As a performance progresses there is the potential that an athlete's focus and concentration will diminish. There are external factors and internal events that could distract concentration. As an athlete tires, either through physical or psychological fatigue, the symptoms of that fatigue emerge as very strong distractions. A major pain theory suggests that while the mind is kept very busy and totally focused on some task-relevant and positive activity, the brain will not recognize fatigue or pain.
Psychological intensification is used to guard against incurring the detrimental effects of fatigue.
It stops complacency, loss of control, and loss of focus by requiring thought content and the intensity of thinking to gradually increase as fatigue develops. The main aim should be to keep in control of the performance and execute strategy content. With most athletes, there is a stage in a contest where it is realized that extra effort is needed to continue. There are many ways of intensifying one's thoughts. Some athletes like to introduce a variety of stages of intensification during a competition.