It only takes one second to focus
Lesson #65
I had given myself 100 days to accomplish a goal that had eluded me for years: 100 catches of 6-ball juggling.
Every practice, I would track my work in a spreadsheet. Not just sets, reps, and technical notes, but I’d also write down a life lesson — something that could be generalized far beyond juggling. On day 65, this was my note-to-self: “it only takes one second to focus.”
It was one of those days…
After making some big strides toward my goal, I felt like I was hitting a plateau, my shoulder was acting up, and I wasn’t sure if practice was worth it. Usually laser-focused on my practice, on this day my mind was elsewhere.
On a tough day, even someone who can juggle 6 balls makes the same mistake as every beginner. After dropping, we pick up the balls, throw them up with no expectations, and see them fall once more. The whole thing feels inevitable.
But this cycle skips over a key step. Right before throwing the balls into the air, there should be a sliver of a moment when we see where they’re going…we don’t have the luxury of a bull’s eye, but we can still see targets in our mind’s eye. (For a more technical look, check out Joan Vickers’ “quiet eye” research.)
In fewer words, it hit me: It only takes a second. I can pick up the balls, exhale, set my gaze, and get ready to execute. It only takes a second.
I’m not alone in having the occasional bad day or frustrating practice, right? Maybe next time one sneaks up on you, you can try out the mantra. Remind yourself, “it only takes a second,” and see what happens next.
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