The Kicker and the 3 Rs of Focus

Staying in the moment needs to be more than a habit for us as leaders. It must become a way of life.

January 26, 2022

We frequently hear cliches of focusing on the moment and blocking out distractions from our lives. But we never seem to master the goal. Too often, something urgent happens that greatly hinders our ability to focus.

San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould has mastered concentration, though. In the above video, he goes through his pre-game routine as if he’s on an empty field, despite the fact the Green Bay Packers are being introduced and the crowd at Lambeau Field is going wild.

Gould never gets distracted and never alters his preparation, and is instead fully committed to staying in the moment.

So how can someone be this disciplined in his routine? And how do we as leaders get our teams to maintain this concentration level despite the countless distractions around us?

We often define focus as a mental state of being — and use various practices like meditation to get there. But focus is also a physical state, one in which we maintain our attention for a prolonged period.

Staying in the moment needs to be more than a habit for us as leaders. It must become a way of life. To do this, John Hall, the CEO of Digital Talent Agents, recommends we concentrate on three Rs.

  • Reflect. In the morning, quietly think about your priorities. Setting precedence early in the day helps you set your intentions and kicks off your day with a purpose. Get up early and make sure you are alone with just a pen and paper. Plan your focus.

  • Remember. As the day goes on, your attention is pulled in multiple directions. Take a breather and use simple triggers to remind you of your plans. Set alarms on your phone throughout the day to serve as reminders to focus.

  • Regroup. Before jumping from task-to-task or meeting-to-meeting, take breaks to regroup — even if it’s just for 30 seconds. During this time take three deep breaths and refocus by asking. “What do I want to accomplish NEXT?” We can’t just go from one meeting to another without a break. The break isn’t to text, make a call or to talk to others, but to re-establish our focus.

Gould’s ability to execute this pre-game routine with laser focus is what ultimately allowed him to kick the game-winning field goal three hours later, sending the 49ers to the NFC Championship game.

Perhaps if we improve our own, we can kick for championships in our own respective fields.

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