At the heart of peak performance, we find the energy source for the demands that are an inherent part of the day to day challenges. Doing, playing, and competing at your best all flow from who you are in the moment and are pulled by the vision of who you are becoming. This is a dynamic process and simply writing a few goals will not get it done.
For many, motivation appears to ebb and flow evident in the ebb and flow of results. While focusing solely on results is a dangerous game, outcome does give a hint of the level of motivation. At the core of this, there is an important word I do not often hear as frequently when listening to competitors: passion.
When we take apart motivation we find words like motive, motion, emotion. The energy source for all of these words, fundamentally, is passion. It’s the why in what we do. And when we dive down into the why of what we do, we end up at a place where the answers are often very simple: love, fun, enjoyment, challenge… At the core, the motivation comes from a basic part of who you are and who you are becoming. Like the feeling of being with a best friend, when you enter the practice or competitive arena, it feels like home.
Keeping passion high is a difficult task if you don’t center on a compelling “why?” If you focus on what the sport or performance will get you, then the expectations do not align with your motivation. On some level, it won’t feel right.
We will talk quite a bit about motivation in the days to come, but for now, go back to the start. Why am I doing what I am doing? Does my plan reflect a path that I can simply feel good about? Is it exciting? Fulfilling? See what you come up with.
If you would like more structure to take your mental approach to the next level, consider picking up a copy of my new sports psychology book: Above the Field of Play. Or visit my website at DrJohnPanepinto.com.
