How to Overcome Your Mistakes in Basketball
~ 3-minute read
Intro
Mistakes in basketball are inevitable. Even the most seasoned players miss crucial shots, commit turnovers, or lose track of their defensive assignments. You can’t control the outcome of your efforts, but you can control how you respond.
Instead of letting bad plays drag you down, view them as opportunities for growth and realignment. Let’s explore strategies that will help you stay mentally resilient, regain your focus, and improve your overall performance.
Acknowledge the frustration
Our negative thoughts are defense mechanisms to avoid things that expose us to potential emotional trauma. It’s nature’s shield, and you can’t prevent it. However, you don’t have to allow these thoughts to derail your performance.
In his book Courage Over Confidence, Mitchell Greene suggests that athletes make room for “chatter” — those anxious, negative thoughts that surface during competition. Throughout your time performing, give these thoughts room to reveal themselves so that you can work around them.
Players stress themselves to be mentally tough and unshaken during games because the sports community tells them that’s what makes a great performer. The truth is that mental toughness is accepting the grueling parts of the journey and having the courage to push through them.
2. Manage your approach
Although you might not be able to control your thoughts immediately during the heat of competition, you can control how you present yourself on the court. Body language is a powerful tool and managing it allows you to pursue your performance goals actively.
Remember to "put on your suit and tie" — act the part, even if you don’t feel it. Like dressing for a big event, your body language should reflect your intentions. This strategy could lead to a higher level of engagement and better performance.
Showing up to games disengaged with slouchy shoulders, low enthusiasm (unless it’s your natural mode), and sluggishness are signs of low engagement with your team — impacting your interactions and willingness to perform at a high level. Walking slowly and carelessly around the floor, resting your hands on your hips, and not going the extra mile when your teammates need you directly affect your individual and team’s performance. You can control all of these tendencies so that you can be a positive influence for your team and give your chance to be an impactful player.
Even when you’re not performing your best, embody joy, passion, and engagement for an opportunity to bounce back and play productively.
3. Talk yourself through the game
Another powerful way to stay engaged is by talking yourself through the game. Verbalizing your thoughts keeps you engaged and focused on the flow.
Here are some potential examples:
"When my defender looks away, I'll sprint to open space."
“I’ve been making the same mistake but can solve it if I process what’s happening.”
"If I catch the ball here, I'll attack immediately to gain an advantage."
“Oh, there’s an advantage! I should pursue it before it goes away.”
"That player seems disengaged, so I’ll hit the boards harder to outwork them."
"I need to watch for an open teammate in this situation."
These thoughts can happen so quickly that they don’t even have to be complete sentences, so don’t worry about actually talking aloud. By actively talking yourself through the game, you become more attuned to what's happening and stay mentally sharp during its ups and downs.
4. Be persistent
You’re not always going to have the perfect mindset in a game, but you can be persistent with any of the strategies we discussed to realign yourself to doing the things you think make a great teammate and performer. Rather than succumbing to negative thoughts, actively engage in the things that truly matter to you and will influence your responses.
Summary
Basketball outcomes won’t always go your way, no matter how much effort you give—especially when you're still growing as a player. Instead of focusing on what’s out of your control, channel your energy into what you can. Give yourself opportunities to find your rhythm and ignite that spark within. Remember, it’s okay for your emotions to fluctuate during the game — that’s part of the process of being a human in an intense environment. Use these strategies to stay grounded and keep moving closer to your goals.
