Stay focused. Your start does not determine how you’re going to finish.” — Herm Edwards

Football mental toughness is the ability to control your focus. This skill alone will help boost your performance.

Mind distraction is one of the biggest killers of the football mind.

Points are gained or lost when players lose their concentration.

Distracted players find it hard to play at an optimum level. Distractions impede a player’s ability to think fast, make fast and right decisions. This, in turn, affects the player’s confidence and leads to more mistakes.

How to refocus quickly and effectively when you get distracted.

Football psychology gives athletes insights on how to deal with distractions on the field and in practice.

One of the biggest distractions at a game is the crowd. The crowd can motivate you or distract you. The way to control negativity from crowd noise is to not give it any attention. Meaning, do not look into the crowd. Looking at the crowd forces your attention there. Once your attention is there you will hear things that may not motivate you. Take your focus off the crowd and focus on what you came to do, which is to play football.

Another distraction is being negative. Get out of your own way and think positive. Use positive self-talk to stay focused and motivated.

Most athletes tend to be distracted by things beyond their control.Sports psychology in football stresses that football players should focus on what they can control which includes; motivation, confidence, emotions, intensity, and behavior.

Focusing on those things gives you the football mental toughness and the confidence you need to succeed and perform to your full potential.

How to become fully immersed in your performance.

There are several ways players can immerse themselves in the game.

• Focus on the process and not the outcome of the game.

• Focus on the positive things that will improve your game and avoid the negative things that will tamper with your confidence.

• Focus on the present moment. You shouldn’t dwell on the past even if it is a decision made by the referee two minutes ago because you can’t change it. Do not focus on the future because it has not come.

Staying focus will win games and winning games lead to winning championships.

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