How to be your best: anytime, anyplace.
On the field, on the court, in a business meeting – wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, there is only one way to be your best.
Let’s explain it this way.
Do you play golf? Tennis? Soccer? Football? Hockey?
When you’re addressing the ball in golf, the only thing in your mind should be striking the ball. You’ve already figured the distance. You’ve already chosen the club. You’ve picked your aiming point. Focus on the ball and only on the ball. The second you start thinking about winning or losing, or what your opponents are doing, you’ve impaired your swing.
In tennis, you reach the ball, take your racket back, decide what kind of shot you’re going to hit, and then focus entirely on the ball. Think of anything else, and you’re impairing your swing.
You bring the soccer ball down the field, take a pass from a teammate, find an opening, and draw your foot back. Start thinking about winning or losing, or how you’re going to celebrate this goal, and you’re hurting your chances of enjoying that celebration.
Let’s say you’re in an important business meeting, about to address your prospects. Start thinking that you have to do well or you’ll lose the business, or how good it will feel to get the business, or anything other than the minute you’re in right now, and you’re impairing your performance.
Nick Foles and the Eagles just beat the 11-2 Rams. When asked how he played so well when the game got tense, he said he just tried to stay in the moment.
In other words, not matter what you’re doing, no matter what the outcome might be, to be the best you can be you must win that minute. You’ve heard athletes say they were “in the zone.” What that means is they were so totally focused on what they were doing that nothing else was important.
You can’t win the next minute until you’re in it. You must win this one first.