“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
– Buddha
What is Mindfulness?
“Mindfulness is the human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”
While this definition suggests that mindfulness is innate, it can be cultivated through proven techniques. You can train yourself to be mindful, just as you can train yourself to shoot a 3-pointer or rip a slap-shot top corner.
How important is this? Do you remember the image above, from the 2010 NBA finals? It went viral because Kobe Bryant was so “in the zone” or “focused” that it seemed like he didn’t even hear Chris Rock, one of the funniest people in the world, cracking jokes right next to him. Kobe was well trained in the practice of Mindfulness – only taking in the stimuli that was relevant to him in this moment. Of course, shortly after this picture Kobe led the Lakers to their third straight NBA Championship.
Mindfulness in Sports
Why is it Important?
There are 3 main benefits to practicing mindfulness in sports.
Remain Level: Players that experience slumps often are typically the poorest at practicing mindfulness. A “slump” breaks down to a series of negative thoughts that people often attribute to an external source such as “bad luck” or “the hockey gods just aren’t on my side”. Mindfulness gives the opportunity for players to accept what is happening in the moment without judgement.
If things go well, it’s great and we can take joy out of that. If things go poorly, we understand that the moment has passed and we can remain here and now for the opportunity to seize the very next moment.
DO NOT WASTE THE CURRENT MOMENT BY FOCUSING ON THE PREVIOUS ONE.
More likely to be in Flow: We’ve spent a lot of time learning about Flow State. Mindfulness goes hand-in-hand with Flow. When you and your coaches work on creating the best environment, all there is left for you to do is focus in the moment. With this special combination you are more likely to enter Flow – time slows down, actions and reactions blend, and fear of failure is zero.