Attentional control is a sport and position specific task, and might even shift during performance. Imagine golfer's about to make their first hit from the tee. Their attention begins with a wide focus on many variables (the course layout, weather factors, etc.) and thenbegins to narrowly zone in and focus on properly hitting the ball.
Attention combines two factors
1 – The width of focus can be either broad (football or hockey) or narrow (golf or sprinting).
2 – The direction of focus can be either internal (adjusting muscle tension) or external (reacting to the sound of a gun) .
Attentional control is a very individual trait; some can easily zone in and focus very well while others have difficult times blocking out fans, opponents, or even their own thoughts!
During attentional control training, the assessment is ongoing. You need to constantly be aware of what situations cause distractions and how you are dealing with them. The goal is to use a constructive rather than destructive method of dealing with situations.
More often than not, thinking of the outcome, be it winning or losing or the possible trophies, during the actual competition generates additional physical and attentional changes that interfere with performance. It may be one of the biggest contributors to choking!
Instead of focusing on an outcome that hasn't developed yet, use process cues to focus on a movement or process involved. Doing so will help you execute it properly within your ability level and will enhance your performance by reducing distractions. Once process skills are mastered, outcome thinking can begin again to motivate you for increased arousal and performance.
Think of a distance runner who immediately focuses on coming in first. After ten miles, he/she may be having an off day and be in fifth or sixth place with little hope for first. Due to the runner's previous outcome focused approach, performance will more than likely suffer. It would be better instead for the runner to focus on properly executing ideal running form. Then, as the runner nears the finish of the race, the runner can begin to focus on putting total effort into winning!
A large part of attentional control training is educating yourself on the situation and causing awareness of the cues that create an inability to focus. Once this occurs, and a direct link to performance decrements is provided, external training should begin.
Attentional control training involves making specific behavioral changes within specific performance situations.
If basketball player's are distracted and lose focus whenever they shoot free throws during a game, attentional control training can help them create a specific behavioral pattern that helps them focus on the task at hand rather than the distractions.
Obviously, there is no miracle cure for lacking confidence and not believing in yourself! Without faith in your abilities (which is best obtained through previous success) you will have doubts during competition and need to control those doubts in pressure situations so you remain focused and in control of your performance.
Internal and external stimuli are usually closely related, as one is typically triggered by the other. For example, the crowd boos as you miss your first free throw and you begin to internalize those boos and lose all faith in your ability to make the second shot. On the other hand, your internal stimuli may be that you are tired and slow during a game, and your opponent notices this and taunts you by saying they are too fast for you to beat them. External stimuli causes mental and emotional shifts in behavior, while internal stimuli affects how and to what external events you attend.
Concentration is not forcing your attention on a specific task and actively shielding yourself from a stimulus. Concentration is passively not reacting to or being distracted by irrelevant stimuli. Concentration is being totally in the here and now, the present moment.
Concentration training is about knowing what to focus on and how to control your focus.
Good concentration skills are often perceived as an innate ability. This is simply not true. Concentration can be controlled and enhanced through consistent practice and proper training.
The ability to control their thoughts, arousal, and attentional focus is a common theme in the concentration of winning athletes. Many elite athletes say their best performances occur when they are able to eliminate thoughts about winning and focus solely on the process and being in the here and now of performing.
If you are interested in learning more about attentional control and how to optimize your progress, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Materials and information adopted from Concentration and Attention Control Training by Robert M. Nideffer (Enhanced Performance Systems) and Marc-Simon Sagal (The Winning Mind). The original chapter was published in Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance. (5th ed.) which was edited by Jean M. Williams and published by McGraw-Hill (2006).
