“Mental toughness doesn’t guarantee you’ll win, but playing without it pretty much guarantees you won’t._ Tim Grove

What do top-level athletes all have in common?

They have mastered the skill of mental toughness.

An often-asked question is how does mental toughness relate to basketball?

Firstly, it is important to know that mental toughness is a learned skill necessary for all athletes to master. To master mental toughness, one must train their mind as often and thoughtfully as one would train your body physically.

This skill allows athletes to remain calm under pressure, not be affected by an opponent’s size, reputation, or team, to be able to stay focused in chaos, make the right choices during strenuous situations, persevere through adversity, and continue playing despite being in pain.

In the mental game of basketball, mental toughness encompasses resiliency.

In order to be resilient, these skills will help:

• Be able to channel both positive and negative energies to your benefit.
• Have both self-confidence and self-motivation.
• Be able to have excellent self-control in several areas, including attitude and emotional control and cognitive areas, such as visual and attention control.

Combining these desirable traits produces a calm, focused, alert athlete who is positive, in control of their actions, and prepared to show up their best on and off the court.

Having the best physical skills when playing basketball is not enough on its own.

What truly separates an average or good player from an elite top-level player is how well the player’s mental game is developed.

These are the players who strive to improve their game every day, not just certain skills, or become content with their abilities.

They aim to improve their entire game each day and excel in making their minds work with them instead of against them.

Many exercises can help athletes develop the skills they need to achieve mental toughness for basketball.

For a very physically demanding sport that is visually intense and often emotionally charged, athletes need to set aside time daily as part of their regular training regime to develop this skill.

If you or your athlete(s) need help developing mental toughness so they can perform their best, sign up for my online course at www.dcmentaltrainingu.com