Overtime

All too often in sports we are confronted with situations where we need to “clutch” up. These situations either make or break the game and on a bigger level even maybe the season. In these  moments the most important thing to focus on is your mind. The mind controls the body and what you tell your mind to do the body will do.

There have been many times where I have been in a competition and have gotten in my head and have lost the concentration and positive attitude I needed to win. It’s important to guard your mind from negative thoughts during a competition because those thoughts will eat at you and distract you from even the simplest of things.

What I have done to help with these “mind games” is to visual yourself succeeding. The day before a competition, start imaging yourself in the situation and how you will execute what you want to come from it. The day of the competition do the same and repeat this process until you are finally in the competition. These positive thoughts and positive thinking will put your mind in the right direction so that you can perform to the best of your ability.

Above all, remember to breathe. When you feel yourself starting to get rattled, breathe. This breath along with your visualization of success will allow you to focus on your task at hand. I stress that breathing is perhaps the single most important thing you can do in a situation you’re anxious in because it allows you to lower your heart rate and focus.

Ignore the distractions and focus on what matters