Erratic performance can be a crazy maker. Ever scratch your head wondering why every once in a while your usually great business presentation comes out like you’ve never said those words before, or your golf score seems like you’ve never previously played, or what you’re reading makes no sense or you just can’t motivate yourself to prospect for your business? Need something to focus, on demand, right now?
The following information will be a game changer.
You’ve heard it said that the difference between the great and the mediocre is that the great are willing to do what the mediocre won’t. The world is filled with talented people who will never fulfill their destiny because of a lack of consistency and/or focus. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re speaking of sales agents, moms and dads, managers, teachers, athletes, students or factory employees. Rising above the crowd or getting back on track (for those desirous) usually means doing the little things that can make huge differences. But sometimes you just don’t feel like doing those little things.
A good part of an athletic coach’s job is to grind away on the basics so the best performance comes more easily and often. The purpose of a student’s homework is to demonstrate the grasping of ideas for competency in test taking and real world application. The good sales manager goes over the basics of the “nuts and bolts” of the product or service as well as selling techniques so the salesperson is comfortable and effective in all situations. Parenting classes share ideas to maximize the child’s potential. Therapists ask questions of clients to confront “sticking points” for that person to move on and function positively. Even major work in reducing fears and phobias is done through confronting the fear minimally, yet consistently, and moving through and beyond it. Little changes make huge bottom line differences. And, even in the face of preparation, it’s easy for many not to do their best performance when it’s important to do the best.
Dr. Milton Erickson was one of the few outstanding people studied for their people skills effectiveness, eventually forming the foundation of information for NeuroLinguistic Programming-NLP. He developed an elegant, effective technique in 1948. The technique was developed as a trigger mechanism to create peak performance, on demand. This is a technique that I have taught to thousands of sales people to improve performance and hundreds of law school students to prepare for and pass the BAR exam the first time. Almost all third year students have studied and done their review, yet typically 70% don’t pass the first time. It’s not because they are not as bright as the 30% who do. In most cases they don’t test well due to test anxiety. Control the test anxiety and they have easier access to studied and stored information. Sales presentations that end up poorly, also, in many cases can be traced back to self imposed tensions and pressures, performance anxieties. In many relationships, stress creates angry behavior, has many saying things they don’t really mean, words they can’t ever take back, and not saying things that need to be said. Think about the inability at those moments for the combatants to deal with pressures in a more productive and kind way. Think about how pressure and stress affect our sex lives, golf game, learning and our view of the world. Ready to learn the tried and true technique that can make things better–now? Read on, and it’s all yours.
Here is Erickson’s technique of Focus, On Demand! as I teach it in my seminar.
Before doing anything you would like to do with excellence, focus, thoughtfulness or care, do these 3 thing. 1) Circle the thumb and forefinger of either hand. 2) Preferably with your eyes closed, relax with two or three deep breaths. 3) Repeat inwardly and silently how you are going to perform in the upcoming activity (in the best of terms.) Silently said words and the pictures they create make impressions in your brain. The last mental influence is usually the precursor of the events to come. You become what you think about. Use this idea before a sales presentation, a golf game, for speaking in public comfortably, to calm your temper down, studying or taking a test or ?? This little technique will create focus on demand, instantly.
• Before a sales presentation close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths. Science has shown that breathing in through your nose stimulates the neocortex, prompting better thinking ability and decision making. But just relaxing before any activity is always a smart thing to do. Before a test, a class, a listing presentation, sex, writing a difficult email, hitting a golf shot, etc., coming from relaxation can make a positive difference in and of itself.
• Silently tell yourself, “In this presentation I will ask appropriate questions, listen well, speak with confidence, close assertively and remain calm and relaxed throughout.” Or, “I will absorb information during this class photographically and have instant access to all information at any time.” Or, “I will play this round of golf with greater focus and concentration than ever before.”
The circling of the fingers is not a must. Any physical gesture or ritual will do. This whole little process will take 10-15 seconds to do. Do this before any activity in which you would like to do especially well. You will not be disappointed. You’ll see measurable results over the days and weeks ahead. Watch how your attention becomes riveted and present. The big word these days is MINDFULNESS.
You will now be more aware of sports celebrities doing little ritualistic gestures before an “at bat” a “free throw” or when “breaking a huddle.” This is a technique taught by sports psychologists to athletes for many years. Now it’s your turn.
Here’s an additional reason why this is called a trigger or anchor and why it is a powerful tool.
During your regular hypnosis session once or twice each day, while meditating or just taking some quiet time during your day, when you’re peaceful and relaxed, touch your fingers together and silently tell yourself “each time I touch these two fingers together I relax and become focused and concentrated.” You are associating (anchoring) the sense of relaxation and positive focus on demand with the touching together of the fingers. In neuroscience talk, brain cells that fire together, wire together. As you use the technique throughout the day, your mind will conform to this “post hypnotic suggestion” by creating excellence on demand and elevating your performance! As with most truths said about the body and brain, the more you use it, the better it will work for you.
Some have a tendency to make prejudgments and discard ideas that are not in concert with their own existing ideas. You can get past that. Show yourself what you can do rather than what you can’t by doing this little technique 5-10 times per day. Is the trial of three weeks worth it to develop the ability to focus, on demand? Evaluate its effectiveness in a few weeks. I know you will find the effort to be worthwhile.
