How to Reset Mentally Between Plays or Points
A mental reset between plays or points involves three simple steps:
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Release the previous play or point
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Refocus in the present moment
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Recommit to the next play with a clear intention
Resetting quickly prevents one mistake from turning into many and helps athletes stay focused, composed, and ready for the next moment in competition.
This quick reset routine can be used between every play or point to maintain focus, composure, and consistent performance throughout competition.
Watch: How to Reset Mentally Between Plays or Points
Resetting techniques involve things that you do during the game to get yourself back into the right mindset to compete.
I talk to a lot of athletes about what to do pregame or leading into a game to get themselves into the right mindset. And that’s a really important part of playing up to your potential. But even though we get into the right mindset, we can still find ourselves slipping out of that mindset.
Why Resetting is So Important
Let’s say, for example, you go through a pregame routine and you’re getting yourself into a good, confident mindset to compete. But then you make an early game mistake. That mindset goes away because now you’re upset at yourself, frustrated, and beating yourself up.
Unless we have a way to quickly work through and move past the mistake to reset, all of that pregame work and preparation goes away.
Whenever I’m talking to athletes—especially early on when we are beginning working together—I explain that there’s this idea of working to get into the right mindset. But then we want to have tools in place to stay in that mindset and also to get back to that mindset if something happens during the game that pulls us out of it.
The faster an athlete resets, the more consistent and composed their performance becomes during competition.
Resetting Between Every Play or Point
A mental reset is not only for after mistakes. The best athletes use a reset between every play or every point, whether the previous moment was good or bad.
If you just made a mistake, resetting helps you let go and prevent frustration or fear from carrying forward.
If you just made a great play, resetting helps you stay grounded and ready for the next moment.
Using a reset consistently builds composure, protects confidence, and keeps your attention fully in the present moment.
The Principles of Resetting
A resetting technique can involve anything you do to reset and refocus. There are a few key principles I want to go over before giving examples:
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Always be present when you compete: Mistakes hold you back because you’re either thinking about the past (beating yourself up) or worried about the future (afraid of making another mistake). We want to get ourselves back into the present moment so we can play our best.
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Keep adjustments quick and simple: Yes, we want to learn from mistakes. But adjustments made during games need to be quick. Otherwise, overthinking takes over. Overthinking is a distraction and a detriment to peak performance.
The 3-Step Mental Reset Routine
A mental reset between plays or points follows three simple steps: Release, Refocus, and Recommit. This routine helps you let go of the previous moment, return your attention to the present, and prepare for the next play with clarity and intention.
The goal is not to force positivity or eliminate emotion. The goal is to redirect your attention so you are fully ready for what happens next.
1. Release the Previous Play
The first step is to let go of whatever just happened — whether it was a mistake or a great play.
When your attention stays stuck in the past, you either:
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Replay the mistake and beat yourself up
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Fear repeating it
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Ride the high of a good play and lose focus
None of those help you prepare for the next moment.
Use a simple statement such as:
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“Let it go.”
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“That’s in the past.”
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“Forget it.”
The purpose of this step is not to analyze or learn from the mistake. Adjustments during games should be quick and simple. Overanalyzing between plays leads to overthinking, and overthinking disrupts performance.
Release frees your attention so you can move forward.
2. Refocus in the Present Moment
Once you’ve released the previous play, the next step is to bring your attention fully back to the present.
The simplest way to do this is through a controlled breath:
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Breathe in for five
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Breathe out for five
This recenters you, calms tension, and grounds you in the moment.
In faster sports like basketball or soccer, where there may not be time for a full breath, you can use a quick cue such as:
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“Reset.”
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“Refocus.”
The purpose of refocusing is to shift your attention away from the past or future and into what is happening right now.
Being present is the universal theme behind every effective reset.
3. Recommit to the Next Play
The final step is committing to the next play or point with a clear intention.
This is where you direct your attention forward. You are no longer thinking about what just happened. You are preparing for what is about to happen.
Your recommitment can be:
A simple phrase:
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“Next play.”
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“Next point.”
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“I’ve got this.”
Or a specific objective:
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“See the ball.”
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“Move my feet.”
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“Be aggressive.”
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“Attack the ball.”
This step ensures that your reset is not passive. You are actively preparing yourself to compete with focus and effort.
Recommitment positions you mentally for consistency, confidence, and readiness.
This 3-step routine can be used between every play or point — not only after mistakes — to maintain focus, composure, and consistent performance throughout competition.
In simple terms, resetting allows you to let go of the past, stay present, and prepare for what happens next.
Resetting Techniques You Can Use
Resetting techniques are simple tools athletes use between plays or points to return their attention to the present moment. These techniques help you quickly let go of the previous play, refocus, and prepare for what happens next. Below are several effective ways athletes reset during competition.
