What does a retired NFL quarterback who’s obsessed with golf – but doesn’t have enough time to practice regularly – have to teach us about performance optimization?
It’s simple: Thinking
That’s right. When you can’t do the activity, think about the activity.
I call this visualization.
This special form of thinking that is visualization looks something like this:
Define your goal. See it happening. Hear the sounds that will be in your environment. Feel what it will be like to take the perfect action. Smell the surroundings. If possible, conjure up the taste in your mouth when doing your activity. (I know, this last one sounds a bit strange, but it can be as simple as the taste of coffee in a meeting or as unsavory as the salty sweat dripping down your face in a heated athletic competition.)
Multi-sensory visualizations just might be the difference between your success and failure.
Here’s more about Steve Young and his thoughts on golf and football.
