CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QC Life) - Dr. Kyra Bobinet, a behavioral neuroscientist, physician, and world-leading authority on the habenula, joins QC Life to break down how athletes can rewire their response to failure and thrive under pressure.
When athletes sit in the “kiss-and-cry” awaiting their scores, viewers witness raw emotion, but what’s happening in their brains is equally dramatic. Dr. Bobinet explains how perceived public failure activates the habenula, the brain’s “failure detector,” which suppresses dopamine and triggers emotional collapse, shame, cognitive fog, and loss of motivation.
This response is particularly intense during public score reveals compared to private losses, and it’s intensified by social media amplification.
However, there’s hope: team competitions provide crucial emotional support from teammates, and athletes can train their brains using three powerful strategies — reframe, restory, and release to unlock unstoppable performance.
Dr. Bobinet is the author of the best-selling book “Unstoppable Brain” to learn more visit drkyrabobinet.com and follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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