“The mental part is the hardest part, and I think that’s what separates the good players from the great players.” – Michael Jordan

Mental toughness is the ability to consistently perform towards the upper range of your talent and skill no matter how hard the circumstances.

Like all other sports, Basketball mental toughness means that you’re able to withstand the pain and suffering during the play and perform to your best regardless of competitive circumstances.

Increasingly, Most of the basketball teams are acknowledging the importance of the mental game for basketball and seeking help from professionals like mental game coaches.

In the highly competitive environments where so much depends on winning and losing, it is understandable that the fear of failing is common among basketball players. It prevents the players from pushing outside the comfort zone.

When the players refuse to push outside the comfort zone performances, they become reactive instead of proactive. Eventually, it can cripple the player’s sense of adventure and the ability to take the match winning risks.

Many basketball players say they perform better when they simply respond to their surroundings — for instance, in spotting an open teammate and passing to him. But when they think too much during the course of a game, are faced with countless split-second decisions to shoot or pass; if you are thinking too much about this you may be experiencing fear of failing.

Their focus is so important, their concentration, and these little distractions they’re subtle, but they add up.

Basketball has a natural rhythm that works to a player’s advantage, and there is less time for external factors to invade the mind. Having a strong mental game can be a great tool for the players to become more focused on the process which eventually lead to long-term success.

Another reason basketball players fear failure is because of the fear of mistakes they associate with it.

They are so worried about making mistakes and want to avoid it at all costs. Instead of taking positive risks, they allow the opposition to take control and dictate the direction of play. The longer they remain stuck in this attitude, the quicker they fall behind their teammates, further compounding the problem.

Risk taking is an elementary component of being a successful athlete, and it is only possible through committed and bold actions that sporting contests are won and lost.

A player who “goes with his gut” was shown to make faster and more successful choices than one that over analyzes.

It is vital to understand that failure and making mistakes are an inevitable component of sport. If you never fail, you aren’t challenging yourself.

“You try to stay one step ahead,” the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant said. When we do experience setbacks-which we will—we need to forgive those failures, and not use them as excuse to give in or give up.

There is not one athlete in the world that has not experienced set-backs and difficulties. But what separates world-class athletes from average athletes is an understanding and acceptance of failure in sport. By accepting the undoubted occurrence of mistakes and errors, the athlete can control and manage the fear of failure more effectively.

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