Mental Strategies to Fight Through a Bad Game
When you don’t have your “A” game, you have to find another way to get the job done.
Many athletes believe they need to being firing on all cylinders and have all the stars align in order to secure a victory. That is not always the case…
Sometimes, scraping it out performing ugly can result in a win and, no matter the circumstances, a win is a win.
In order to take home a win when you don’t quite have “it,” you need to be persistent, positive and focused.
When you have these three qualities (persistence, positive attitude and a present-moment focus) you have greater mental toughness.
Unfortunately, some athletes tend to back down when they are not playing well in a game.
These athletes send negative messages to themselves, such as:
- “I’m not going to win today, so why even try.”
- “There is no way I can come back from trailing by this many points.”
- “I knew I wasn’t going to play well after this horrible week of practices.”
This mindset stops you right in your tracks and gives you zero chance to scrap out a win.
The mentally tough athlete keeps looking for opportunities to turn the tide and grind out a victory.
The mentally tough athlete fights until the end and it is that fight that keeps their chances alive.
The Phoenix Suns are a team that is fighting to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-2010 season.
With the season at the halfway point, the Suns appeared headed for a disappointing home loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
The Suns trailed by as many as 14 points and looked out of sync for the majority of the game. With 2:53 to play, the Suns were down by 10…
The Suns finished the game with a 15-4 run.
The Suns made critical plays when it mattered most, including Devin Booker hitting three free throws to put Phoenix ahead with 12.3 seconds to play and Marquese Chriss blocking an Atlanta shot at the rim with 7 seconds left in the game.
Booker summed up the mentality of the team and their ability to fight back to win.
BOOKER: “We played bad today, but that says a lot about a young team. To be able to play bad like that, come back and get a win down late, that’s big.”
Pulling out a victory is great but there are even greater benefits when you win ugly:
- Winning ugly means the stars do NOT have to align for you to get the job done.
- Winning ugly can be evidence that you don’t need to be perfect to win or that you can still succeed when you are not on top of your game.
- Winning ugly teaches the value of grinding it out, to push forward when you are off your game and to be resilient no matter your circumstances.
Fighting until the very end may turn the tide in your favor but you will never know unless you keep fighting.
A Tip for Fighting Through a Bad Game:
Three qualities of mental toughness help you continue fighting though a bad game: positive attitude, present-moment focus and persistence.
Confidence – You must be confident in your ability to make plays when needed–even when you don’t have your “A” game.
Present-Moment Focus – You need to forget the past such as; the last game, what happened five minutes ago and the last play. Look for the opportunities right in front of you.
Persistence – You absolutely must compete with that fighting spirit where giving in is never an option.
Start today by taking greater control of your confidence level with The Confident Athlete program…
Learn Mental Game Strategies to Boost Your Confidence in Sports!
If you’re an athlete who struggles with self-doubt, loses confidence, or cant take “practice confidence” to competition, The Confident Athlete is for you!
Self-confidence is what separates champion athletes from the rest of the competitors…
You can tap into my knowledge and experience to learn how to bring ultimate confidence to competition!
The Confident Athlete CD and workbook program consists of 2 audio CD’s that include 14 days of confidence fueling exercises and a simple to follow workbook that guides you through the 14 days, helps you apply the strategies and customizes the exercises to your personal needs.
Remember, confidence is a choice you make. You have to make a conscious effort to proactively seek confidence building thoughts and behaviors. Confident Athletes are proactive when it comes to confidence!
Learn more about one of our most popular CD programs in The Confident Athlete Series…
The Confident Athlete: A 14-Day Plan For Ultimate Self-Confidence
Take control of your mindset and performance today!
What are mental game customers saying about our confidence boosting program?
“I bought The Confident Athlete and I have to tell you it is one of the best investments I’ve ever made in sports (and I’ve made quite a lot!)” I am a top amateur racquetball player. I have multiple state and regional titles, and 2 national titles. Your approach and ideas have snapped me out of a slump that has lasted way too long. The sport is fun again and I am playing like my old self for the first time in a long time!”
~Mark Davis
“We love ‘The Confident Athlete.’ My 10-year-old daughter is an equitation rider and show jumper. We started your program as soon as we received it and got to lesson 6 just before a major competition. Natalie came 4th in the children’s open equitation and 3rd in the children’s show jumping champs. An amazing achievement on which many people commented… As a parent, it has been great for me as I now am more capable of assisting her in her mental preparation. Thanks so much!”
~Beth MacLarty, Sports Parent
“I’ve been doing great! I’ve been using your Confident Athlete 14-Day Program and it has really worked for me. We’ve achieved great results and excellent consistency in our horseshows. We’ve had some pretty big wins. Thanks so much. Your program has done wonders for me.”
~Diane Wade, Equestrian
“I am a ASP world qualifying professional surfer and after beginning the ‘The Confident Athlete’ I had an almost instant change in attitude about my own surfing ability and my mindset going into competition. By using the Confident Athlete strategies, my confidence has done a complete 180 degrees. I won a local pro/am a few weeks back, and just had my best result of the year in one the last big events on the world circuit this last week in Brazil! It is my secret weapon!”
~Shaun Burrell, Professional Surfer
(Listen to his success story)
Boost Your Self-Confidence And Focus With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“Both of the last 2 weekends, Nicolas had high-pressure basketball tournaments where he really showed improvement and maturity! He reacted very calmly to missed shots and mistakes and was very poised in the very close finals game. We have never seen him so composed and locked-in on the issue at hand! He has also realized that and tells us that he feels more calm and confident than before.”
~Alex Mylonas, Nicolas’ father
“I learned to play with a confidence that it does not matter if I make it or miss the shot… So what if I miss, it’s only a game.”
~Paul Rask, basketball player
“Dr. Cohn, we had a great season. We finished second in the State Tournament. We scored 163 points, which is 11 more than we scored the year we won the state tournament. We had three individual state champs. We really improved our mental preparation in the post season. The kids bought in and really worked at it. We will definitely need you again next year. Hopefully, you can help us reach our goals next year.”
~Coach Jim Bird, Head Coach Osceola High School
“My son Jake has struggled with composure for as long as I can remember. He is doing the Composed Athlete program and is about half way through. He had the biggest, most stressful wrestling tournament of his season this past weekend. I have never seen him demonstrate such composure and sportsmanship -ever. I was so happy I was fighting back tears. It’s been a long and frustrating road. I am so thankful for your program.”
~Laura Grogan