"Maybe you've heard the maxim, “take a tournament one game at a time.” You'll then be told about how you shouldn't think about “X rounds until top 8” or “I just have to win one more game!”

That sounds great in theory. But you know what? That's really, really hard to do.

Your brain will fight you at every juncture to try and make you think about it. You can't help but think about how it's round seven, and you just have to win this one to draw in, or how if you lose this match you're going to be out of top 8 contention.

The trick is not to avoid thinking about it – there's really no way not to – but just not to care.

When I'm doing well at a PTQ and sit down for each round, I let my brain take in the fact that it's X rounds until top 8 or whatever. I let it wash over me like a cool wave, and then it's over. That's it. I breathe out, and it's time to focus on the match at hand.

I have played much, much better since I began to use this technique. I've noticed it both in my play as well as in how I approach the game. I'm not setting myself up for success or failure, it doesn't matter how much effort I've put into this event, and it doesn't matter what beats have been delivered. It's simply time to play some Magic."

--Gavin Verhey

http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/fundamentals/20790_Flow_of_Ideas_So_You_Want_To_Win_A_PTQ.html