One of the biggest saboteurs of performance: Your mind lingering. Getting stuck on the past.
We just watched it at the NFC Championship game. Seahawks defensive back Riq Woolen made a crucial stop on 3rd and 12. Then he made a bonehead mistake, taunting the Rams sideline. Flag thrown. 1st down.
The very next play, quarterback Matthew Stafford went directly at Woolen. A 34-yard bomb to Puka Nacua. Touchdown.
We can’t play in the present, if our mind is stuck in the past
When you make a mistake, it's natural to linger.
Our brain reads it as a prediction error. We expected to nail the play, hit the line, make the shot. But we didn't.
Our brain wants to solve that discord. So it sends all attention to the problem, trying to figure out what went wrong.
The bigger the mistake, especially if in public, the louder the brain screams.
That lingering can be useful for troubleshooting. But when performing, we end up thinking when we should be acting.
Our brain reads it as a prediction error. We expected to nail the play, hit the line, make the shot. But we didn't.
Our brain wants to solve that discord. So it sends all attention to the problem, trying to figure out what went wrong.
The bigger the mistake, especially if in public, the louder the brain screams.
That lingering can be useful for troubleshooting. But when performing, we end up thinking when we should be acting.
It's not just sport.
Chances are you've experienced this mid-conversation when someone criticizes or slights you. They're still talking. But you can't escape the comment.
Or maybe in an argument with your partner. You stop listening and start thinking: what am I going to say next to counter what just occurred?
We've only got so much cognitive resources. If we're using them to process what happened, there's less dedicated to doing our job right now.
Chances are you've experienced this mid-conversation when someone criticizes or slights you. They're still talking. But you can't escape the comment.
Or maybe in an argument with your partner. You stop listening and start thinking: what am I going to say next to counter what just occurred?
We've only got so much cognitive resources. If we're using them to process what happened, there's less dedicated to doing our job right now.
It's why you hear athletes say be present, have a short memory, adopt a next play mentality.
Or why Kobe Bryant said his goal was to be "dead center." The point is the same.
Big emotional moments—good or bad—tend to drag your mind out of the moment and towards analyzing or projecting.
Even the best have to develop systems and reminders to keep them locked in. Otherwise the pull is too strong.
Or why Kobe Bryant said his goal was to be "dead center." The point is the same.
Big emotional moments—good or bad—tend to drag your mind out of the moment and towards analyzing or projecting.
Even the best have to develop systems and reminders to keep them locked in. Otherwise the pull is too strong.
It's why so many elite performers I've worked with develop reset rituals.
A short and sweet reminder that allows them to acknowledge what occurred and then shift focus to actions that matter.
A quick slap of the hands. A mantra or phrase. A direction to remind them what's important.
The physical action acknowledges the emotion and grounds you in something familiar.
The phrase combined with a focus point reminds your brain where to divert resources and attention.
A short and sweet reminder that allows them to acknowledge what occurred and then shift focus to actions that matter.
A quick slap of the hands. A mantra or phrase. A direction to remind them what's important.
The physical action acknowledges the emotion and grounds you in something familiar.
The phrase combined with a focus point reminds your brain where to divert resources and attention.
When our mind races to the past or future, we can use our sensory system to pull us back.
We linger on big emotions that drag us away. We can combat this by giving ourselves a sensation in the now.
Wiggle your toes. Slap your thighs. Take a deep breath. Tense and relax a muscle.
Use your attention to say: get back to something right here, right now.
We linger on big emotions that drag us away. We can combat this by giving ourselves a sensation in the now.
Wiggle your toes. Slap your thighs. Take a deep breath. Tense and relax a muscle.
Use your attention to say: get back to something right here, right now.
Then give a cue that connects your present to the actions you need to take.
When stress climbs, it's easy to overload the system.
It's why after a miss, elite high jumpers don't deconstruct the entire jump and think of everything they can improve.
They pick one thing to carry to the next attempt. One adjustment.
Simplify when stress is high. Give your brain a single clear directive instead of a flood of corrections.
When stress climbs, it's easy to overload the system.
It's why after a miss, elite high jumpers don't deconstruct the entire jump and think of everything they can improve.
They pick one thing to carry to the next attempt. One adjustment.
Simplify when stress is high. Give your brain a single clear directive instead of a flood of corrections.
Short memory.
Next play mentality.
Dead center.
Be where your feet are.
These are clichés for a reason. The best performers have a process for navigating the pull of big emotions, whether wins or losses. They let it go and lock back in.
Woolen's brain was stuck when it needed to be preparing. A savvy quarterback made him pay.
The past is useful for learning. It's poison for performing.
Next play mentality.
Dead center.
Be where your feet are.
These are clichés for a reason. The best performers have a process for navigating the pull of big emotions, whether wins or losses. They let it go and lock back in.
Woolen's brain was stuck when it needed to be preparing. A savvy quarterback made him pay.
The past is useful for learning. It's poison for performing.
Woolen later said he "blacked out" in the moment.
That's exactly what happens.
Emotion hijacks attention. The brain gets stuck processing when it should be executing.
We aren't robots. But we can have a system that brings us back. Acknowledge what happened. Reset. Lock in on what's next.
You can't escape big emotions in the arena. And you can't fighting or suppressing backfires.
But you can make sure those emotions don't follow you into the next play.
That's exactly what happens.
Emotion hijacks attention. The brain gets stuck processing when it should be executing.
We aren't robots. But we can have a system that brings us back. Acknowledge what happened. Reset. Lock in on what's next.
You can't escape big emotions in the arena. And you can't fighting or suppressing backfires.
But you can make sure those emotions don't follow you into the next play.
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