Basketball Training and Game Day Intention Journal Prompts

Basketball Journal Prompts

🏀 The Intentional Athlete: Game Day + Training Intention Journal Prompts

🎯 Introduction: From Reps to Ritual

Many players show up to the court with talent—but not with intention. They move through warmups, reps, and games without anchoring their mindset. The athletes who level up fastest are the ones who treat every session like a chance to build their identity, not just their stat line.

This guide offers powerful pre-session journal prompts designed to help you:

  • Clarify your mindset
  • Focus your skill goals
  • Show up as a better teammate and leader

You don’t need a fancy notebook. Use a Notes app, a Google Doc, or a $1 notebook. What matters is showing up with purpose.

🧭 Intentional Athlete Framework

Use this before each training session or pickup game. Choose 1–3 prompts from each section. Takes 2–3 minutes max.

đŸ”„ Energy + Effort Prompts

  • What kind of energy do I want to bring today?
  • What would “max effort” look like—even when I get tired?
  • What’s my focus word today? (Examples: lock-in, joy, fire, discipline)

💡 Identity + Mindset Prompts

  • Who do I want to be today—not just what do I want to do?
  • What mindset separates me from average?
  • How can I show my values through how I play?

🎯 Skill Focus Prompts

  • What 1 skill do I want to sharpen today?
    (Examples: help defense, pace, shot selection, attacking contact)
  • How will I know I improved it by the end of the session?

đŸ€ Teammate & Leadership Prompts

  • How can I make a teammate better today?
  • What kind of body language and talk do I want to model?
  • Where can I lead without needing permission?

đŸš« Challenge & Accountability Prompts

  • What’s one thing I’ve been avoiding in games or workouts?
  • What’s my trigger—what throws me off—and how will I respond today?
  • What would mentally tough me do when I hit a wall today?

🔁 Optional Reflection Prompts (End-of-Session)

  • Did I live up to my intention today?
  • What surprised me? What am I proud of?
  • What do I want to bring again next time?

🧠 Limiting Beliefs It Breaks

  • “I just want to hoop and not overthink it.”
  • “I’m not a vocal leader—I lead by example.”
  • “I’m not good enough to be that focused.”

🔓 Liberating Truths It Builds

  • “I can train with identity, not insecurity.”
  • “Intentional players improve faster.”
  • “The way I prepare is what makes me coachable.”

Players who set intentions before games and training don’t just play harder—they play smarter, sharper, and with purpose. Make this your pre-game ritual.