Hey Dimes -- I've been thinking a lot lately about mental preparation for bouts, and the power of attitude.  We spend hours a week training physically, but we don't focus much on how to augment that with our mental game.  Rather than blather on and on about this though, I'll point you to this blog post by Left 4 Deadwards of Old Capitol City.  She says it better than I ever could.

http://deadwards.blogspot.com/2011/12/no-excuses-mental-training.html