As I work with athletes in various sports, I see how performance is positively impacted by confident planning and execution. Now we can just focus on executing shots, or we can also apply this to other sports and to life in general. There are a lot of similarities, from the mental perspective, even if people do not think about daily activities in terms of planning or executing them.
For now, I would like to take a look at subject from the sports angle in planning shots and then executing them. Let’s say you are a golfer. You use all of your senses to evaluate every hole or shot you are about to take. Before you execute a shot, you may not be aware of this, but every cell of your body is also involved in that process as well. As you approach a shot, you start scoping out the landscape and evaluating distance and other factors that have an impact on getting your ball to the hole. You also probably have an idea of what club they want to use.
But what happens if someone else hits the ball before you and uses a different club as you approach your drive? Do you find that you start to doubt yourself? What if they chose the same kind of club as you? Would your confidence become stronger if you both chose the same club? Or should you even consider another golfer’s club choice, when planning your own shot? You can see here that there are opportunities for information to come in from lots of angles. You gather information from the environment, such as the lay of the land, distance, weather, lay of the hole, and information pertaining to other golfers’ choices and how they want to execute their shot. You also have information at a subconscious level on what you are capable of doing: How your arms and legs can move, how much energy and strength you have, and how you typically perform on a hole like that. All of this information gets factored in as well, without you even realizing it.
A large majority of my clients are unaware that their subconscious minds are so involved with information gathering and processing. The subconscious mind is actually extremely powerful and gathers a lot of information, as it works in conjunction with the conscious mind. When you engage your conscious mind, you are fully focused. You know your mind can get distracted and wander off and think about a lot of different things. That’s where doubts and fears can creep in. However, it can be fully focused on whatever it is you are participating in. When you bring it in, fully focused, that’s when you are being mindful. That’s when you approach whatever you are doing mindfully (rather than thinking distracting thoughts or being unfocused). It is there, mindfully present in the current moment.
There is only so much that your conscious mind can be mindfully present of at any given time. If I told you right now to notice the sensations in your big toe on your right foot, your conscious mind will shift attention from this article to your right big toe. Sensations have been there all along, but you have just not been mindful of them or paying attention to them. So you can see, then, that you have the ability to focus your conscious mind wherever you would like.
Do you find that you are able to do that easily? Or is your conscious mind more like an untrained, wild little puppy running around until you train it to be otherwise? Learning to bring your focus in so that it works in combination with the miraculous subconscious mind (that already picks up on a trillion things at the same time) is what really helps you confidently plan and execute whatever shot or decision you have to make.
To help you improve in this area, I’ve taken a suggestion from my Perfect Putting and Golf Confidence hypnosis audios, and it can be used for any shot you take on the golf course. You can also apply it at work, at home, or in any number of other sports. The suggestion is this: “I confidently plan each and every shot, and then execute that shot with ease.” As you look at the words “confidently plan,” think back to where I already touched a little bit on how doubt can creep in. If you noticed a golfer picking a different club than you were thinking of using, then doubt could creep in. There are also other opportunities for doubt to come into play. You want to approach your shots with confidence and not allow doubt to even enter your mind.
Confidently planning each and every shot means having a level of knowing, security, and trust in what you are about to do and what you capable of doing. Think of yourself collecting data, like someone who inputs information into a magnificently powerful computer (your mind), with no emotion attached. You are completely calm and at ease, which brings you to a place of confidence as you plan each and every shot. Then execute each shot with ease, which means carrying that confidence and trust through from beginning to end. You remain trusting and confident as you are about to swing the club or take the shot or make the decision. It is so important to maintain consistency in your confidence and trust. You do that by managing any other kinds of compromising thoughts, like potty training that little puppy of a conscious mind.
If you’re a clay shooter, the concept is the same. Say to yourself, “I confidently plan and execute each and every shot.” Shooters scope out the area and how other people prior to them are shooting the clay birds or targets that have been set. They take note of the angle, distance, speed, and break point; especially when they work pairs. So when it comes to performing, they must plan their shots, visualizing them just like a golfer visualizes theirs. Then, knowing they are capable of smoking it (capable of hitting that target), they execute that shot with complete confidence, trust, and ease.
Think about my suggestion today and try repeating it throughout the day in your mind, but also attach a visual to it, and experience yourself confidently planning each and every shot, executing each one with ease. See it and feel it and experience as many times today as you can. Visualize it over and over again every time you have the opportunity. Repeat this several times a day, and then as far as the cells of your body are concerned, they will believe it is actually happening, and help you recreate it when you go out to perform. Visualize it and reinforce it just as you do when you are out there practicing your strokes on the driving range, while shooting, or while playing any other sport in which you want to improve. This helps you and gives you insight on how to confidently plan and execute shots with ease.
If you would like more help with this, I am happy to work with you. I can teach you more about the conscious and subconscious mind and give you more tips on how to train or redirect your thoughts. The subconscious mind is very powerful, picking up a ton of different elements you aren’t even aware of. Simply realizing that, recognizing your thoughts and pulling your conscious mind back to a state of mindfulness, goes a long way towards keeping the mind confident, focused and trusting, so you can confidently plan each and every shot and then execute your shot with complete ease. I offer private sessions in person, by phone, Skype or video internet calling, and I do have the products available for sale as well. But I really believe that if you repeat this suggestion and visualize it happening—if you truly visualize it—you will see an improvement in your ability to confidently plan and execute your shots with ease. Good luck with this, and have an amazing day!