Six Myths About Peak Performers

Are you working at an optimum pace, accomplishing many of your goals like clockwork? Or are you in need of a tweak, a shift, or more? Oak Training has a great list of myths about peak performers written by David Breslow. What do you think as you read these? Your comments make this blog richer -

Six Myths About Peak Performers

You are a performer. That’s right, everyone performs every day no matter what arena of life you are in. Top performers have learned and devised a way to not only perform at a high level but to help themselves do it on a consistent basis!

Unfortunately, others have developed a set of “myths” about what peak performance is. These myths can actually sabotage your own efforts to improve. In order to raise the level of your own performance it is important to become aware of, understand and avoid these myths that have been perpetuated about peak performance.
Remember, peak performers have crystallized their discipline and have experienced the pitfalls, blind spots and temptations on their journey toward excellence. As a result, they have learned how to create models and methods to overcome them.

Why is it important to reveal these myths and see them for what they are? Because if you don’t recognize and remove them, you will unconsciously open yourself up to self-sabotage without realizing it! As a Performance Success Coach, part of my responsibility is to help people see the “pot holes” on the road before they hit them, not just deal with the problems that occur afterwards. High- level performers have learned to do that and now you can too by going past these myths. By developing sound and believable Mental Keys Strategies you can focus on what is important and what will get you the level of excellence you strive for.

Learn to avoid these six performance myths and you will experience an immediate change in attitude and performance:

MYTH #1 - PEAK PERFORMERS ARE JUST BORN THAT WAY
They only look like they are “born” that way. What you don’t see is the tremendous effort and practice they put into honing their performance skills. They look smooth and polished because of this. They have learned to develop their mental keys along the way.

Strategic Tip: Pay attention to what you are practicing. Are you developing how to be angry and frustrated or perfecting the skills that gain you entrance into the zone?

MYTH #2 - TOP PERFORMERS HAVE SPECIAL “MIND” POWERS
Not true. It is easier for some than others but nobody has a corner of the market on these mental keys. YOU HAVE THE SAME MIND/BODY PRINCIPLES OPERATING IN YOU AS ANYONE ELSE DOES!

Strategic Tip: You’ve been successful at some time in the past. Stop, look and listen. Identify what you were thinking, feeling and doing at the time. Also, find out what others in your field do to be successful. It might surprise you!

MYTH #3 - THEY ALWAYS GIVE 100% OR MORE AND “GO FOR IT”
Not necessarily true. Yes, they always put their best effort into what they are doing BUT they don’t always put the “pedal to the metal”. Peak performers have learned that more is not always better. They have learned that each situation dictates the appropriate amount of effort needed to perform the task.

Strategic Tip: Identify what your ideal performance state is. Become aware of where your overexert yourself and struggle. At these times you can remind yourself to return to that level of mental/physical and emotional intensity that works for you.

MYTH #4 - THEY ARE PERFECTIONISTS
Peak performers can be demanding and tough on themselves for sure. However, when it comes time to perform they do NOT get caught in the perfectionist syndrome. They understand the nature of the game and that there is an ebb and flow to performance. Errors are part of that picture.

Strategic Tip: Keep perfectionism in the practice arena if anywhere but leave it at the door when you perform. The zone is not achieved when you try to be perfect, judge and criticize yourself. You don’t “try” to speak or hit a tennis or golf ball. You just do it…be perfect in your disciplined preparation but NOT in your performance. The zone is not accessed this way.

MYTH #5 - THEY NEVER SHOW THEIR EMOTIONS / VULNERABILITY
Is that so? Although many coaches have trained their students to “not show weakness”, the reality is that many top performers do. They know the importance of celebrating the positive and releasing negative toxic emotion as well. The difference is, they release it and have the mental tools to refocus where others do not. The ones who don’t have these mental keys release an emotion and keep on releasing it, negatively affecting their performance.

Strategic Tip: Realize that you are much better off being “real”. Emotion is energy and when not released will build up in the body like pressure in a steam kettle and then….bam! Trust yourself to be “vulnerable”, get advice or help when you need it.

Nobody every made it to the top by themselves.

MYTH #6 - THEY FOCUS ONLY ON WINNING
Peak performers want to win more than anyone but they do NOT focus on winning while competing. They understand the importance of using the mental keys to stay focused on what matters most during play. Winning is not one of them!

Strategic Tip: Honor your desire to win. It’s fine, but when you are performing keep your attention only on things you have 100% control over. It’s always a battle of process vs. outcome. Stay with process, process and more process thinking. Anything that doesn’t fit this category is a distraction and of no use to you.

By avoiding the traps of these myths, you can raise the level of your game!

David Breslow is the author of “Wired To Win” and offers a highly acclaimed “Perform In The FlowZone®" program for sports and business. David has appeared on The Golf Channel, ESPN radio, etc. For more programs/services/products or sign up for a free newsletter (write “newsletter” in subject box). Also, review the new series of Performance Training Manuals available online! Contact: David Breslow at 847.681.1698 Email: David@theflowzone.net or visit the web: www.theflowzone.net