Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.”— Bill Russell
In basketball, “mental toughness” is a significant influencing factor contributing to successful performance excellence as well as a performance enhancer.
It’s the ability to keep your focus and determination despite the difficulties you encounter.
Events in our life rarely go the way we’d like them to, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it throw you off your game.
Mental toughness is what separates the superstar from the merely good.
It separates the top performers from the rest of the pack. Someone without mental toughness can have all the natural talents or ability and not make it as far as someone with mental toughness with average ability.
Research in sports psychology for basketball shows that, the key to mental toughness is applying consistently the traits of self-motivation, positive attitude, emotional self-control, calmness under fire, and being energetic and ready for action. Consistency is important. Through applying these traits day in and day out, you will be able to reach new heights your mental game in basketball.
Here are some traits of mentally tough athletes:
One of the key characteristics of mentally tough athletes is that they make things happen. They are also mentally tough which means they are in control of their career and life and are sufficiently persistent and committed to fulfill their goals. They create and take opportunities and have the confidence and self-belief to achieve the impossible as well as the possible.
Mentally tough athletes set goals and then consistently achieve those goals. They compartmentalize their dream into realistic plans and targets, which they then prioritize effectively and with an intense focus they make it happen. They don’t allow themselves to become distracted or prevented from achieving their goals by other issues or opportunities. They also possess a healthy sense of urgency wanting to get things done now and not to procrastinate or let things slide.
Mentally tough athletes feel in control and are in control of their life, their circumstances and their emotions. They have a clear sense of who they are and are comfortable with that. They have a dream and they constantly ensure they live their life in alignment with this dream and are on a personal mission to make that dream come true.
Mentally tough athletes see every situation as an opportunity to improve their mental game in basketball. They always evaluate themselves and seek out ways to improve their performance and ability. This ability to create opportunity from adversity and tackle new challenges means that they can make things happen when others can’t even see the opportunity.
Mentally tough athletes are confident with an unshakable self-belief in their own abilities and don’t need others to validate them which means they just get on and do things. They also possess the interpersonal confidence to stand their ground in negotiations and group situations to represent their view boldly and be comfortable in handling objections as well as being able to influence others.
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