Athlete's Mental Gym
Mental Skill: Enhance Your Attention To Detail
Why do some athletes respond to the action on the field faster than other competitors and teammates? Why do some athletes develop more “perfect” fundamentals than others in their sport? Beyond their physical abilities, these athletes set themselves apart because they notice the small details in their sport that other players miss. This ability to focus their attention on the small details enables their mind and body to respond with greater speed and accuracy.
You can develop the ability to concentrate more fully on the small details of your sport by paying attention to little things around you throughout the day. To test how well you REALLY notice the small things, answer the following questions:
- What were all of the colors in the uniforms of the last two teams you played against?
- Which coin—the penny, nickel, dime or quarter—has a building on the reverse side?
- In the last year, what field or court did you play on that had the smallest scoreboard?
- Describe the face of the person who last served you in a restaurant?
- What was the final play you or your team executed during your last game?
To practice focusing your attention on small details, you can perform the following exercise each day for 10 minutes. After about two weeks of practicing this skill, you should start noticing more details in your sport and life.
Exercise
Step 1: Select any 10-minute period of time during each day in which you are doing something very routine such as dressing, eating, walking, or watching other people.
Step 2: Focus your eyes on one object around you and notice every detail of it. You can also focus your attention on your body movements such as your foot striking the ground while walking or your hand moving while eating cereal.
Step 3: After you thoroughly study that object or movement, you should shift your attention to other ones until 10 minutes end.
Step 4: After 10 minutes, make a mental note of an object or movement you observed that you want to use during step five later in the day.
Step 5: In the evening, get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and try to visualize that one object or movement in as much detail as possible. Take your time and try to be thorough in visualizing.
By performing this exercise each day, you train your mind to pay attention to and recall small details. Ultimately, you will develop a mental edge over your competition by enhancing your ability to focus on the small things around you during practice and competition.
