Morning Mental Preparation Worksheet

(Training & Competition Days)

Purpose:

This routine sets your mental tone for the day so focus, posture, and emotional control are already established before stress or distraction appears.

This is not hype.

This is alignment.

Total time: 7–10 minutes

1. Arrival Check (1 minute)

Before your phone, before input, check in.

Right now I feel:

☐ Calm

☐ Restless

☐ Flat

☐ Anxious

☐ Motivated

☐ Irritated

☐ Other: _______________________

Energy level (1–5): _______

No fixing. Just noticing.

2. Body First Reset (2 minutes)

Your body leads your mind.

Posture Check:

• ☐ Stand or sit tall

• ☐ Chest open

• ☐ Shoulders relaxed

• ☐ Jaw soft

• ☐ Feet grounded

Hold this posture for 30 seconds.

What changes when I adjust posture:

☐ Breathing

☐ Mood

☐ Focus

☐ Nothing yet (that’s okay)

3. Breathing to Set the Nervous System (2–3 minutes)

Choose one consistent breathing rhythm.

Breathing pattern:

• Inhale ______ seconds

• Exhale ______ seconds

• Total breaths ______

As you breathe, repeat quietly:

“Settle. Steady. Present.”

(or your own phrase: ____________________________)

4. Day Intention (2 minutes)

This is not a goal.

It’s how you want to show up.

Today I commit to being:

☐ Patient

☐ Composed

☐ Direct

☐ Disciplined

☐ Neutral

☐ Brave

☐ Other: _______________________

One behavior that reflects this:

Examples:

• Respond, don’t react

• Hold form when tired

• Stay neutral after mistakes

5. Anticipating Distraction (2 minutes)

Distractions are predictable. Plan for them.

Today I may get pulled off focus by:

☐ Other people

☐ Mistakes

☐ Physical discomfort

☐ Waiting / delays

☐ Self-criticism

☐ Expectations

☐ Other: _______________________

My early warning sign is usually:

☐ Tight jaw

☐ Short breath

☐ Rushing

☐ Negative self-talk

☐ Anger spike

6. Reset Plan (30–60 seconds)

When I notice a distraction, I will:

1. Physically reset posture (chest open, tall)

2. Take one long exhale

3. Redirect attention to the next task

Optional cue (use sparingly, only if needed):

☐ Internal reminder (short phrase): ___________________

(This is where “Lock In” lives—but only if necessary.)

7. Closing Commitment (30 seconds)

Complete this sentence:

“Today, regardless of outcome, I commit to __________________________.”

Examples:

• Staying composed

• Finishing with integrity

• Executing the process

Post-Training / Post-Competition (Optional 2 minutes)

1. Did I follow my morning prep?

☐ Yes ☐ Partially ☐ No

2. When did it help most?

3. One adjustment for tomorrow:

This routine is not about intensity.

It’s about self-command.

When this is done in the morning:

• Focus doesn’t need to be forced later

• Emotional spikes are shorter

• Cue words stay powerful because they’re not overused

Consistency here is what keeps you steady when things don’t go your way.