Behind the Performance: What an Elite Gymnast Can Teach Us About Pressure, Resilience and Men's Mental Health.

Editor's Note: I'm incredibly grateful to Welsh international gymnast Jacob Edwards for taking the time to answer my questions ahead of the Commonwealth Games. His openness and honesty about the psychological side of elite sport made this article possible, and I wish him every success in the competition.

When we watch elite athletes compete, it's easy to focus on what we can see.

The medals.

The routines.

The celebrations.

The performances under pressure.

What we rarely see is everything that happens beneath the surface.

The self-doubt.

The nerves.

The setbacks.

The sacrifices.

The mental resilience required long before an athlete ever steps onto the competition floor.

As the Commonwealth Games approach, I spoke with Welsh Gymnastics Champion and international gymnast Jacob Edwards about the psychological side of competing at the highest level. While his experiences are rooted in elite sport, many of the lessons he shared extend far beyond gymnastics and into everyday life.

Pressure Isn't Something to Eliminate

When I asked Jacob what pressure feels like before a major competition, his answer wasn't about trying to ignore it.

Instead, he explained that pressure often comes from knowing people are watching and expecting you to perform.

Over time, however, he's learned to shift his focus.

"At the end of the day, I'm there to compete for me, not to meet anyone else's expectations."

It's a simple idea, but one many of us struggle with.

Whether it's work, parenting, relationships or our own expectations, we can become so focused on what everyone else thinks that we lose sight of why we started in the first place.

Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is bring our attention back to what we can control.

Even Elite Athletes Experience Self-Doubt

One of the biggest misconceptions about confidence is that successful people don't question themselves.

Jacob was quick to challenge that.

"I think every athlete experiences self-doubt, especially after coming back from injury."

Rather than trying to eliminate those thoughts, he spoke about trusting the process and believing in himself, even when confidence wasn't at its strongest.

Recovery, he explained, isn't always straightforward.

Neither is life.

Many people assume confidence comes first and action follows.

In reality, confidence is often built by continuing to show up despite uncertainty.

Nerves Are Normal

Another misconception is that elite athletes somehow stop feeling nervous.

Jacob laughed at that idea.

He explained that his nerves usually begin around a week before competition and gradually build as the event gets closer.

Rather than fighting those feelings, he works with them.

One technique he regularly uses is the physiological sigh - two quick breaths in, followed by a slow exhale - which helps regulate his breathing and calm his nervous system. He also listens to Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) recordings to help him reset mentally.

What's striking isn't that he gets nervous.

It's that he has learned practical ways to respond when he does.

Many of the same techniques can help us before interviews, presentations, difficult conversations or any situation that feels overwhelming.

Mistakes Don't Define Us

Not every competition goes to plan.

That's simply part of elite sport.

When things don't work out, Jacob tries not to dwell on mistakes.

"Every setback is an opportunity to improve, not just as a gymnast but as a person as well."

It's a mindset many of us could benefit from adopting.

Too often we move from:

"I made a mistake."

to

"I'm a failure."

They're very different statements.

One recognises something that happened. The other becomes part of our identity.

Growth begins when we learn from setbacks rather than allowing them to define us.

Rebuilding Confidence Takes Time

When I asked whether he'd ever struggled with confidence, Jacob spoke openly about returning from significant injuries.

Even now, years after shoulder surgery, there are moments where the fear of re-injury quietly sits in the background.

"Sometimes you subconsciously hold back without even realising it."

That sentence stood out to me.

Whether we've experienced physical injury, emotional pain, burnout or loss, many of us become more cautious afterwards.

Confidence doesn't simply return because we want it to.

As Jacob explained, it comes from learning to trust ourselves again - one step at a time.

The Sacrifices Behind Success

Elite sport often looks glamorous from the outside.

The reality is rather different.

Jacob trains more than 25 hours each week while also working for Welsh Gymnastics and coaching five evenings a week.

There isn't much spare time.

There are sacrifices with friendships, downtime and social life.

Yet his perspective remains grounded.

"It's worth it because I'm chasing something I've dreamed about for a long time."

Purpose has a remarkable way of helping us tolerate difficult seasons.

But even then, balance matters.

When he does find time to switch off, he intentionally steps away from gymnastics, enjoying gaming or watching a good series.

Having something completely unrelated to performance allows him to reset mentally.

That's something many of us forget. Rest isn't laziness, it's part of performing well.

What Resilience Really Means

When people hear the word resilience, they often imagine someone who never struggles.

Jacob's definition is very different.

For him, resilience has been built through injuries, setbacks and disappointment.

"Progress isn't always quick, but consistency and patience can take you a long way."

Some of the toughest moments in his career have become the ones that taught him the most. That feels true far beyond sport. Resilience isn't about avoiding difficult experiences.

It's about learning that we can move through them.

Men's Mental Health Matters - Even for Elite Athletes

Perhaps the most honest part of our conversation came when I asked Jacob what men's mental health means to him.

Despite competing internationally, he admitted that the past year has been one of his toughest mentally.

Finishing university, balancing work, training and everyday life left him feeling weighed down.

"Sometimes you feel weighed down without even knowing exactly why."

I suspect many people will recognise that feeling.

He also reflected on something that many men experience.

"I think a lot of men feel like they should deal with everything on their own because they don't want to burden other people."

It's a belief that can keep people struggling in silence.

But his conclusion was refreshingly simple.

Talking helps.

"Once you find the root of the problem, it becomes much easier to deal with it. Asking for help isn't a weakness - it can be the first step towards finding a solution."

Final Thoughts

Watching an elite gymnast perform, it's easy to admire the strength, precision and confidence on display.

What we don't always see are the countless moments of uncertainty, setbacks, self-doubt and resilience that made that performance possible.

Whether you're preparing for an international competition, navigating a demanding career, supporting a family or simply trying to get through a difficult period in life, the psychological challenges we face are often more similar than we realise.

Jacob's story reminds us that confidence isn't the absence of self-doubt, resilience isn't about never struggling, and asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.

Sometimes, the strongest thing we can do is exactly what he encourages us to do.

Talk.