Recovering after a mistake is one of the greatest mental challenges in sport. To help you get back on track after a mistake, make a refocusing plan. A refocusing plan is a list of mental skills that you can use after making a mistake that will help you regain the state of mind you need to perform at your best. Everyone will have a slightly different refocusing plan, but following the steps below will get you started.

To help you create the refocusing plan that’s best for you, make a list of the times when you have trouble recovering after a mistake so you can recognize when you need to use the plan. List how you typically react to these situations. How do you feel? What do you say to yourself? What do you do? Do these things help you perform better? If not, try including The Four R’s in your refocusing plan:

• Step 1: RELEASE – It’s normal and expected to feel disappointed or angry after you make a mistake. It’s not realistic to think that you could make a mistake and have no feelings about it. The challenge, however, is how to express the feelings appropriately and then move on without beating yourself up. Hanging on to a mistake will only take your head out of the game and make it more likely that you’ll make another mistake. Think of how you’d like to express your frustration quickly and constructively so you can get it out and get on with it.

• Step 2: RETHINK – The body follows the mind; that is, if your head is full of negative thoughts, your performance is going to suffer. Recognize the negative thoughts that you have after making a mistake, and use a stop signal to interrupt them (e.g., saying “STOP!” to yourself; imagining a stop sign; hearing a referee’s whistle blowing). Make a list of positive, realistic, instructional, or motivational thoughts – the kind of things a good friend would say to you. Replace the negative thoughts with these positive thoughts after a mistake.

• Step 3: RELAX – Take a slow, deep breath for four seconds, filling your lungs from the bottom to the top. Slowly exhale for eight seconds, emptying your lungs from the top to the bottom, while saying a word like “relax” or “let it go.” This will help you release some of the physical tension that can keep you from begin quick and agile.

• Step 4: REFOCUS – The last step will help you let go of the past and focus on the present. Think of what you want to accomplish right now. It’s helpful to use a cue phrase or action (e.g., saying “Reboot” to yourself or adjusting your hat) as a way to remind yourself to refocus. Set a short-term goal for what you want to do next. What do you have to do right now to reach this goal? Avoid "outcome goals" after a mistake; that is, goals about what you want the outcome of the game to be. Instead, focus on the things you can control and strategies you can use to accomplish them.

Rehearse you plan in your imagination, and then try it in practices. You’ll probably need to make some adjustments to the plan to make it work best for you. Once it becomes second nature, you’ll be ready to use it in competitions to help you stay focused, confident, and relaxed.