The mental game of basketball is an essential key to success. Each time you step on the basketball court you must be mentally as well as physically prepared for the game ahead. This means your mind needs to be free of worry, anxiety, doubt or any other type of negative thought that undermines your confidence. The means you must have basketball mental toughness.

What are ways to accomplish this? Many players you will see prior to a game listening to music. Music is a great way to get your mind into a positive, confident pre-game mindset. Choose music that builds up your confidence and basketball mental toughness and chases away the doubt, worry and the host of other negative emotions that can come along with pre-game mindsets.

Another tip for improving your pre-game mindset is to not focus on what others think of you. Only focus on what you think of yourself in a positive way and act on that.

When discussing basketball mental toughness and pre game mind set let’s look at the top five reasons that cause an athlete to have negative emotions before a game:

•Focus on outcomes
•Excess mental chatter
•Fear of failing
•Worrying about what others think
•Not feeling fully confident
•Worrying about the quality of your warm-up

These five items can drain your confidence and lead to an unsuccessful outcome. You simply must not them be a part of your pre-game mindset.

Another topic that needs to be referenced in this discussion is pre-game jitters. In discussing them there are the types that have a negative effect on your confidence, such as worry and anxiety, and still other pre-game jitters that can actually help you play better. Therein lays the key.

You must use your pre-game jitters in a way that will inevitably be for your benefit. For example, get pumped up. Focus on the good that you are going to bring to the game. Focus on the energy you have available for the game. Use the jitters to prepare you and improve your mental toughness and pre-game mindset.

Other suggestions to improve your basketball mental toughness and pre-game mindset are to establish a routine on the day you have games. This can be a daily routine beginning with when you awake or just an afternoon routine. Whichever way works for you establish the routine and stick with it.

Most experts suggest having a daily routine on game days from the time you wake up. For example, eat the same breakfast on game days, wear the same clothes even including the socks, listen to the same music, etc…It may sound unusual, however studies have indicated that athletes that practice the same routine on game days perform better and more consistently in games.