Let's dig a bit deeper into...
Fear
Focus
Flow
Let's start with Fear.
How can you begin to train yourself to make the switch from Fear to Focus when you are performing?
The fastest way is to learn to access Presence on command.
The more your attention is Focused on what you are doing "in the moment" (Presence)... the less your attention is Focused on what might happen in the next moment (which is where Fear resides).
In my experience working with thousands of athletes, Fear is usually triggered by DESIRE FOR A RESULT... which is always in the future.
You are afraid that you will fail/lose/play poorly/make a mistake/not achieve your goals.
All of these are desire for a result IN THE FUTURE.
It could be in the next second, or in the next minute or in the next hour... but it is NOT in the current moment.
There is nothing wrong with hoping for a specific result.
It can be a powerful motivational tool to set appropriate goals for yourself.
However, RESULTS GOALS are a terrible thing to Focus your attention on while you are Performing.
Why?
Because you can not control what will happen in the future.
If you direct your Focus to something you can not control, it is only natural you will feel fear.
On Game Day... keep your Focus on where you are.
Competing in the Moment.
Learn to access Presence on command and you will have your mind, your body and your senses all on the same team helping you to access the highest level of skill that you have trained.
Allow your Focus to drift to the result you want in the future and your emotions (Fear in this case) will turn you into an athlete you do not recognize.
Have you ever felt that before?
Process vs Result
Presence vs Future
Sometimes fear is also triggered by what we have have done in the past.
Remembering failures/losses/poor play etc.
The key to remember is that FEAR is triggered by Focusing on somewhere your are not (the future or the past) and something you can not control (the Result).
When your attention is FULLY focused in the Present moment you will be aware of what you ARE doing... not what MIGHT happen.
One of the reasons why meditation is becoming so popular with athletes is because it is a great way to learn how to access Presence on command.
Presence when performing is your most powerful tool for minimizing Fear and maximizing Focus.
Stay tuned!
Coming soon... how to switch from Focus to Flow/Zone Performance.
