Great athletes possess a competitive mindset that allows them to perform when it counts. It is now generally accepted that, alongside physical training, enabling the mind to effectively manage thoughts and emotions is vital to enabling performance under pressure.
In the TV programme ‘How to Win a Gold Medal’, six-times-Olympic and 11-times World Champion Sir Chris Hoy described how the UK cycling team psychiatrist helped him regain and maintain his focus during events. His resolve to execute the perfect race can be seen time and again in his performances.
Many modern approaches to sport psychology reference Timothy Gallwey’s 1970’s classic book 'The Inner Game of Tennis'. Gallwey observed that:
“In every human endeavor there are two arenas of engagement: the outer and the inner… the inner game takes place within the mind of the player and is played…to overcome the self-imposed obstacles that prevent an individual or team from accessing their full potential.”
Mindfulness is one approach that can be used to improve the ‘inner game’ and support peak performance in sports, as well as in everyday life. Living in an increasingly ‘always on’ society with multiple distractions can encourage our brains to feel 'scrambled', giving us little time to focus on doing one thing really well. So, what is mindfulness?
"Mindfulness is an integrative, mind-body approach to life that helps people relate effectively to their experiences. It involves paying attention to thoughts, feelings and body sensations in a way that can increase awareness, help us manage difficult experiences, and create space for wise choices" (Ed Halliwell, 2010).
Mindfulness is about experiencing the world that is firmly in the ‘here and now’. Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. This mode is referred to as the being mode.
The brain likes patterns and cleverly attaches itself to them. So if, for example, we regularly allow a smartphone or some other technological device to distract us then maintaining the sharp, clear focus essential for high performance will prove difficult. Mindfulness is often described as being fully ‘in the moment’; this increased awareness makes people clear about what to focus on and less susceptible to distraction.
ISEH Sport and Exercise Psychologist Andrea Furst suggests that, to begin a mindful approach to life:
“Practice doing one thing at a time, thinking one thing at a time, taking things one step at a time. It may feel deliberate and sometimes painfully slow but it's the start of helping your brain to have 'space' for the focus you need to perform, and in particular to perform when it counts.”
For example, many martial artists practice mindfulness as a way of focusing during competitive events, when even the slightest lapse in concentration can mean the difference between losing and winning. By ‘noticing’ more about themselves, their fellow competitors, and their environment, they are able to focus more on what matters – as opposed to the unproductive thoughts that can creep in and be detrimental to performance.
Though it has its roots in Eastern philosophy, mindfulness is being increasingly applied in the West for everyday life and work, as well as for a range of sports and performance disciplines. It is a skill that can be learnt and takes time to develop. It is not easy to master, and like any skill it requires a certain level of effort, time, patience, and ongoing practice.
Andrea Furst’s offers people from an integrated approach that is applicable to a variety of areas such as sport, performing arts and business, as well as life in general. Her approach includes mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy, and positive psychology. Her aim is to improve communication between body and brain, and thus contribute to consistent, sustainable high performance.
Read Andrea Furst’s profile. Find out more about booking and referrals at the ISEH.