The Fifth Dimension

Whether you are reading about Europe winning the Ryder Cup, England winning the 2^nd Ashes test in Adelaide, or Lee Westwood winning the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City, or about any other top performing sportsman, there is an ever increasing focus on the mindset required to win, or the psychological frailties exposed in these highly pressurised sporting events.

Observation would seem to point to a significant link between the mental state of an athlete and their actual performance

Much of the media coverage focuses on the suggestion that athletes whose performance breaks down must have something wrong with them. That this problem needs to be treated, another was that they don’t have the belief that they can win anything. Do we really think that “belief” mysteriously turns up to help you win?

Surely a more thoughtful and credible analysis of this critical aspect of performance is required? Gazing Performance have developed a unique perspective on the mental component of human performance. Two main elements of this perspective are that firstly the mental component does not work in isolation from the other critical elements, and secondly that it should be regarded as a skill which can be learned and developed like any other skill. This view is best represented in the form of an equation which looks like this:

Here the description of “mental skills” as the “fifth element” of performance. The implication of this equation is that performance is made up of a combination of the equation’s elements.

Therefore just like technical skills the mental skills associated with high performance under pressure can be learned, understood and improved.

In a recent interview after winning his 53^rd world cup race, Herman Maier said “It’s not easy to get it all together; today I was thinking clearly and it worked”.

We know it can. Gazing Performance has applied this philosophy successfully in both sport and in business, where results have exceeded expectations. Far from introducing a language more akin to the psychologist’s couch, Gazing use a simple, common approach, which quickly becomes part of the individual or organisation’s performance development programme whilst working closely with the managers. There are no magic wands for this crucial area of business or sports, but equally there is no need for it to be shrouded in mystery. Contact Gordon Holmes at gholmes@pengor.com for more information about performing under pressure.