The 7 Mental Keys to the NBA Finals

Congratulations to both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat, who will compete in Game 1 of the NBA Finals tomorrow. Both teams have overcome many obstacles in their seasons, dealing with unplanned changes and unfamiliar surroundings. They overcame horrible defeats, made adjustments and kept their focus on their main goal.

Now comes the hard part: how to finish the job. After all, what good is getting to the Finals if you don’t win the whole thing? Whatever their concentration levels were before this week, they will need to dial it up another notch. What got them here won’t be good enough — everything needs to improve. They need a new set of priorities, a renewed focus and more attention to the tiniest of details as they embark on the ultimate goal.

A championship game plan should include:

1. KEEP YOUR CONCENTRATION IN THE “NOW”

When athletes allow their focus of concentration to jump ahead to the future or drift back to the past, the result is always increasing nervousness.

2. RECOGNIZE WHEN YOUR FOCUS “TIME TRAVELS” AND BRING YOURSELF BACK

It’s very easy to understand that you need to focus in the now, but much harder to consistently do it! The way that you stay in the now is by immediately becoming aware whenever your focus drifts back to the past or ahead to the future, then quickly return your concentration to the now.

3. KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON YOU, YOUR JOB AND YOUR PLAY

Allowing your focus to drift to anyone or anything other than you, (i.e., your opponents, who’s watching, who might be disappointed in you, how well your teammates may be playing, what the coach is thinking, etc.) will quickly make you feel nervous.

4. HAVE FUN

Performing your best under pressure means that you have to be having fun. Fun is the secret ingredient to staying calm and doing your best when the heat of competition is turned up high.

5. LEAVE YOUR GOALS AT HOME

One of the biggest tension-inducing mental mistakes that you can make as an athlete is to take your goals with you into the competition. For example, you think, “I want to go 3 for 4,” “pitch a shut-out,” “win this tournament,” “score a goal,” “break two minutes,” or “prove to the coaches that I’m good.”

6. KEEP YOUR MIND DISTRACTED BEFORE AND AFTER GAMES

Thinking gets most athletes into trouble and makes them nervous. While you can’t stop yourself from thinking, you can purposely distract yourself from it. So, in the days and minutes leading up to a big performance or tournament, keep busy.

7. KEEP YOUR FOCUS OF CONCENTRATION AWAY FROM THE “UNCONTROLLABLES”

Many things happen in your sport that you do not have direct control over. If an athlete focuses on an “uncontrollable” (UC), he/she will get nervous, lose confidence and simply play badly.

Best of luck to both teams.

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