Focus on the Play

As a competitive athlete (with very limited talent), I was always confused when given the advice to “just relax” and “do my best!”  Doing my best on the football field – a place I lived to be – required an energetic physical presence the word “relax” did not convey to me.

I have since learned that the advice is to be doubtless, to relax into doubtlessness, to surrender all concerns, and to focus on the play in the moment… and the next. It’s in stringing together these moments of doubtlessness that the mystical state of “flow” is attained, insightful action occurs, and the player truly plays!  It is a state of exhilarating fun, characterized by skill in action. I discovered it is a way of transcending limitations of “talent.”  A special doubtlessness enabling high performance.

In this spirit, the intention of researching, planning, coaching, training and developing should be to strengthen problem solving accuracy and speed in pursuit of insight.  There are three contexts for this intention: personal, organizational, and the marketplace.  Each context must be addressed before the leader or the organization can confidently execute in all three realms.  And, anything less is suboptimal.  We’ll explore these three in the next few weeks.

Have your greatest achievements been accompanied by the special doubtlessness, enabling flow?