If you want to improve your mindset as an athlete and take your mental game to the next level, it starts with simplifying your approach and focusing on what works best for you.
In this post, I’m going to walk you through four tips you can use to improve your mindset as an athlete. These are tools I use myself and with the athletes I coach every day, and they’re simple, practical, and effective.
Tip #1: Understand Your Personality
Back when I played college baseball, I had a lot of coaches tell me that I needed to develop a “killer instinct.” The problem? That just wasn’t me. I was a pretty anxious player. I worried about what other people thought, I was tightly wound, and I played with a lot of fear.
So when I tried to force that killer instinct—tried to get angry and think “I’m going to go out there and dominate”—it actually had the opposite effect. I got more stressed. I tensed up. And it hurt my performance.
Later in my career, while playing semi-professional baseball, I realized something that changed everything: I needed to focus on having fun. As strange as it might sound, relaxing and enjoying myself was the most competitive approach I could take—because it allowed me to play my best.
That’s why one of the first things I do with the athletes I work with is help them understand their personality. Some players are motivated by proving others wrong and thrive on competition. That’s great! For them, I won’t say “just relax.” I’ll support that competitive fire.
But other players are wired more like I was—competitive, but prone to anxiety. They need to focus on staying calm and having fun. When they do, they play better.
The big takeaway here is this:
The most competitive mindset is the one that helps you play your best.
Don’t force yourself into a mindset someone else says you should have if it actually hurts your performance. Know yourself. Know what motivates you. Whether it’s intrinsic (enjoyment, passion) or extrinsic (winning, proving others wrong), understanding your personality is the key to unlocking your best mindset.
Tip #2: Pay Attention to Your Thoughts
I had a lot of coaches tell me not to think so much—especially at the plate. That turned out to be some of the best advice I ever received. I was already a very anxious player, and overthinking only made it worse.
When we overthink during competition, we take ourselves out of the moment. We lose the flow. We stop being athletic and try to think our way to playing well—which doesn’t work.
But the real issue here isn’t thinking too much about technique. It’s the emotional impact of our thoughts.
Negative thinking—beating yourself up, criticizing every mistake, telling yourself you suck—kills confidence. It kills energy. It kills performance.
On the flip side, positive, confident thinking—encouraging yourself after a mistake, believing you’ll bounce back, reminding yourself of your training—builds confidence, focus, and composure.
Now, again, the exact thoughts that work for me might not be the same ones that work for you. That’s why self-awareness is at the core of a strong mental game. You need to understand how your thoughts affect your emotions and performance.
Start paying attention to…
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When you’re performing well, how are you thinking?
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When you’re confident, how are you talking to yourself?
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When you’re struggling, what thoughts are running through your head?
Your self-talk is one of the most powerful tools you have. Begin improving the way you speak to yourself, and you’ll see major improvements in your mindset and performance.
Tip #3: Use Your Breathing to Stay Present
You’ve probably had a coach tell you to “take a deep breath.” Whether you’re nervous or frustrated, that advice is spot-on. Breathing helps. But it’s not about magically calming yourself down with one inhale and exhale.
The true power of breathing lies in its ability to keep you present.
When your mind drifts into the past or starts worrying about the future, fear and anxiety creep in. Staying in the present is key to playing your best, and your breath is the anchor that keeps you there.
One of the best ways to do this is through conscious breathing—that simply means turning your attention to your breath.
You don’t always have to take deep, slow breaths. If you’re in the middle of a basketball game, tennis match, or a hard run, that may not be possible. But even when you’re breathing heavily, you can still focus on your breath. That attention is what brings you back to the moment.
So before games or during breaks, take a moment to breathe consciously. And even in the heat of competition, let your breath remind you to be present, grounded, and focused.
Tip #4: Learn to Evaluate Your Game Productively
One of the biggest challenges I help athletes with is learning how to move on from mistakes and poor performances. When players get stuck in frustration, anger, or self-criticism, it leads to:
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Lower confidence
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Increased fear and anxiety
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A harmful perfectionist mindset
To break this cycle, you have to change the way you view mistakes. Instead of seeing them as failures, start seeing them as learning opportunities.
That means evaluating your performance objectively, not emotionally.
Yes, it’s hard. But it’s possible. You can say, “I did a few things well today, and here are a couple areas I can improve,” without spiraling into “I sucked” or “That was a terrible game.”
Here’s a practical way to start:
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After each game, write down or think through one or two things you did well
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Then identify one or two things to work on
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Create a plan to improve them over the next week
This is how high-level athletes operate. Not by demanding perfection, but by striving to improve every single day.
You’re not trying to be perfect. You’re trying to be better than you were yesterday. That mindset shift will help you stay composed, confident, and motivated to grow.
Final Thoughts
To improve your mindset as an athlete, start with these four tips:
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Understand your personality — Play in a way that suits you.
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Recognize the power of your thoughts — Self-talk drives confidence and performance.
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Use your breathing to stay present — Conscious breathing keeps you focused and grounded.
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Evaluate your game productively — Learn from mistakes instead of beating yourself up.
If you want more help developing your mental game, I offer 1-on-1 coaching where we dive deep into strategies like these, tailored specifically to you.
I’ve also created two online courses:
And if you’re more of a reader, check out my books:
Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of success in all that you do.
