Mindset Monday 12/26/11- What to Focus On When You Compete/Perform

Focus

In competition, focus is best spent on the present moment- on actions.

Thinking about past successes or failures will distract you from your mission. Your mission is whatever you have to do right now, not a few moments ago, not a few seconds from now, much less the end of the competition- but right NOW.

Think of this as a blessing. Very seldom in life do you get the opportunity to act without regard for the past or future. In competition or a performance, it is almost always beneficial to disregard everything but right now.

Nothing else matters but the action you are taking right now. Do not let this be a source of stress, but of empowerment. Do not build up the moment, because soon enough it will be gone, and will not matter much because the new moment has now become the topic of your focus.

Mastery comes from getting out of your own mind (evaluations, doubts, fears, regret) and into your senses. Literally your senses- sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. In other words, focus on what you are doing and not what the result of it will be. Because you know that your actions are preplanned from all of your past hard work. From this, you can trust yourself.

A great way to live in the present moment is to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for all past losses, failures, errors, and mistakes. Accept that you are human and thus fallible. Do not let this be an excuse to stop trying to be the best that you can be. Just know that you will mess up sometimes and this is okay. What is not okay is giving up and quitting on something you want.

Forgive yourself your past and future faults. That’s right, forgive yourself for future faults you make. Again, this isn’t to be used as an excuse to not do the best that which you are capable. Just accept yourself as human, and know that the most productive thing you can do with yourself is to proceed confidently, attempting, trying, and doing.

When you compete and perform be like flowing water- adaptable and opportunistic to flow through the cracks, seizing the opportunity. Do not make this a big deal, this is what you do.

Furthermore, this lesson will be of little value if you do not practice this “prescentism” in practice. When you practice competing and performing, be sure to include this attitude, as it will be extremely difficult to compete/perform like this without any practice doing it before. Imagine trying a new skilled technique without ever attempting it in practice first.

Stay in the moment when you compete and perform. You are fanatical! Nothing derails your mission, which of course is whatever you are doing this moment…now this moment…and now this moment.


Gene Zannetti
Owner of Z-Fanatical Fitness
Personal Trainer, One-on-One Mindset Consultant & Motivational Speaker
(908) 337-6143
genezannetti@gmail.com
www.zfanatical.com