Mental Drill: Four Steps to Mental Toughness for Softball Pitchers (Softball)

STEP 1: CONTROL CONTROLLABLES - Focus only on what you control: effort, attitude, pitch selection, mechanics. Release outcome, umpire calls, errors, and results. STEP 2: SHORT MEMORY - After bad pitch or bad inning, quick reset. Don't carry mistakes forward. Use physical cue to reset between pitches. STEP 3: TRUST YOUR STUFF - Believe in your pitches and training. Throw with conviction, not fear. Confidence in abilities allows aggressive approach. STEP 4: COMPETE PITCH-BY-PITCH - Stay present focused on current pitch only. Don't think about score, previous inning, or future at-bats. One pitch at a time mentality. Practice these four steps consistently to build unshakeable mental toughness on mound.

• Pitching is mental battle as much as physical skill
• Mental toughness allows pitchers to perform under pressure
• Focusing on controllables reduces anxiety and tension
• Short memory prevents one bad pitch from becoming bad game
• Trust allows aggressive pitching rather than afraid-to-fail approach
• Present-moment focus maximizes performance
• These four steps must become automatic through practice