Written by: Dan Bell
I so often think of the present moment as a vehicle for performance. Being truly engaged in the task at hand is the most effective way to elicit mental and physical automaticity. It is this automaticity that allows our minds and bodies to perform what we have trained and developed them to do without inhibition. However, what has become clear to me is that performance is not limited to sports, the arts, or even one’s career. Performance transcends who we are as human beings and to me is synonymous to actualizing into the best version of ourselves. Similar to any performance domain, if we want to live as the best version of ourselves we need to start in the present moment. When we get caught up in what could be, what should be, or what could have been we miss out on the nuances of what’s right in front of us. These nuances are the actions, words, and intentions of others that ultimately guide our own actions and decisions. An awareness of the subtleties presented in the ‘here and now’ allows us to take purposeful action, initiate change, and nurture the relationships that are important to us. Regardless of whether there is a win or a loss column, striving to be the best version of you is performing as a human being. We will always be confronted with uncertainties and uncontrollable variables in every aspect of our lives, and the only way to grow as people from our life experiences is to embrace the vulnerability of engaging with what’s right in front of us.
DU Sport Psych 