Distractions – enemy of the athlete

Distractions can be an athlete’s greatest enemy. Talent alone is not the only commodity that allows an athlete to achieve their goals.

Distractions – enemy of the athlete

Often the single-minded approach to avoid is the secret to success. The ability to keep your eye on the goal, despite the ‘distractions’ is the secret to success. With the capacity to keep reminding oneself what you are looking to achieve. To keep enhancing your discipline and to be steadfast when in the eye of the storm.

Being successful is not easy, if it was, then everyone would be doing it. Being surrounded by like-minded people is far more beneficial than those who ‘just don’t get it. You need a circle of friends who enhance you, as you strive to achieve your goals.

Putting blinkers on a race horse are applied for a reason. To limit the distractions and to keep the horse ‘keen’. With this device, those involved know their horse’s odds are improved.

Often this is needed by the athlete, the ability to focus on what is needed to achieve and not to be distracted by all the different things that are out there. The life of an athlete differs tremendously from that of others.

The importance of sleep, nutrition and balancing their training while still somewhat living a normal life, is a constant juggle. When things are going well, the athlete may breeze through the routine, but it is when there is a bump in the road, where there is a cold or a niggle which can lead to a delay in training or a necessary break. This is the critical period, where the athlete needs to do what is needed to recover from the cold or niggle.

Association and Dissociation

Description: 1. Association and dissociation (A/D) have been identified as important cognitive strategies in the literature on running and exercise. 2. Mental strategies, association and dissociation, can affect the outcome of a given event, just as speed, strength, and talent can. Association is a tool that athletes use to internally monitor their performance (cues, heart rate, pain and stress), whereas dissociation is directing attention away from said examples to help better performance.  Sport Psychology

Our approach to A/D in relation to this article is as follows: Association – when the bumps in the road occur, association with similar-minded people is most necessary. Friends who participate in sport will no doubt have been in a similar position to the one the athlete may be in currently and can provide the support needed to help you through this period.

Dissociation – avoid the people who tell you not to worry about things and to have a nice time now, that now you can party and eat and have a good time, just like them and that what you are training towards is just not important and that you must simply live life, life is there for living.

Everything is dismissive and is not considered helpful when the athlete is meant to be keeping their eye on the goal, on the event they want to participate in.

Identify the problem, seek the solution to the problem and apply the solution which will get you back to training towards your goal.

Stay focused, achieve your Dreams

author: Gavin Doyle

References:
1. psycnet.apa.org
2. elitetrack.com