Keep your Head in the Game With Consistent Coaching

As the last seconds of the game tick off the clock, two coaches from opposing teams meet in the middle of the field. Shaking hands, they congratulate each other on a hard fought battle. As they turn and go their separate ways off the field, both coaches leave the emotional intensity of the past few hours behind them. The polls, the rankings, and the details of the game are of no importance now. Their minds are focused on one thing only – preparing for next week’s game.

The tight focus and discipline of a great coach does not come easily, yet it is the marking of a true champion. Putting a finished game, whether won or lost, behind you is the kind of focus you must have to make the most of every moment and prepare for future victories. In business, true champions discipline themselves a similar way: taking it one thought at a time, one action at a time, and doing, in this moment, what is necessary to be ready for the next customer, next sale, or next presentation.

Those who embody the leadership qualities of a great football coach understand that great achievements come not by focusing on more things, but by focusing intensely on only one thing – the present moment. Allowing yourself to fall victim to the many distractions of everyday living takes yourself out of the game. Just as it does more harm than good for a football team to look beyond the next team on the schedule or get caught up in polls and rankings, it serves no purpose for you to get caught up in what is beyond this moment.

By developing the discipline to focus on the present moment, you will strengthen your power to control what happens in your life. After all, you have no control over what happened in the past or what will happen in the future. The only moment you have control over is the present one, so use it for all it’s worth.

Developing this level of discipline requires more than just reading about it. It takes strength, exercise and continuous conditioning. The same techniques used by successful coaches can help you gain this discipline within your personal and professional life.

Huddle
Pick certain habitual moments throughout your day to act as tangible triggers for you to timeout and refocus. For example, every time you get in your car, take a moment to remind yourself of what is really important. As soon as your butt hits the seat in the morning or on the drive home from work, clear your mind from needless stress and worry. Get yourself back in the game and focus on what is happening right now.

Whistle
When the whistle sounds, the play is over. Try to catch yourself before getting caught up in something you shouldn’t be wasting your time on. You don’t need to spend any time with office drama, corporate politics, and pointless gossip. This takes practice, but with enough attention and discipline, you’ll be able to use your time only where it’s really needed.

Study Game Film
Every true champion knows how to objectively watch game film for improvement. As you spend time reviewing past performances at work, don’t allow yourself to get emotionally charged. Study yourself objectively. Find ways to grow as a person and a professional, and then move on.

With persistent practice, you can develop the discipline to keep your focus where it needs to be throughout the day. Stop worrying about where you fell short last month, or anxiously projecting where you’ll be at the end of this month. Do the best you can possibly do now and make the most of every minute you have. Keep your head in the game, and when the game is done, you’ll know you played every moment like a true champion.