There are many different factors that go into athletic success, including physical strength development, hand-eye coordination, and athlete motivation to name a few. Athletic focus is another important variable that contributes to how well (or poorly) an athlete performs, and athletes who develop their focus also benefit by having greater self-confidence, resiliency, and overall mental toughness (Sport Success 360). But how do athletes improve their focus? One sport psychology tip I have used with my clients is to remind them to do the next thing best.
When we dedicate all of our focus to the task at-hand, we benefit by improving our attentional control, moderating our human arousal, and galvanizing our resiliency for when we experience stress and adversity. Unfortunately, maintaining focus on things that are relevant to athletic success (like knowing what to do on the next play) can sometimes be difficult when irrelevant things divert focus and attention (like a rowdy crowd). How many times have you watched your child, or another athlete on your child’s team, miss a shot or blow a play simply because his or her focus wasn’t where it should have been? When you think about it, athletic success is almost impossible to achieve when focus is on the wrong target.
Do the next thing best simply means to forget and let go of the last play as it is already “gone” and cannot be changed. Do the next thing best is also a simple reminder to put all your focus and energy on what’s next, rather than get caught up in anything beyond what is important for the next play. A simple tip, yes, but arguably one of the most important tips for sport — and life — success.
Athletes of all ages and skill levels can benefit by doing the next thing best and will see immediate positive outcomes as a result of this thinking. In fact, by doing the next thing best throughout the day, kids can learn how to focus on the various tasks they encounter hour-to-hour, including paying attention in class, completing homework assignments, and of course, focusing on what the coach expects at practice. Teach your kids about the importance of focus, and how doing the next thing best is a guaranteed way to maximize athletic abilities.
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