Journeying Through Sport With Self-Compassion: Athlete Narratives of Navigating Pressure and Struggle

Overemphasis on performance in high-level sport can lead to declines in athletes’ physical health, psychological well-being, and quality of life. Development of adaptive coping approaches, such as self-compassion, may help mitigate such threats to well-being. Informed by a narrative approach, this study explored how athletes high in self-compassion story their journey through sport, including their experiences of navigating pressure and struggle. Three women athletes high in self-compassion took part in two loosely structured one-on-one interviews. Narrative thematic and structural analyses were undertaken. Participants’ narratives of Redefining, Rediscovery, Balance, Growth, and Transformation deviate from the performance narrative typically dominant within sport, and such alternative narratives may help future athletes story their lives in ways that promote well-being. Additional findings regarding athlete-generated language for self-compassion and its application further support efforts to tailor self-compassion within sport contexts.