Improving your Game-time Focus

How often have you heard the word "focus" during your competitive career?

What exactly is "focus"?

The word "focus" is used every day by coaches and soccer players throughout the world of soccer.
Soccer players blame losses on focus. Soccer players credit victories to focus.

Soccer players talk about how distractions affected their mental focus.
And mental game coaches highlight the importance of "focus" for athletic success...

What is "focus"?

The definition of "focus" is merely paying attention to what's relevant when you compete.

The problem with "focus"

The conundrum about focus is that soccer players can focus well, but not always on the right things for optimal athletic performance.

You could be focused on technique, your opponent's talent, the outcome of the competition, personal problems outside of soccer, your coach, spectators, your parents, past mistakes, your current slump, etc.

The challenge is that too many things compete for your attention and that your focus changes many times during games.

What is the optimal focus for achieving peak performance?

The important thing is to focus rather than over-think.

The optimal focus is when you only attend to what's relevant to performing a skill.

You should be immersed in "just playing" without consciously trying to control your performance.

Performance is a matter of allowing your instincts (trained skills via practice) to execute.

Try these tips for improving your game-time focus:

Tip #1: Simplify what you focus on during games. Narrow your thoughts down to one feeling, target, or objective, if possible. More is not always better in soccer.

Tip #2: Trust in your skills you grooved during training. Stop the training when you compete. Too many soccer players continue to "practice" in games instead of letting it flow.