Fitness
Peak Performance: What Sports Can Teach You About Working At Your Best
by Susanica on Flickr
If you’ve been around sports at all, ever, you’ve probably heard the saying that the higher you go in athletic performance, the game becomes 90% mental.
A question for you: Why is that?
It’s because at the lower levels, athletes are still trying to get their skills down. Dribble, pass, shoot, tackle, etc. A notch above that and you get into strategy, teamwork, refinements in hand-eye coordination, etc.
But at the higher levels, all those factors are handled; those who couldn’t get it together on the lower levels don’t make it any higher. Those who do don’t have the lower level issues anymore; now they’re looking elsewhere to maximize their game, because the only competitive advantage to be gained at that level is to focus on the "mental" game.
The elusive factors of the inner game…
High-level performers need to learn how to show up with intensity, drive, and focus each and every day. They need to learn how to recover after setbacks, summon their best performance, and achieve intense levels of focus, among other things, while doing the physical tasks their sports require. It’s a tall order. (maybe that’s why there’s so few of them…)
What this has to do with you in your life, at work, etc…
Do you know how to do your job? Sure you do. You went to school, got trained, learned it somehow, somewhere. Your skills are good.
But are you performing at a high level? Not just technique, but strategy. Not just going through the motions, but working with purpose and focus. Not just hard work, but smart, savvy work; not just long hours, but effective actions that get you the results you want.
Athletes that survive for the long haul realize that as important as the outer game they’re playing is, there’s an inner game that’s just as crucial to making it. And unless they master what’s lies within, they’re out of a job.
Wendy Piersall of eMoms at Home recently wrote about the importance of the inner side of work, and how important it is to pay attention to your inner state:
Motivation, Balance and Positive Thinking Were Once Nice to Have.
They are Now Mandatory.
This is great confirmation for me; I’ve long believed in the value of developing your inner game to benefit your outer game. I’ve seen time an again (in myself, and my clients) that the time spent cultivating yourself translates to better work, better performance, and better service for your patrons.
Why this is such a big deal:
Because the frontier of peak performance doesn’t lie in typing faster, being more organized, or marketing yourself more widely. These things matter, but they aren’t what’s going to make you great.
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