There is an old saying; “What you focus on expands.” We’re using our focus every single day and not knowing it. We're focusing on our lives, relationships, property, thoughts and emotions, past, present and future: how exhausting it is to be in our own minds! The ability to hold one pointed focus in a single or prolonged moment amidst the torrent of our mental and emotional fluctuations and life, is a skill that can be developed in fitness. This skill translates to cultivation of willpower, reduced stress and increased self actualization.
Focus your thoughts:
Give your thoughts validity by being aware of them. You cannot cultivate what you’re not aware of. When they run on auto-pilot, thinking of everything and nothing, they create wasted energy and mental stress. When your workout gets tough, the weaknesses in your ability to focus your thoughts begin to manifest. Instead of staying in the moment, your mind starts to wander. It begins to play tricks on you, sending the signal to quit, saying things like; "This is too hard" or "You cannot keep going." Without knowing it, you are focusing on failing, and it will expand.
I like to tell my clients, “When your workout gets tough, the mind is allowed to do one of two things: It can be your cheerleader, filling yourself with positive thoughts, or it can shut the hell up! There is no third option!” Repeat things you want to hear. Give your thoughts a positive phrase to repeat. “You can do it!” or “You are strong!” Say it, listen to it, believe it. These are call these mantras, or sometimes prayers. Repeat them to give the mind something to focus on, otherwise it will focus on anything, everything, and nothing all at once.
The power of a single person’s thoughts can be world changing.
Focus your emotions:
Give your emotions validity by being aware of them. You cannot cultivate what you’re not aware of. Understanding that your emotions are valid forms of energy inside of you that can be harnessed and cultivated will lead to increased focus. Emotional energy is powerful! However you are feeling is GOOD because you are feeling it! Like we learned last week, don’t hide negative emotions, feel them, let them wash over you and then express yourself! You can express your anger on a barbell! In doing so, you have just channeled your emotional energy through the nozzle of focus. You have learned how to focus your emotions.
This is insanely difficult to do well! Emotions rise up fast and sometimes they catch us off guard, They can instantaneously force us into a reactionary movement that can sometimes be inappropriate. However, feeling your emotions doesn’t mean you have to act on them. Emotions are like vehicles. If the vehicle is in neutral, you can rev the engine all day long, but the second you put it in gear people can get run over. Don’t be afraid to feel your emotions inside and connect with them, but be careful what happens when you put them into action!
The next time you’re in the gym rev that emotional engine up then put it into gear in your workout! I assure you, there is no better outlet to frustration, anger, rage, or destructive feelings than ripping a deadlift off the ground backed by the full force of an emotional release! In 9 seconds you can get more therapy than 9 months!
We all feel a wide range of positive and negative emotions; so learn to put them to good use!
Focus your body:
When the mind is pointed and the emotions are channeled, it is much easier to be aware of your body, especially in movement. This is kinesthetic focus. Kinesthetic focus is best cultivated through stillness practices like yoga or the 10 minute functional movement tests, or at high intensity through complex techniques like functional movements such as squats, deadlifts, box jumps, etc… Good body position mandates such unwavering kinesthetic awareness of your movements that focus can be given an outlet through the physical body, thereby naturally cultivating itself. Complex body positions requiring precise and subtle corrections require your full attention. Therefore functional movements, stillness training and high intensity exercise are wonderful tools for developing focus because of their high kinesthetic demand.
There is a huge difference between a millimeter of action in a joint given the right circumstance. Be focused enough to know where your body is at in space at all times!
In conclusion:
When left unchecked, your thoughts and emotions flail about wildly, grasping to anything and everything that will satisfy what your ego is looking for. This torrent of thoughts, emotions and life fluctuate rapidly with every passing moment. Being aware of yourself in each moment is important in order to focus. While you may achieve focus for a short time in a difficult workout, chances are your internal autopilot reverts back to discombobulation after only a few seconds. Focus again. Rinse and repeat until you are able to focus on moments for extended periods of time. Use your workouts as a chance to harness the ability to focus. How we move inside the gym is how we move outside the gym.
To cultivate good focus you must be very aware of what your thoughts are, what your emotions are, even what your beliefs are! If you think you can't do something; you won't. If you don't feel the inspiration to accomplish something; you won't. If you genuinely believe there is an inherent barrier between you and the goal; you will miss.
What you focus on… EXPANDS!
Your Homework:
Continue to:
1. Play; both inside the gym and outside.
2. Learn new skills or continue to master known ones (or both!)
3. Grow tall at least once a day for 5 consecutive minutes.
4. Perform core workouts daily.
5. Get breath!
6. Wake up!
7. Perform the 10 minute Squat test regularly!
8. Visit stillness in movements to master them.
9. Master the three basic functional movements!
