In baseball, this can happen far too often. One strikeout or one error leads to another and then another and then another. So how can we prevent this from happening? The answer is in our mindset.
Take a second to think about your past few games. Think about the ones where you played well. Think about the ones where you didn’t play as well. What was common across those games?
You may find some of the following to be common when you have a poor game…
- Over or underestimating an opponent
- Thinking about if its a big game or not
- Worrying about the people who are there to watch
- What happened the last time you played the team
- Thinking about what could go wrong
- Caring about what other people will think of you
You may find some of the following to be common when you have a great game…
- Treating all opponents the same
- Reminding yourself of your preparation
- Not worrying about whos watching you
- Treating each game as a new game.
- Focusing on your game plan
- Staying focused in the moment. Not in previous innings.
Stay in the moment. Worrying about how games went in the past or worrying about who you’re playing sets you up for failure. Whenever you feel yourself leaving the moment before the game take a step back and take 5 deep breaths and bring back your focus. It’s just an average game. One catch at a time, one pitch at a time, one swing at a time set you up to play consistently at your best.