Focus On The Process
In college sports, outcomes are everything. It’s all about wins and losses, your record, your score or your time.
If outcomes are so important to sports, why do so many sport psychologists, coaches and athletes talk about the dangers of focusing on the outcome?
Why do we constantly hear of the importance of focusing on the process?
Let’s look at a great example of focusing on the process: Princeton University women’s basketball team is undefeated, 27-0, as they prepare for the Ivy League title and NCAA tournament.
Much of the media has written about Princeton’s pursuit for perfection but the Lady Tigers remain focused on the process (one game at a time).
In preseason, Princeton women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart and her team defined their goal, “We’ve been focusing on an Ivy title all season long.”
The team views each practice and game as steps in the direction of their goal.
That’s not to say they don’t want to win every game or end the season undefeated.
Barnhart wants her team to seize every opportunity to grow their game.
BARNHART: “I’ve heard people ask, ‘Do you want to lose so the monkey’s off your back?’ I say you play to win every single game. We’re learning to be relentless and we’re learning to win.”
When you are overly focused on the outcome, a perfect season, maintaining an unbeaten streak can be emotionally draining. You become solely focused on not ruining the streak while your opponent is focused on playing the game of their lives.
Streaks end and performance is negatively affected when you lose focus on what is really important… playing the game.
Sport Psychologist Eddie O’Connor recognizes the challenge inherent in streaks.
O’CONNOR: “When athletes are on a streak of any kind, the challenge is to keep their focus on the game at hand. The context and pressure of winning/losing streaks can distract players from what is essential. So a streak could help or hurt, depending on if the athlete uses the streak to improve concentration or if it becomes a distraction.”
Paying attention to the process is all about having a singular focus: playing the game and not worrying about the result.
The key to positive athletic results is to focus on the process, the task that you are facing THIS CURRENT MOMENT.
If you play the right way, the results will take care of themselves. No one has ever worried themselves to victory. You need to work your way to victory.
Try these tips to stay focused on the process:
- Tip #1: Have a game plan or a strategy for each game or competition. Ask yourself: “What do I need to focus on to perform my best?”
- Tip #2: Suspend your focus on goals at the door. Instead of reminding yourself of your long-term goal, work for this moment. Recalling your long-term goal can create more pressure.
View each practice and game as a step in the journey and that each step must be the most important step at that moment.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Do You Seek Instant Gratification or Trust the Process?
- The Mental Coaching Process
- How to Benefit From Mistakes in Competition
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on iTunes
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on Spotify
Download a free sports psychology report to improve your mental game!
Learn more about our one-on-one mental game coaching.
The Focused Athlete
It’s probably no secret that you have many opportunities to become distracted in sports. Athletes are bombarded with both internal and external distractions everyday in practice and competition. Focused athletes are able to get the most from their skills because they are more efficient with practice and more concentrated in competition. Athletes who lack focus let distractions run wild through their mind and don’t know how to adjust or refocus.
The Focused Athlete was developed for any level coach, parent, or junior to professional athlete who wants to improve performance and gain a competitive edge. It does not matter if you are a fledgling junior athlete; or a seasoned professional, plagued with distractions; or you just wanting to learn how to improve concentration…
“The Focused Athlete” is a complete system to teach you how to focus like a champion and harness the power of a zone focus every time you step on the playing field, court, track, or course in practice and games!