Many athletes have tunnel vision with training for their sport. Most athletes only focus on improving their strength, speed, and power. Those are three important components of athletic performance, but they are only a small piece of the puzzle. The best athletes in the world are all one thing: well-rounded. They understand that a great athletic performance is made up of many skills, both physically and mentally.

The mental game is absolutely critical to any successful athletic performance. Here's a closer look at a few pieces of the mental side of sports: Focus - Sports require your concentration throughout the game. Attitude - Your attitude can determine how much fun you are going to have during the game. It can also help you bounce back from mistakes and give you a better chance of winning. Decision Making - Some games are decided by who makes the fewest mistakes. If you can make the best decisions under pressure, you will give yourself a greater chance to be successful. Preparation - Having a plan and executing it is very important.

Rather than just focusing on a few pieces of the physical game, take a look at some other examples of what it takes to perform at your best:

Skill - Sports require specific skills that are only developed through quality practices. Agility - Most sports require the ability to execute precise and complicated movements. Endurance - Athletes who have the ability to perform for a long time without tiring have an advantage over other athletes. Speed - Depending on the sport, being fast can give an athlete an edge. Quickness - Quickness is the ability to make sudden bursts over short distances. In most sports quickness is much more important than speed. Strength - Strength is defined as the ability to apply force to an object to move it from one place to another. Power - Power is the combination of strength and speed. In most sports, power is a much more important than just strength. Flexibility - Flexibility is the ability to use joints through their complete range of motion. Safe stretching exercises can help prevent injuries and relieve stress.