Wiring Intelligence
Mental Training Articles
Actionable insights on confidence, focus, resilience, and mental performance, from Dr. Bobby Low and the MOTYV8 team.
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Life Compartmentalization: Be Where You Need to Be
One of my favorite sport psychologists, Ken Ravizza, worked with some of the top college athletic programs and professional teams, including the Chicago Cubs during their historic 2016 World Series run.
Flow State – Deep Concentration
One of the best illustrations of an athlete achieving Flow State, or what athletes call being In the Zone, is when Klay Thompson caught fire and scored 37 points in a single quarter.
Focus Cues: Building Your Inner Playbook
Every player has an inner dialogue running through their mind during competition. This self-talk, whether intentional or not, shapes performance in crucial ways. If left unchecked, this inner voice can let distractions, doubts, or negativity creep in, derailing focus and confidence. The key to overcoming this is to take control of your self-talk by crafting focus cues or performance statements —specific, task-oriented phrases that keep your attention locked on what matters most. What Are...
Refocus - Next Play: Event, Response, Outcome
One of the most critical aspects of the mental skill of focus is the ability to refocus . Think of it as “focus again.” While it may sound simple, this ability to shift attention to the next play, no matter the result of the previous one, is a hallmark of mental toughness and peak performance. Whether the last play resulted in success or failure, top athletes excel at promptly transitioning to the next play. This skill is more than just staying in the present moment—it’s about amplifying that...
Present, Future, Past thinking
Focus is a cornerstone of peak performance, and today, we’re diving into a specific facet of focus: Time Orientation . This mental skill is a game-changer for managing, controlling, and eliminating interference as an athlete. It’s all about being aware of where your mind is—whether it’s in the past, the future, or the present—and mastering the ability to bring it back to the here and now. Where Does Your Mind Go? As a player, understanding where your attention goes is critical. Your thoughts...
Control What You Can Control
We’re still talking about the skill of focus , and today, we’re diving into a fundamental aspect: controlling what you can control . John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach for UCLA, often emphasized this principle to his players, and for good reason. Mastering the mental skill of focusing on controllable factors is a game-changer for athletes striving to perform their best under pressure. Why “Control What You Can Control” Matters Athletes who direct their energy and focus toward what...
Task Orientation vs Outcome Orientation
In the high-stakes arena of sports, it’s common for players and athletes to be heavily focused on outcomes. Phrases like “Win at all costs” or “Winning is everything” are often plastered on locker room walls and echoed in pre- and post-game speeches. While focusing on outcomes might seem motivational, it can actually become an interference. The fixation on results clouds the mind, preventing athletes from focusing on what truly matters: the process. Consider a swimmer who needs to place in...
Focus is a Choice - One Thought at a Time
The skill of focus is a cornerstone in building your mental strength —unlocking your skills even in high-pressure moments. To understand how to strengthen this skill, let’s start with a few key truths about the brain: Focus is a choice. You can choose the words and the thoughts that you place in your mind. Identifying cues and phrases helps us control those thoughts. The brain handles one thought at a time. While it can handle multiple thoughts in rapid succession and we can shift between...
Potential + Training - Interference = High Performance
One of the most exciting things about sports is that when teams and players are physically equal, the mentally stronger often win. So, how do you cultivate mental strength? The key to “winning the mental game” lies in managing or eliminating interference—those distractions that creep in and undermine performance. Think of it as an equation: P (Potential) + T (Training) - I (Interference) = HP (High Performance) Every athlete has potential, and training builds on that foundation. But true...
What Is Mental Toughness?
Mental toughness is often described as the ability to perform at your best, regardless of the circumstances. It’s the grit to persevere through challenges, the resilience to bounce back from setbacks, and the focus to stay locked in on what matters most. But it’s more than just being “tough.” Mental toughness is about learning to harness your mind as a tool to unlock high performance. High performance isn’t just about working harder; it’s about working smarter, aligning mental strength with...