Category: Guidance


Source: Facing The Giants via Tony DiFranco

As an athlete, focus is a crucial piece in one’s arsenal. It allows the athlete to tune out outside problems, comments and pain. Focus clearly paves the journey an athlete must take to meet his objective on the ice.

For most players, focus can be an issue. Life’s issues and pressures can misguide them into taking shortcuts or not giving each practice 100% of their time and effort. That lack of focus hurts his performance on the field or ice. However, focus can be developed. Like any other habit, according to Daniel Coyle in The Little Book of Talent, focus an become anew within 8 weeks.

Focus is not inspiration nor is it motivation. Focus is the ability to keep one’s eyes on the horizon despite the obstacles and speed bumps set in front of the athlete as a distraction. Focus is a talent, and it can be either poorly developed or made to be laser sharp.

According to Coyle, the bad habits of distraction or laziness are to be ignored not broken. In his words, breaking bad habits is a waste of time. Instead, it is more effective to create new habits with practice which will simply hone one’s focus and replace the bad habits. Habits that enhance focus include vision boards, setting large goals and keeping them to yourself, meditation, staring, and stealing ideas by learning from others who have mastered the skill you are trying to acquire.

An example of stealing would be to take notes on how your athletic hero performs on the field. Notate how he makes his stance, the position of his hand, and how he gains power to take on the opposition. Then, you can take that a step further by creating a vision board demonstrating those skills which you need to incorporate into your game. Another example would be to watch the athletic hero during her games or practice and then visualize yourself performing as she does.

Remember, the goal is to cause the unconscious mind to imagine and recreate the performance during practice and games. Keep your focus positive (i.e., “center the ball” instead of “don’t pull to the right” when bowling). Visually experience the perfect performance whether its by watching your hero do it or visualizing yourself performing perfectly. Then, take a nap. Wake up knowing you can do it. If the mind can see it, then the body can achieve it.


Source: Ranger Jesse Motivation