Watch: Resetting Techniques Explained
1. Thought Stopping Phrase
This involves a simple, memorized statement you tell yourself every single time you make a mistake or get pulled out of the right mindset.
Examples:
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“Let it go, breathe, refocus.”
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“Forget it, be present.”
These work because they remind you to let go of the distraction and reset. Most importantly, they’re simple and easy to use in the heat of the moment.
2. Physical Reset
Sometimes a physical action helps you snap out of frustration or distraction.
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One athlete I worked with clapped her hands when she needed to reset.
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A pitcher told me his mom gave him a hair band to wear on his wrist. If he got frustrated, he would snap it lightly against his skin as a way to reset.
Any kind of physical trigger like this can be effective.
3. Visual Reset
Another option is to use your visual field.
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A baseball hitter I worked with would step out of the batter’s box, look down to the left field foul pole, take a deep breath, and then step back in.
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A tennis player I coached would stare at a point on the ground after losing a point, take a deep breath, and reset.
These techniques funnel your attention onto one thing, pair it with breathing, and bring you back into the present moment.
The Universal Theme: Be Present
No matter which technique you use—thought stopping, physical reset, or visual reset—the universal theme is being present.
No matter what mindset you want to have when you play (confidence, aggression, fun, proving others wrong), all of those mindsets are amplified when you are fully in the present moment.
Pairing Resetting with Your Objective
The last piece of this is tying your resetting technique back to your personal mindset or objective.
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If you want to be aggressive, after using your thought stopping phrase you might add: “Be aggressive.”
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If you want to have fun, after your visual reset you might remind yourself: “Have fun.”
The technique clears your mind, refocuses you in the present moment, and then reconnects you to the mindset you want to play with.
Examples of Resetting Between Plays
Below are examples of how athletes can use the Release, refocus, recommit routine between plays or points in different sports.
Tennis
After losing a point, the player tells herself, “Forget it.” She takes a slow breath in and out to refocus, then commits to the next point by reminding herself, “Focus on the ball. Move my feet.” This helps her let go of the previous point and prepare for the next one with clarity and composure.
Basketball
After missing a shot, the player quickly tells himself, “Reset.” Because the game moves fast, he refocuses immediately and recommits by directing his attention to defense. This keeps him engaged in the present moment instead of dwelling on the missed shot.
Baseball
Between pitches, the hitter steps out of the box and tells himself, “Let it go.” He takes a controlled breath to refocus, then recommits with a simple cue such as, “Be smooth. See the ball.” This helps him stay calm, present, and ready for the next pitch.
Soccer
After losing possession, the player tells herself, “Let it go. Refocus.” She immediately recommits by thinking, “Get the ball,” which encourages her to re-engage confidently instead of becoming hesitant after the mistake.
Golf
After hitting a shot, the golfer reminds himself, “That’s in the past.” He takes a slow breath to refocus while walking to the ball, then recommits by directing his attention toward his routine for the next shot. This keeps his focus steady and prevents emotional carryover.
In every sport, the reset is quick and simple. The goal is always the same: return your attention to the present moment and prepare yourself for the next play, point, or shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do athletes reset mentally after a mistake?
Athletes reset mentally after a mistake by using a simple three-step process: release the mistake, refocus in the present moment, and recommit to the next play. The goal is not to force positivity or analyze what went wrong during the game, but to redirect attention away from the past and toward what is about to happen next. A quick mental reset prevents frustration, fear, and overthinking from carrying into the next play and helps athletes stay composed and ready to perform. This allows athletes to stay present, avoid emotional carryover, and perform the next play with clarity and control.
How long should a mental reset take?
A mental reset should be quick and simple, usually lasting only a few seconds. The purpose is to briefly release the previous play, refocus your attention, and prepare for the next moment without overthinking. The faster you can return your attention to the present, the more consistent and composed your performance will be during competition.
Should athletes reset after good plays, too?
Yes. Resetting after both good and bad plays helps maintain consistency and prevents emotional carryover. After a good play, athletes can become distracted, overconfident, or mentally stuck in the previous moment. A quick reset keeps attention focused in the present and prepares the athlete to perform well on the next play.
What is the purpose of resetting between plays?
The purpose of resetting between plays is to keep your attention in the present moment, prevent mistakes from snowballing, and maintain focus, composure, and readiness for the next play. Resetting helps athletes let go of the past, reduce fear of future mistakes, and stay mentally prepared throughout competition.
Final Thoughts
Resetting techniques are powerful tools you can start using during games. Because no matter what mindset you begin the game with, things will happen that distract you, frustrate you, or increase your anxiety. That’s why having a resetting technique is so important.
Developing a consistent mental reset between plays is one of the most important skills for performing with confidence and composure under pressure.
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