In Sports Focus Can Make The Difference Between Winning And Losing

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In Sports Focus Can Make The Difference Between Winning And Losing

June 9. 2014

In sports it is important to focus. Some athletes are easily distracted and it negatively impacts their play. It varies case by case, due to how each person’s brain works. It’s not negative, but each person's brain functions different in that their are slight to drastic variations on thought, thought process, memory, recollection and electrical activity.

If you are easily distracted it can lead to a loss while you’re out performing in play. You could lose the ball if you’re a basketball player or get knocked out if you’re a boxer, due to distractions. I’ve seen athletes get distracted at key moments during their sporting performance and it led to them making mistakes. There are ways to keep that to a minimum and even eliminate such thinking errors altogether. Distractions come from a number of sources.

Much of it falls under sports psychology. Training the brain to react correctly and to keep your nerves calm. When the adrenalin is pumping and you’re in the zone, don’t start thinking about things going on in your business or personal life. If you catch yourself doing that while in play, snap out of it immediately and focus on the task at hand. Focus on one thing, winning.

Learn to tune out everything and everyone else except your opponent and your goal of scoring a victory. Keep the issues in your personal life to a minimum and under control. A pro athlete has a lawyer, accountant, manager, agent and publicist for a reason. Supervise them and have the final say in everything regarding your career, but at the same time, let them handle your business to free up your time and mind to focus on winning. A clear, calm mind is a great asset in winning.

TIPS

In your spare time, do brain training exercises. There are fun books for grown ups with puzzles and memory exercises to complete using a pen or pencil. It may seem trivial, but it trains the brain to focus and it also helps with memory/recollection. A sharp memory improves focus. Improving your memory and recollection abilities is also useful while in competitive play, as it aides in recalling what you learned in training.

Don't lose focus. When you find your mind drifting off in a daydream or worrying about your problems during training and in actual competitive play regarding your sport, immediately snap out of it. Do not let your mind wander. Do not start thinking about your finances, problems in your personal life or anything else other than defeating your opponent in front of you. Tune out all the distractions.

Train your brain to visualize the win. When you can see something in your mind clearly, it becomes that much easier to achieve the goal. It gives you motivation in something to strive for. In your mind, see your opponent as defeated and make it happen.

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