How elite athletes turn anger into essential fuel
dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo. Serena Williams learned to channel her anger on court. She retired having won a record-breaking 23 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other player, male or female, in the Open Era.
We’re told to stay calm. Count to 10. Let it go. But what if the real secret to success isn’t avoiding anger but learning to harness it? Elite athletes know how to do this.
Look closely at how top performers manage and redirect their emotions, and you’ll see that anger doesn’t have to be something you suppress. In fact, it can be one of your greatest tools – if you know how to control it and use it to your advantage.
Turning fury into fuel
In Anger at Work, Dr. Hendrie Weisinger redefines anger as a potential asset, describing it as “a powerful and creative source of energy” when properly managed. Elite athletes embody this principle – not by suppressing anger, but by transforming it into performance fuel.
Tennis legend Serena Williams put it perfectly in her retirement essay for Vogue. Reflecting on her career, she shared: “To me that’s kind of the essence of being Serena: expecting the best from myself and proving people wrong. There were so many matches I won because something made me angry or someone counted me out. That drove me. I’ve built a career on channelling anger and negativity and turning it into something good.”
“I’ve built a career on channelling anger and negativity and turning it into something good.”
NFL legend Tom Brady, whose early career was marked by being underestimated and drafted in the sixth round, has expressed a similar mindset: “It’s never come easy for me. I don’t think my mind allows me to rest, ever. I have, I think, a chip on my shoulder, and some deep scars that I don’t think were healed.”
And it turns out that there’s scientific support for how athletes channel their anger. A 2015 study in the Annual Review of Psychology showed that, when properly controlled, anger can improve decision-making and persistence. Athletes who know how to direct their anger tend to push through difficult tasks, like solving complex problems or making tough decisions under pressure.
“It’s never come easy for me. I don’t think my mind allows me to rest, ever. I have, I think, a chip on my shoulder.”
Controlling anger
The key to using anger as a tool, rather than letting it derail you, is control. Elite athletes are experts in emotional regulation, even when the stakes are high.
Sports psychologist Dr. Jonathan Fader, known for working with top athletes, explains that what sets elite performers apart is not the absence of anger, but their relationship with it. According to Fader, elite athletes experience emotions fully, but they don’t act on them impulsively. They make a choice about how to respond.
This level of emotional regulation isn’t natural – it’s developed over time through practice. Research indicates that mindfulness training can help athletes – and anyone – better manage their emotions, including anger. Mindfulness helps athletes recognise emotions without being overwhelmed by them.
Pro skateboarder Alex Olson shared how such practices helped him regain control over his emotions: “I was a very emotional skateboarder, where if I didn’t do my trick, I’d get so frustrated and explode in frustration and anger. I think with meditation and yoga and all that stuff, it makes it easier – knowing to recognise those emotions when they come on, and having a set of tools to better combat them.”
“I was a very emotional skateboarder, where if I didn’t do my trick, I’d get so frustrated and explode in frustration and anger. I think with meditation and yoga, it makes it easier.”
How to tactically use anger
Learning to use anger strategically is something we can all benefit from. Dr. Susan David, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School, describes this as emotional agility – the ability to feel your emotions without letting them take over. She says it’s key to performing at your best in any situation.
Elite athletes practice specific techniques for this redirection:
Immediate physical outlets: Deep breathing or muscle relaxation can help release the intensity of anger.
Visualisation: Turning the feeling of anger into mental images of success or power to fuel performance.
Verbal reframing: Reframing anger as determination or focus through internal dialogue.
Owning your emotions
One of the most important lessons athletes teach us about anger is accountability. They don’t blame others for how they feel – they own their emotions.
Research from sports psychology backs this idea. A 2021 study published in the Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that athletes who practiced self-regulation had better control over their emotions, leading to improved goal achievement and less anxiety during competition.
Kobe Bryant often spoke about using negative emotions, including anger, as motivation. He recognised that frustration could either hinder or drive performance, depending on how it was managed. As he once said: “I want to stay mad. It helps me play better.”
“Strength is a full gamut. You’ve got to be strong from top to bottom, but you also have to raise your hand and say, ‘I’m feeling weak right now.’”
Practical applications beyond sport
These insights don’t just apply to athletes – they can be used in everyday life, whether at work or in personal relationships. Here are some ways to use anger constructively:
Recognise anger as energy: Instead of judging yourself for feeling angry, see it as energy to be redirected.
Create pause points: Just like elite athletes, practice pausing for a moment before reacting when anger arises.
Train through simulation: Mentally rehearse challenging situations that trigger your anger, just as athletes mentally prepare for high-pressure moments.
Develop recovery routines: When anger takes over, have a strategy for quickly resetting. Don’t dwell on emotional missteps.
Embrace emotional strength: Recognising your emotions, rather than suppressing them, is a powerful tool for growth.
As USA soccer legend Abby Wambach puts it, “Strength is a full gamut. You’ve got to be strong from top to bottom, but you also have to raise your hand and say, ‘I’m feeling weak right now.’”
Balancing authenticity and control
The key takeaway from elite athletes about anger is balance: being true to your emotions while maintaining control over your reactions. As NBA coach Doc Rivers says: “How competitive can you be without losing your discipline?”
This balance – acknowledging anger but not letting it consume you – represents emotional maturity. It’s a skill that can help you thrive in all areas of life.
By learning how the world’s best athletes channel anger into a force that drives them, you can transform your own relationship with anger and use it to propel yourself forward.
