Performance File #01 - Develop Your Mental Skills by Training to Improve Performance

Some days, your personal performance can only be described as spectacular - moments of brilliance where everything just seems to go right! You can tell what's going to happen even before it happens. You're in synch with the rhythm and balance of actions as you take on the challenges of your performance environment. Time seems to slow down. Your focus is sharp and your mind easily processes the actions of performing "in the moment". The act of performing itself is effortless even though your energy level is high.

Unfortunately, these moments of brilliance are often all too elusive. Why can't it always be this way? Why is it that some days your mind wanders to include all kinds of irrelevant thoughts and you can't stay focused and on task. You're one step behind the action that's happening right in front of you. You always seem to be playing catch-up and you end up just hanging on rather than being on top of your game. You make mistakes that build one on another and your performance nosedives. The harder you try not to mess up, the more it seems to happen. In spite of what you might tell yourself, you know that the problem isn't the golf club, the sales pitch, or car, it's you.

Mental Training From World Champions' Perspectives

Over the past 30 years, I've enjoyed the opportunity to work with more than 600 high-performance racers including many world and series champions from 35 countries and nearly every form of racing on the planet. I've also had the opportunity to work with many hundreds of other high-performance people from other walks of life including: business executives, pilots, law enforcement professionals, salesmen, military personnel, actors, golfers, tennis players, as well as athletes from dozens of other sports.

Every one of the top performers I've worked with over this time period readily acknowledges that good equipment, while being important for success, is only part of the performance equation. They understand that their best performances often depend as much on the mental skills they're able to bring to bear 'in the moment', as they tackle the many challenges that they face. Horsepower and muscle power is important but brainpower is often more important if you want to be successful.

Focus and Confidence: Key Mental Skills

Over the years, I've asked every one of the top performers who have visited with me what they hoped to gain from their experience with us. Stated another way, what was the most important thing that they would like to change about themselves, that they know holds them back from doing their best work - from bringing their 'A' game to their performance environment - every time they toe the line to compete? What would YOU answer if faced with this same question?

Would it surprise you to find out that more than 80% of these top performers talk about the same two issues? Indeed, they most often are looking for guidance regarding the same two things. Their two main requests I've heard over the years have been: "Show me how to focus more effectively and when I lose focus, how to get it back quickly?" and, "Show me how to maintain my confidence when things are not going well?"

Isn't that interesting? It doesn't matter what sport they play or what occupation they're involved in, the same two basic issues or concerns seem to be centrally important to their ability to perform. Experienced and novice competitors alike immediately recognize the role that mental skills such as concentration or focus, control of anxiety, and confidence play in determining the final outcome of competitive experience, because of how these skills or abilities affect their personal performance. What many competitors don't realize is that mental skills (including the ability to focus) can be improved with the right kind of training and that the way to improve your confidence level involves changing how you measure success. It's simple enough in concept although it's not very easy to accomplish in day-to-day life.

Look to this space in the coming months to find out more about these two critical issues dealing with FOCUS and CONFIDENCE, and how you can learn to control your dominant thought and improve your personal performance.

For more information about programs and products to develop your mental skills and improve performance, visit Dallaire Performance Consulting.