my younger years, as I grew up and started understanding sports more closely, I could truly relate to the emotional and mental challenges athletes go through.
Over time, I realised that many athletes perform exceptionally well during practice but struggle during competitions because of pressure, self-doubt, or mental blocks. I naturally connected very well with athletes, and many of them would come to me to discuss performance challenges, confidence issues, and match pressure.
Soon, even parents started approaching me for guidance on how their children could improve mentally and perform better in tournaments. That is when I truly understood the importance of mindset in sports and felt inspired to help young athletes become mentally stronger, more confident, and emotionally resilient.
That journey and connection with athletes is what eventually inspired me to step into the field of Sports Psychology and Peak Performance Training.
Athletes train their bodies every day; how important is mental training compared to physical training?
Mental training is just as important as physical training because sports performance is both physical and mental.
I often describe mental training as the “gym of the mind.” Athletes train their bodies every day to become stronger, faster, and more skilled, but they must also train their minds. When both work together, performance improves significantly.
Many athletes perform brilliantly during practice sessions but struggle during important matches because of pressure, fear, self-doubt, or lack of focus. This is exactly where mental training plays a crucial role.
In India, awareness around mental training in sports is steadily growing, while many Western and European countries have already integrated sports psychology into athlete development from a young age.
Today, athletes increasingly understand that mindset, confidence, emotional control, and focus can often make the difference between winning and losing.
What are the most common psychological challenges athletes face today, especially young players?
One of the most common psychological challenges young athletes face today is self-doubt. Often, it develops at an early age due to comparison, criticism, pressure, or expectations from parents, coaches, or even themselves. During difficult phases, many athletes begin doubting their own abilities and confidence.
The second major challenge is lack of focus. In today’s digital world, attention spans have reduced significantly. I have observed many athletes losing focus during important moments in matches, which directly affects their decision-making, game reading, and overall performance.
Another important challenge is the fear of failure. Many young athletes become so afraid of losing or disappointing others that they stop playing freely and confidently, which impacts performance.
How do you help athletes deal with performance anxiety before important matches or competitions?
The most important aspect is ensuring that the athlete is mentally prepared before the competition through regular mindset training.
However, if an athlete still experiences performance anxiety before a match, I help them calm their mind and regain focus using practical techniques such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, and performance keywords that we have already practised during training sessions.
I always encourage athletes to focus on the process rather than the pressure of the result. The goal is to bring the athlete back to a calm, confident, and present state of mind before competing.
Many athletes struggle with self-doubt after failure or injury. How can they rebuild confidence mentally?
When an athlete goes through failure or injury, rebuilding confidence becomes a gradual process.
In cases of injury, I strongly believe that physical recovery comes first. Athletes must properly complete their rehabilitation and recovery process before returning fully to training. Once they are physically ready, we begin rebuilding confidence mentally.
During this phase, I give athletes small performance-based tasks and mindset exercises that help them slowly regain trust in themselves. As they start completing those steps and seeing progress, confidence naturally begins to rebuild.
I always remind athletes that confidence does not return overnight. It is built through patience, consistent effort, and small daily improvements.
In your experience, what separates high-performing athletes mentally from average performers?
In my experience, one of the biggest qualities that separates high-performing athletes from average performers is their comeback attitude and mental resilience.
Even after missing a goal, losing a point, or facing a difficult moment in a match, elite athletes are able to recover mentally very quickly. They stay focused, emotionally controlled, and continue believing in themselves instead of giving up.
Many times, even when it feels like they may lose, they continue fighting and turn the match around. Their ability to handle pressure, stay composed in difficult situations, and bounce back from setbacks is what truly separates elite performers from average athletes.
Social media and comparison culture affect athletes deeply today. How can players protect their mental health?
In today’s generation, social media and comparison culture cannot really be avoided, especially in sports. Athletes will naturally compare themselves with others at some point, and that is normal.
The real problem begins when comparison negatively impacts confidence, focus, or mental well-being.
That is why positive self-talk, focusing on personal growth, and having strong support from family and coaches become extremely important. Athletes must learn to focus on their own journey and progress, rather than allowing outside comparisons to control their self-belief or performance.
Can you share a powerful transformation story where mindset training completely changed an athlete’s performance?
Yes, there are many athletes I have worked with, but one transformation story that is very close to me involves a badminton player who struggled to win at the state level.
He would consistently reach the semifinals and finals, but mentally he used to get affected by crowd support for his opponent. There was one particular player he had lost to twice in the State Championship, and that fear and pressure had started affecting his confidence during matches.
Through mindset training, we worked on confidence building, emotional control, focus, and handling external pressure. Gradually, he started applying those techniques during competitions and became mentally stronger.
Interestingly, he faced the same opponent again in the State Championship but this time, his mindset was completely different. He remained calm, confident, and focused, and finally won that match.
Once he crossed that mental barrier, the rest of the tournament became easier, and he eventually went on to win the State Championship.
For me, that was a powerful reminder that mindset can completely transform performance.
What are some simple daily mental exercises or habits athletes can practice to improve focus and resilience?
To improve focus, athletes can practice simple concentration exercises, such as focusing on a candle flame for a few minutes every day without distractions. This helps train attention and concentration.
To build resilience, athletes can practice positive self-talk daily by reminding themselves to remain calm, confident, and mentally strong during difficult moments.
Small daily mental habits, when practised consistently, can create a significant impact on performance over time.
If you could give one message to every athlete struggling silently with pressure, stress, or burnout, what would it be?
If I could give one message to athletes struggling with pressure, stress, or burnout, it would be this:
Pause. Breathe. And take care of your mind the same way you take care of your body.
Always remember what Novak Djokovic said: “Pressure is a privilege.”
Pressure, stress, and difficult phases are a part of every athlete’s journey. Learning how to handle them mentally is what truly makes athletes stronger, not just in sports, but in life.
At BrilliantRead, we don’t just share startup stories; we bring you journeys that challenge perspectives, spark ideas, and fuel ambition. Every story we feature is carefully chosen to add real value, inspire action, and ignite possibility within our growing community of entrepreneurs and dreamers.
If you have a powerful story, one that can inspire, educate, or create impact we want to hear from you.
