Spoiler alert: it's impossible. If your goal is to eliminate anxiety or "block out" the bad thoughts, whether they are distracting or negative in nature, you're playing a losing game. This can be hard to accept for many athletes...
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla presents a perfect example of how to deal with criticism that stems from a classic tool in working on your mental game, reframing, when discussing the unfair criticism that Jayson Tatum receives.
Imposter syndrome, characterized by perfectionism, worrying about failure, comparing yourself to others, and feeling like your achievements are due to luck, can be normal in small doses.
Dropout rates are increasing amongst athletes in team sports. While there may be some explanations that are less worrying, like kids wanting to try new hobbies as they go through adolescence, others are more under the control of parents, coaches, and even the athletes themselves.
How you think and talk to yourself is linked to how you feel and act. This may sound obvious, but it should be striking, then, to realize how much you likely talk to yourself in a way that completely forgets this notion. That's your inner critic poisoning the narrative of your mind.