Words by Coach Carson McQuarrie
I’ve restarted a past routine of morning studying, and I’m really enjoying it! I recently finished reading and taking notes from Advanced Sports Nutrition by Dan Bernadot Ph.D., RD, & FACSM. Stay tuned for the chapter reviews and nutrition posts! The book I’m currently learning from is In Pursuit of Excellence by Terry Orlick Ph.D., an internationally acclaimed sport psychologist. I will be writing thorough chapter reviews however before I start writing them I want to echo some insights from the first few chapters I’ve read. I believe these are really valuable yet so simple and applicable to any pursuit at any level in sport and life. It all has to do with how you focus.
Focus on What You Want
Have you ever noticed that when you’re in the market for a new vehicle you begin to notice the vehicle you’ve decided you want as if it’s the only vehicle on the road? I remember years ago when I adopted a plant-based diet I began seeing ripe bananas at all the grocery stores. This is relative to new car buyers because we’re both simply seeing what we want to see. That’s the key!
Once you decide what you want you have to establish why you want it and the rest is as simple as focusing on it. The universe is going to get out of your way!
Decide what you want! Focus on what you want! Focus on why you can achieve it!
Just like me and the new car buyers you can achieve what you want if you just focus enough and take positive action.
Stay Focused on What You Want
Maybe you have kids? Have you ever noticed how kids’ change their minds as quickly as fish forget? Do kids get what they don’t focus on? Of course not! Why would it be different for adults!
High achievers in all areas of life have learned how to be high performers. They have learned what to focus on and what not to focus on. They have learned what they focused on in practice that’s brought them their best result. They have learned to apply that focus to when it matters most, in performance or race. And, they have refined and honed their ability to focus in high moments and low moments in practices and performances and races so they have the best chance of achieving their personal excellence at the finish line.
What are your methods of staying focused at all times? Do you have a morning ritual that puts you in the zone before a practice or race? Do you have a nightly ritual? Do you check in with yourself after every workout and cover what went well, what could be improved, and decide what positive action to take? Do you check in every month and recalibrate then? The tactics may be different among athletes, however, they have common attributes.
Focus on what you want! Focus on what you can control! Focus on taking positive action, big or small! It’s that’s simple!
Re-Focus on What You Want
Terry Orlick in his book In Pursuit of Excellence profiles an interview with one of his decade long clients Beckie Scott, first-ever North American to win Olympic Gold in XC-Skiing. During Beckie’s base training for the 2006 Olympic year, her husband broke his neck, not severing his spinal cord. He fully recovered and was there to see Beckie win a Silver Medal. They navigated an emotional and physical obstacle with positivity, objectivity, and togetherness by sharing a mutual goal; staying focused and taking positive action to the absolute best of their ability. The result was Olympic Gold.
Challenges and setbacks are inevitable on your journey to excellence. So when they come up, do you have a Re-Focus strategy?
I remember shortly prior to embarking on my crew-supported 17-day ride across America there were things I was still trying to lockdown and finalize. Things that were taking away from my training and adding strain to my self-belief in completing my adventure. At the time it was overwhelming! What got me through this phase was counting the weeks down and completing each week’s tasks one at a time to the best of my ability to simply get me to the start of my ride. At that point on, I was simply counting down each day. In retrospect, I could’ve done better by adding some relaxation techniques in the morning and evening started these techniques months prior.
Whether the obstacle is big or small, within a practice or race, or months or years prior you need to be prepared with a Re-Focus plan. A Re-Focus plan may look different for different athletes, however, it often starts with the mental rather than the tactical because prior to not being focused you have to realize it internally first. What helps you catch yourself not being present and focused on the task at hand and your aspirations? Do you have certain sayings you use as self talk to get you in the zone? Do you remind yourself why you want what you want? Do you remind yourself why you can achieve what you want? Do you have a safe place (reading, close friends, nature walk) to escape to when stresses become too high to help you stay focused?
These strategies can be different but the goal is the same, to return to:
Focus on what you want! Focus on why you can achieve it! Focus on taking positive action to be focused, stay focused, and rebound back to focusing!
What are You going to do?
Now that this information is fresh in your hands, heart, and mind what are you going to do? Only you can decide what you do with the information that is presented to you. Are you going to settle for less than what you want, what you believe, what you know you can achieve? Beckie Scott had placed 45th in her first Olympic debut to later go on to achieve Olympic Gold Medal and attest to the same focusing skills that benefited her during races could apply to improve other areas of her life too! If mental focusing skills can benefit an Olympian they can benefit you! I implore you to commit yourself to be in pursuit of excellence in one or more areas of your life! Commit to yourself that you will choose to focus, do your best, learn from mistakes, and draw a hardline between taking positive action and not. Focus and you will achieve.
Coach Carson is a dedicated athlete and coach who specializes in ultra-distance cycling and plant-based nutrition. For more information on Carson’s coaching services, or to schedule a coaching consultation with him click HERE.
