Being present – truly present, has an extremely significant impact on performance.
Knowing this concept doesn’t make it easier to be present – if anything – it can make it harder.
The thought process of trying to be present, because your sport psychologist said that it was essential, so that you perform better than you did previously and that you learn from past experiences, is ultimately unproductive and the opposite of being present.
Being present – is just that.
BEING PRESENT – without trying, without action or real intention.
It exists in the freedom, in the zone, in the peak performance state.
It doesn’t exist in the past; in the failure, the pain, the voice of self-doubt, self-loathing, criticism and rejection.
It doesn’t exist in the future; in the expectations, in the perfectionistic nature of high performance.
It doesn’t exist in what other people think and say and do.
In freedom there is “presence”. It’s not in the try. It’s in the ability to be.
To still be there in the pain and the discomfort, the pressure and the fear.
It’s the ability to feel it all, and still be there with it.
Not to run, to hide, to wish it away.
To shut down the feelings and disconnect.
It’s in the ability to be.
It’s the ability to be ok with you – ok with yourself, ok in yourself.
If you’re ok, you can handle anything, you will handle everything.
The winning and the losing, the good and the bad.
You can be there through it all.
The key is being present.