Consequently, this default operating system is wired to continuously scan internal and external environments and direct our attention toward threats—both real and perceived. This works very well for our basic functioning and survival (eating, sleeping, shelter) as well as ensuring our safety. It helps us to react quickly to catch something midair when it’s knocked from a shelf and keeps us out of the way from a car speeding down the street. Unfortunately, this default operating system does not help us very much in high-pressure, high-precision situations, or with chronic stress that often appears in our lives. However, the choice of our behavior in any situation is our own and more easily within our control. We can choose to act in alignment with our emotion or we can override that default programming and choose to act in alignment with our values or with the behaviors that are more likely to yield the results we ultimately desire. Becoming aware of this internal system of attention, thought, emotion, body sensation, and behavior is the core of performance mindfulness. The key to using this model to our advantage requires us to observe what we are putting our attention toward, accepting what is, and intentionally selecting to focus on the behavior we want to do next. This is, of course, easier said than done. And like any muscle, the mind requires a significant amount of time, practice, and repetition for performance mindfulness to work well. Thankfully, like many elite athletes, Maria’s advantage was that she still believed she could turn her performance around, and she was willing to meet this new challenge head-on. What Maria did not know, was that performance mindfulness—a novel concept to her—would be the approach that helped her most. And so, our work began. While the postgame reflections helped Maria build her awareness, the observations were not the only key to improving Maria’s performance. The next task, accepting, would prove even more important. Moving forward, Maria would need to observe when she experienced the sensation in her hands and then simply accept that it was her body’s natural response to the stress. It may surprise you (as it did Maria) that many elite athletes have similar experiences under peak levels of pressure. There is nothing wrong with the athlete (or their brain) when they begin feeling less than confident and notice distracting body sensations or negative self-talk. It just means that the brain needs an operating system update, in the form of mindset training. To retrain Maria’s brain, we introduced a “priming” exercise into her daily routine. We started with something easy and manageable: a short mindful minute of breathing each morning. Once Maria had the breathing exercise down, we introduced imagery. Maria would center herself with the breathing and then envision her day and the competition. She would bring to her mind’s eye a solid performance, as well as her hands shaking. It may sound counterintuitive, but it was important for Maria not only to contemplate what would go well but what might not go well. This is what helped with the acceptance. If Maria could use imagery to anticipate the nervousness and her body’s physical reaction to that emotion, she could also use imagery to see herself being successful despite the way she felt. It was all about building intentionality. She would imagine looking down, feeling the anxiety, and noticing the pulsating and trembling in her hands. And then, Maria would imagine taking in a deep breath, accepting her state, exhaling, pulling back her putter, and seeing her ball travel down the line exactly where she wanted it. Even those who may not be athletes at all are utilizing this mental training. The one constant is that these people want to enhance their mindset to improve how they think, feel, and perform to grow in the areas of their lives that require the most concentration and attention.
