The most common trait of mentally tough athletes is the
ability to “get present.” And this skill
takes deliberate and repeated practice so it becomes a habit. And once it becomes a habit it requires
constant attention to avoid the slide back into worrying about external
factors.
The best example I’ve ever seen of “getting present”
was Michael Jordan in game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals against the Utah Jazz. Jordan came out on the floor with the flu and
a 103 temp. He literally took over the
game and destroyed the Jazz with 38 points while fighting passing out on the
floor. Jordan “got present.”
When “present” the athlete focuses on process-oriented
goals rather than outcome, channels energy on what they control, and settles into
a game-mode mind set where instincts are allowed to run the show (the zone).
So what is the trick?
Easy to say, not so easy to do. How
does an athlete get present? One useful
exercise to use is a concept called “Thought Stop.”
“Thought
Stop” works like this:....to be continued...
