Do Pre-Game Rituals Actually Help Performance, or Is It Just a Mental Trick?

I’ve always been fascinated by how small rituals like bouncing a basketball a certain number of times or wearing lucky socks seem to help athletes get into the zone. From a cognitive science perspective, it feels like these habits might act as a form of priming, tuning the brain for better focus or confidence. But I’m curious: do they actually improve performance, or is it more about creating a sense of control? Has anyone noticed a real difference when sticking to (or skipping) their own routines? Would love to hear your experiences or any studies you’ve come across!

Lucky socks are basically performance-enhancing drugs for the brain just don’t tell the anti-doping agencies! Science says routines can boost focus, but I swear my pre-game air guitar solo is 100% responsible for my (nonexistent) athletic success.