Playing With A Quieted Mind

In Chapter 3 of Pete Carroll's book, Win Forever, Coach Carroll talks a lot about the importance of athletes achieving a 'peak performance' in competition by playing with a 'quieted mind.'  A quieted mind is when a player is completely absorbed by the task, free of distractions, and the game is moving in slow motion.

I once had a 'peak performance' in an interview.  I was approached to apply for a position as an assistant principal in my district.  It was a position that I probably was not completely ready for, as I was still a young teacher, but the administration in my district thought that I would be good for the position and that I should go for it.  I was fully prepared to answer any and everything that they threw out at me, and I did a good enough job to earn the position because of my performance.  

I remember being in a zone in while they were firing questions at me, and the biggest reason for that was the way that my principal at the time helped me prepare.  He told me that it would be important to know my strengths, my weaknesses, and my philosophy of education and to be able to communicate those effectively.  He said that it was important for me to know who I was and that if I ever struggled with a question, I could always draw back to who I am at my core to answer the questions.  He also told me to slow down when they asked me questions, think about my experiences and answers before speaking, and to answer confidently.  Basically, he told me to focus in the interview; focus on the questions, focus on my experiences, and focus on how I would handle myself in familiar situations from the viewpoint as a leader, not simply as a teacher.  I had experience in every aspect of the job, I just had to be able to communicate that to them clearly and effectively.

I was able to achieve a peak performance by being confident.  I was confident in myself because of two things:

1 - I was prepared for what they threw at me and I also had a plan for the unexpected (contingency plans)

2 - I was completely aware of who I was as a professional and where I was at as an educator.

In the interview, I was focused, listening and thinking about each question as I had been advised, and with each response, I grew more and more confident in myself and fell deeper into the zone.

We can all find 'peak performances' at any time.  We just have to have supreme confidence in ourselves and our preparation, and we must have total focus in the task at hand.

The following are notes that I have taken from the chapter.  (After the jump)


That quieted mind comes from two things: supreme confidence and total focus.  To obtain the confidence needed to be able to achieve a peak performance, 

Most of my coaching has revolved around enabling players and teams to achieve a 'quieted mind' which may allow them to perform at their highest level.  The only competition that matters is the one within yourself.

When players know that they have mastered the rigors of training, then their confidence leads to an unusual focus, free from distractions, doubt, or fear.  This attentiveness, also known as a quieted mind, clears the way for athletes to perform to their highest potential.

We want our players to be free of distractions and totally absorbed, ideally just like a child, fascinated with the game itself and not necessarily the outcome.  When young children are playing, they don't worry about being judged, and they are only concerned with having fun.  An athlete's immersion in and focus on performance allows for a lost sense of time in such a much of the same way.  When we have confidence and allow ourselves to become fascinated, the world seems to move in slow motion.

You have the opportunity for a peak performance every time you compete.  You must believe that you can have it and you must believe that you can win.  You must believe that you can go out ad execute a game plan precisely.  If you can trust your ability to win and you can find total focus, then you can play instinctively with supreme confidence.

Lou Holtz - "The best players don't always win, but those that play the best most always do."

Total focus and supreme confidence boosts performance.  It is a supremely confident athlete who will have the best chance to perform up to his or her potential.  To develop confidence, it is important to prepare in a manner that will promote your skills.  You have to be in great condition in all areas.  You must know all of your responsibilities.  You have to know how they fit into the overall scheme of the team's design.  Leave no stone unturned in terms of preparation and readiness.  All of these factors contribute to an athlete's feeling of supreme confidence and the ability to perform with a quieted mind.