Easy targets. Easy mind.

Easy targets. Easy Mind. 

Far too often when working with athletes, I sense way too much tension throughout the duration of their event. That is to say, they are constantly dealing with how to diffuse tension. Tension is a motor pattern killer. That is to say, the tenser your mind is, the tenser your body is. When the body is tense, the execution of motor patterns gets more difficult. 

I think the primary reason for most people’s experience of tension, is the looming expectation of perfection. That is to say, they select targets & goals that are ‘perfect’ and not simply, good. There’s a saying on the PGA Tour that if you just hit the middle of 18 greens, you’d win every event. Just imaging what you would do with your buddies during a casual round, if you hit just 14 greens! 

I encourage athletes to select goals and targets that are reasonable, 90% of the time. Save the 10% for perfection, once in a while, preferably for a shot you’ve practiced, a lot! Reasonable, or ‘easy’ seeming targets, put our minding an easier, calmer state, allowing us to execute motor patterns more consistently. . . 

Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.