Athletes at all levels are under constant pressure to make split-second decisions. If the athlete relies on his native skill to do this, it’s often left up to chance whether he succeeds or not. No matter what sport you play, you have to read the game, figure out what’s coming next, then react to it before anyone else. This talent is honed the highest in elite athletes.
If you think of the highest stress type of game, like game seven of the NBA finals, this is when these abilities come to the forefront. During this time, elite athlete’s brains go into a certain state called alpha wave mode. During this mode, players are present, calm, focused, and alert. You can train your brain to go into this mode at will and stay there. In the alpha wave state, you make fewer errors and have more winning games.