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KOPFSACHE
5 min read · Ages 13–18

Can't be bothered – or burnt out?

Two very different states that feel similar from the inside.

Sport in generalMotivation

Not feeling like training on a Tuesday in November is completely normal. Not having had a single good moment in sport for six weeks isn't.

Questions that differentiate

  • How long has this been going on – days or weeks?
  • Is it just sport, or school and friends too?
  • Were there moments when you enjoyed it?
  • Are you even recovering between stresses?

If multiple answers point to "for weeks" and "everywhere": This isn't a motivation problem, it's overload. Then the next step is a conversation – with parents, a coach or a doctor – not a tougher training week.

Tools for that

Foundation & Method

Stress ManagementACTRecovery
  • Recovery: Overtraining and Sports Burnout: Differentiating from Motivation Fluctuations
  • Sport Psychology: Self-determination Theory in youth sports

Read more

These contents are knowledge and training offerings from sport psychology. They do not replace psychotherapy, medical treatment, or professional sport psychological support.

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