How do I develop a competition game plan?

A competition game plan reduces the mental load during matches and lets you operate on instinct. Start by deciding your standing strategy: Will you pull guard or fight for a takedown? If pulling guard, which guard do you want and what are your primary sweeps? If taking down, what are your two best takedowns? From each position you might end up in, identify your primary technique and one backup. For example, from closed guard your primary might be the hip bump sweep and your backup the scissor sweep. From mount, your primary might be the armbar and your backup the cross collar choke. Write this all down as a flowchart. Then drill the entire sequence repeatedly. Practice transitioning between your primary and backup when the primary is defended. During competition, commit to your game plan rather than improvising. If you planned to pull guard, pull guard. If your sweep fails, go to your backup immediately rather than panicking. After each competition, review what worked and what did not, and refine your plan for the next event.