Each of us has an unconscious process or recipe that we follow when we are performing at our best. Each sport or area we perform in will have its own unique recipe. The challenge is that when someone really want’s to succeed and do well, he or she might start focussing on really wanting to succeed and doing well –focusing on the win, the result, the score, instead of his or her own recipe which has worked before and will work again. This article is to help you find your recipe so that when it really counts and you need to be your best you can follow your own process.
The bottom line is that if it is critical that you do well – find and follow your recipe
How:
Recall a recent quality performance so that you can vividly remember at least 3 key moments. Then answer the questions that follow.
1. What was my mood/state/focus like for that game?
2. What was my preparation? What did I do? In what way? For how long? Was there an order?
3. What story did I tell myself about the game/ what meaning did I give it?
4. How much self-pressure out of a score of 10 did I give myself?
5. During the build up to the game – what emotions did I go through? (Eg tension, then excitement, then peace on game day)
6. What % of time did I spend focusing on my own game and what % of time on my opponents (Eg 25% on opposition and 75% on me)
7. If I had to use just six words to describe how I was when I was at my best on that day – what would those six words be? (Free, focused, calm, etc)
8. At what point did I let go and trust that I had what I need to perform at my best (the moment I got out of my head and just let it happen?)
Optional: Pick another quality performance and answer the questions to test the recipe for consistency
Now: Think about an important upcoming game and see if you can answer or imagine the answer to the same questions?
What is different?
What did you learn?
What do you need to do differently now that you know what you know?
Extra: Reflect on your best performances – is there any other steps that you had that were important to you that wasn’t covered here – what are they, when are they and how do you include them into your recipe?
Recent Comments