One of the hallmarks of a high-level performance athlete is their ability to act without thinking. This might sound strange, and almost super human to perform this way, but these types of athletes know intuitively where the ball or puck will be, enabling them to respond to their opponents’ move immediately.
While watching a great performance, we may be amazed at the natural talent being displayed. However, the fact is, that over the course of their careers, high-level performers have become masters of “not thinking” when they need to perform at their best. Here are some skills you can develop that will help you get into your best performance zone, where thinking is not required.
Preparation
Whether you are an elite-level athlete or you are looking to improve your performance in the workplace, there is nothing more rewarding than being prepared for what you are about to do. Tenacious preparation allows you to strengthen your skills, which in turn, gives you an unshakable sense of self-confidence in your abilities. Being highly prepared allows you to block out those mental distractions that might pop into your head if you were unprepared, giving you the ability “not to think” as you perform your task.
Reflectively thinking
High-level performers are masters at reflectively thinking. Yes, I did say we are talking about “not thinking” however, once the event (game or presentation) is over, and their performance was at its best, right away high-level performers start to reflectively think about what worked well, and what didn’t work so well. Once they identify what needs refinement, then that immediately becomes part of their preparation process for the next event.
Develop personal perspective
Through years of hard work and taking on new challenges, high-level performers in sport and business have developed a sense of self-awareness that serves them well. They know, through their experience, what’s going to work in any given moment and they can respond and adjust accordingly without even thinking about it. This type of intuitive thinking allows them to stop thinking and just do what has to be done.
Knowing when to turn the thinking mind off is critical if you are looking to improve your performance. Very often, we find ourselves over-thinking and over-analysing because we are not prepared, or we haven’t learned from previous experiences. Start to incorporate these strategies into your daily activity, and you will soon have the abilities and confidence to stop the thinking and perform at your very best.
All the best in achieving your highest performance.
Paul
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