We have seen them on TV. We have seen the grim focus of the sprinter preparing for a race; we have seen Barry Bonds step up to the plate just knowing that the ball is going out of the park. We have seen their winning expression, the look that just screams that they are going to win and nothing is going to stand in their way.

They embody the winner mentality.

Their attitude is actually quite simple. They will succeed. And they know it.
It is a similar attitude a poker player should adept, especially when playing tournament poker. It is this mentality that the best players have. When the tournament starts and the first cards are dealt, at that very moment they know that they are going to win. All their focus and energy is on one thing and one thing only - winning.
Often it is impossible. The cards are against you, or you lose that critical coin flip, or bluff in the wrong spot. Afterwards, the disappointment sets in. And it is just natural that you get disappointed since you were so sure of winning.

But that is not a bad thing! It is out of this disappointment that the motivation to play even better, to excel to the next level, is born.
Poker is a game played by utilising those grey cells commonly referred to as "the brain". It is your brain that analyzes the available information about the opponents and their play; it is your brain that makes the decision. The brain calls the shots.

If your brain is convinced that you are a winner from the get-go, your chances increase dramatically. There is only one goal and it is to win.
The losses will be many and tough. But the best players analyze their losses, the situations that came up and hands they played, all in order to be even better prepared for the next tournament and have an even greater chance of winning.
This is the mentality of top athletes in all sports, so why would you as a poker player not try to embrace it?

Written by Andris Kangeris for 24hPoker.com