For some odd reason, I chose to pursue psychology for my undergrad degree. And not your typical educational or lab-rat variety...my program was based in phenomenological psychology. It is what happens when psychology meets philosophy. I can feel my dumb jock image slipping through my hands as I type. Yes, I admit, I have fifteen plus hours in philosophy.
During the late '90's, my small University still had issues in various departments, psychology being one, with accepting athletes as "normal" students. There were still quite a few professors that did not want athletics on campus, and wanted to penalize student-athletes for missing class, or did not want them in their class at all. So, when I decided to write my thesis on "being in the zone" and achieving "peak performance" in sports, I was not sure if I was putting the final nail in my coffin or if I could make a subtle statement for change and acceptance for student-athletes.
The basis of my research came from descriptive accounts of professional athletes being in this particular moment during competition. I relied heavily on Greg Louganis' book "Breaking the Surface". Even if you don't particularly like Greg Louganis, or elite-level diving, his first hand accounts of the performance mind-set are well worth the read.
In any case, I could sit here and type out eight thousand factors that are required to achieve peak performance. And you would read through them, agree with some, and think about others...hell, you might even think some are complete crap. Ultimately, it would be a pretty boring and useless blog. Why? Because everyone is always searching for the missing piece, the one factor that will help carry them to the top of their game. The problem is this...there are so many factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic, that the piece usually missing is "you". In some ways, it is kind of like a diet, or training method...what may work for one, may not work for anyone else.
The "you" is the factor of knowing yourself; from your abilities, to what motivates you, to what helps you tune into your highest level of performance when needed. Knowing yourself also includes understanding and accepting your limitations, to what distractions may inhibit performance. When I played college ball, I had no defensive skill what so ever...with the exception of committing fouls. But what I didn't have, I made up for in scoring and rebounding. Going into a game, I would set the tone by knocking down 3pters in front of the other teams bench. I did this primarily to play a mind game. Was the coach now going to over look aspects of the game while worrying about me going off for forty points. It was worth a try! With that being said, I had enough faults in my game that it was possible to get in my head, and completely shut me down through frustration alone. A smaller player with quick hands and feet was the easiest way.
The simple fact is once you figure youself out, you are more likely to find those moments in competition where you are locked in and completely absorbed in your actions. You see things in slow motion. Movements seem to flow and appear effortless. And you can't recall anything around you, with the exception of your own skills at work. It is quite an experience yes, but takes a lot of preparation, work on and confidence in your skills.
I was always a team sport athlete, until I began competing in CrossFit in 2008. For me, the mindset is completely different, and something I am still getting used to. When you are surrounded by a team, your individual performance can be offset by the performance of those around you. But as an individual, you are on your own to get the job done. However, to achieve a high level of performance, it still begins with knowing and having confidence in your abilities, which is built through years of practice. I didn't become an accurate three point shooter overnight...that's for sure.
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