The Olympic Games, currently live from Paris until Aug. 11, raise questions about how everyday people watching from home can replicate the exceptional performances of professional athletes. How do Olympians maintain focus to achieve their goals in the first place? John Heil, a clinical and sports psychologist who has worked with USA Fencing Olympians, explains that fencers switch between two mindsets: staying focused and reacting to opponents, and focusing on what they do “between touches” when weapons are down. This mental reset is crucial for fencers, but it’s not unlike the task-switching required in our everyday lives.
Olympians are known for their physical abilities, but a significant part of being a top athlete is mental performance and the ability to maintain focus in a split second. As the 2024 Olympic Games approach, CNET spoke with psychologists who have experience working with athletes to understand how to achieve Olympian-level focus in daily life.
Mark Aoyagi, co-director of Sport & Performance Psychology at the University of Denver, emphasizes the importance of focus for athletes and performers, recommending mindfulness meditation as a tool to train attention, meta-attention, narrow focus, and attentional endurance. Establishing a mental routine is key to maintaining focus, as Aoyagi explains.
Ross Flowers, a clinical, sport, and performance psychologist who worked with the US Olympic Committee, suggests a simple hack to improve focus: memorizing apps on your phone screen within 10 seconds. This exercise builds attention and can help improve focus in various situations.
Flowers also advises focusing on specific skills needed in the moment, tailored to the individual’s activity or discipline. This awareness and simplification of focus can enhance performance.
Heil suggests the connection between mind and body, recommending using body positioning and eye movement to shift focus and mental state. Breathing exercises and finding time for disliked household tasks can also help improve focus and discipline in daily life.
Commander emphasizes the importance of discipline in following tips and tricks to achieve success, highlighting the need to do tasks that may be unpleasant but necessary for reaching goals. Flowers stresses the importance of clearly identifying and focusing on personal goals to maximize efforts and achieve greatness in any field.