Concentrate on a Single Goal during Training: Mental Attributes of Elite Runners #1/15
#1 — Concentrate on a single goal during training.
Facebook — doesn’t matter.
Instagram — it’s a distraction.
Twitter — can be useful, if you understand how to use it, otherwise it’s an abyss.
Distraction is nothing new. Social media is the modern era’s form of popular distraction proceeded by AIM, video games, MTV, movies, TV, radio, etc.
One quality shared by the most successful runners I’ve coached is the ability to harness their concentration towards a single goal in training. The state championships. A national championship race. The Olympic trials.
At any given moment, on any given day, they are clear about what they are working towards. There is no question.
The equally talented, but less achieving runners tend to get lost. Whatever is nearest is most important. They may win in the short term but lose out in the long run.
We all start out as average. The difference between the successful and never-was is laser like focus. We all live 24 hour days. Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem for so many.
Here’s Zig Zigler: “I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.”
And Steve Jobs: “That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
Before you set out toward your goal, get very clear about what matters and what does not. Keep it simple so you can direct your focus.
I call it “need-to-do” vs. “nice-to-do.”
For example: I need to run 2:00 in the 800m to qualify to the Olympic Trials vs. it would be nice if I won the 800 at the Payton Jordan Invite.
Concentrate on what really matters to you and let the social media noisemakers make a fuss about all that does not.