Mindfulness

Mindfulness is simply focusing on the present. There is research that suggests that the most mentally healthy people are the ones that can shift their focus to the here and now. Some people can do this naturally; for others, it takes practice. Here is a simple exercise to get your brain focused on the present.

  • What are three things I can see?
  • What are three things I can feel?

I have a golf client who does this between each shot. She is good at it now; she can get through these six items in less than 30 seconds. Her way of getting back to the present moment is in between shots. Try it and see if it works for you.

Goal Setting

SMART GOALS

We use the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) method when setting goals. Let’s learn how that process works:

1. Specific: Improve putting.

2. Measurable: I will use strokes gained as my measure.

3. Achievable: An improvement of 0.5 strokes gained is challenging but realistic.

4. Relevant: My coach says that my putting is the area with the most growth potential.

5. Time-bound: One year gives me enough time to work and see the results.

Finally, put your SMART goal somewhere that you will see every day. Set up practice sessions designed to help you achieve this goal!

Compartmentalization

Compartmentalization quick tip

I love seeing the emotion flow after an athlete finishes an excellent performance, like winning a major tournament or a Ryder Cup. Compartmentalization is necessary for people to perform, and the compartmentalization process is often helpful in the short term:

  1. Isolate the issue from any other challenges you are dealing with; most humans can only focus on one emotional task at a time.
  2. Apply extreme focus on that task until complete.
  3. Focus and take steps to complete that task, putting one foot in front of the other.

Think of emotions in a sport like taking out the trash. You do not take the garbage outside every time you empty a milk bottle; instead, you throw it in the trash can in the kitchen and close the lid. Then, when the trash can is full, you take it outside. Putting emotion away during competition is necessary but creates problems if you do not empty those emotions when the can is full.

This topic is the closest any of these quick tips comes to mental health. Many people know they need to set emotions aside to perform, but few acknowledge the need to empty the trash post-performance.

This taking-out-the-trash process has the best chance of success during downtime. What’s in your trashcan? (We all have a trashcan). Maybe you cannot take it out now, but when is your best time to take it out? When that time comes, find the right person to take it out with you.

Exercise for compartmentalization

What is in my trash can right now? When will I take it out? Who will I take it out with?