Distraction is a constant feature of modern life. Current generations are growing up as digital natives and the allure of technology is ever-present in most environments. Clearly the genie is not going back in the bottle so it follows we should take steps to equip young performers to manage their own mental traffic to take back control of their actions and better deal with distractions of technological and other origin. The ability to marshal one’s own attention and resist becoming sidetracked is arguably the new superpower. Developing these capabilities to harness and direct our attention amidst all the distraction represents not only a competitive advantage but also the key to unlocking the possibilities for long term achievement in sport and beyond.

MANAGING MENTAL RESOURCES…

Intention, attention and directed mental effort are identified as the three components that both coaches and performers must harness in order to develop and be successful over time. Like time and money, attention is a scarce resource and we need to prize and protect it as such. Student-athletes in particular must learn to manage their time and deploy their attention in the most productive way if they are to balance the competing demands of pursuing success in their chosen sport(s) and academic achievement (or indeed just satisfying the requirements to maintain their academic eligibility).

We hear sportspeople talk a lot about focus. As implied in the title, focus relies on the performer’s ability to tune out background noise and distractions in the environment. What is less talked about as it not as visible is that another part of focus is dealing with the distractions of internal noise and interference within the performer’s own mind. Feelings, self talk and distracting thoughts are equally aspects that every performer must learn to manage.

Failing to manage mental resources and handle distractions effectively inevitably has a cost to the performer. Distractions of technology in particular are evident even among performers at the highest level. The indication that smartphones are encroaching on practices include reports of a coach who felt compelled to introduce cell phone breaks within team practice sessions to allow the players to satisfy their apparently overwhelming cravings to check their phones. Late night use of smartphones and social media among professional players is also reported to result in measurable determinant effects on their performance statistics in games the following day.

TOOLS FOR THE JOURNEY…

The great thing about sport is its power to inspire. When a young performer finds their sport it has a fascination that can hold their attention indefinitely. Being immersed in a task is inherently pleasurable - this state is described as flow. Engaging in purposeful activity also provides a sense of meaning. The inability to harness our attention and being in a state of constant distraction is the opposite - it is inherently unsatisfying and does not make us feel good.

When young performers reach their early teens they acquire a growing propensity and desire to take command of their own destiny. Around this time comes an inclination to look towards the future, choose a long-term aspiration and commit themselves to striving towards achieving it. It follows that in order to help them in this quest we should also provide the tools to stay on task and avoid becoming side-tracked.

Grit and tenacity are also increasingly identified as crucial traits that help young performers stay on the path and persevere through the inevitable challenges and obstacles they encounter on the way. These traits are accordingly being considered and selected for during the talent identification process, at least within more evolved organisations.

THE OTHER KPI: KEY PERFORMANCE (AND DEVELOPMENT) INHIBITORS…

One of the most crucial aspects of the talent development process for the young performer is getting to grips with what goes on between their own ears, especially as it relates to their ability to learn and to perform under pressure. Managing the effects of external expectations and social stressors on their mental processes and behaviours is an integral part of this.

Oddly talent development pathways do not typically cater for such aspects of self-regulation or equip aspiring young performers with strategies or countermeasures to deal with outside pressures and influences that may detract or distract from the mission. This seems a glaring omission. All the more so when we consider that the task faced by impressionable young performers has never been more challenging since the introduction of social media with all its the pervasive influence.

Arguably the most problematic aspect of digital technology in general and the smartphone in particular is that it serves as a portal to social media applications, which can be kryptonite to the young performer in a number of different ways. Besides the more toxic aspects of social media, external validation and social media status not only gives a false sense of achievement but the rewards of ‘likes’ can create a craving for these extrinsic motivators, which can soon displace the intrinsic motivation that is so crucial to sustain the long journey to elite level. The fire that is ignited when a young performer commits to a long term goal must be nurtured and protected - extrinsic rewards and external validation are like accelerants which cause the fire to flame brightly initially but then burn out as the oxygen is rapidly exhausted.

GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUE (UNCOVERING THE SOURCE)…

There are a growing number who have sounded the alarm that we have become prisoners or slaves to technology specifically engineered to hijack our and exploit psychological triggers to manipulate our behaviour. Whilst certainly some elements of this narrative are factual (yes big tech does design and engineer software and product features to hook and hold our attention) it is not the whole truth. The bigger problem with this version of event is that it absolves us of any responsibility or agency and in doing so also eliminates the possibility for us to take steps to change the situation without abstaining from using technology (which for most of us isn’t a practical solution, especially if we’ve grown up in its presence).

Whilst it is true that indulging the urge for distraction has never been easier. It is also true that once we engage with technological distraction there a number of inbuilt hooks and tricks that keep us distracted for longer. However, none of this changes the fact that the urge for distraction comes from somewhere. And just as often the origins of our urge to be distracted comes from within us. The trigger is not always external - if we observe our own behaviour we frequently seek out distraction by reaching for our devices. Breaking the cycle requires us to recognise this, and in turn take steps to deal with the causes of our cravings for distraction so we can come up with some strategies and practices to take back the reins.

CREATING SPACE…

When we lapse into mindless conditioned behaviour our actions are prompted by a trigger or urge without any conscious thought or intention in between. As noted this trigger may be external (including what Nir Eyal describes as the ‘pings, dings and rings’ of mobile technology) but the original urge just as often comes from within.

Among the most common causes for us to seek distraction (and reach for our smartphone to indulge it) are discomfiting thoughts or feelings. The stories we tell ourselves are another internal trigger.

By inserting a buffer we can create the necessary gap between the stimulus (trigger) and indulging the urge (response). We can then employ this time to gain some awareness of the trigger and capture our internal narrative to see if the logic holds up to scrutiny. These practices thereby provide young performers the opportunity to unmask the unhelpful things they tell themselves and develop habits of thought that better serve them and the pursuit of their goals.

Giving ourselves permission to indulge the urge once the time delay has lapsed (if we still wish to do so) robs it of some of its power (the sense of relief that comes when we give in). Inserting this fire break also brings immediately benefits as the young performer will often find the urge for distraction has passed once the buffer period is over, so that having ‘surfed the urge’ they are able to return to what they were doing originally.

CURATING THE ENVIRONMENT…

Distractions cannot be removed entirely but that can be better managed. Knowing that there are external triggers which have the power to hook and hold our attention, we can take steps to curate the space around us to manage and mitigate their effects on us.

Even having the smartphone within our line of sight or in the room with us is shown to have a distracting effect. Aside from keeping devices beyond arm’s reach (or better still in another room) we can hack back triggers and visual cues when we do have these devices in our possession. Turning off intrusive alerts and notifications eliminates much of the interruption and we can also rearrange the apps that appear on the home screen to lessen the temptation. Other related practical steps include getting a watch to escape the tendency for attention to be captured when we check the time on our smartphone.

Whilst parents and coaches can certainly model the right behaviours and propose these strategies, agency remains paramount if the performer is to effect any lasting changes in their own behaviour. Having an accountability partner is helpful but each individual must make the choice to take action and voluntarily commit themselves to adopting these practices.

Once they have chosen to take action, pledging to certain behaviours or opting to commit to certain rules (e.g. no smartphone when studying) and publicly entering into an agreement with another person (of their own free will) can help the performer to hold themselves accountable, particularly if there is some cost involved in failing to uphold it! Choosing to sign up to terms such as a financial penalty or forfeit can add teeth to the commitment as they now have ‘skin in the game’, which provide a boost to motivation during times of weakness!

IN CLOSING: CREATING CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS…

How much sleep we’ve had goes a long way to determining what attentional resources we have at our disposal and how well we are able to deploy them on any given day. Exercise is another tool that greatly assists with the ability to concentrate and study. For instance, a bout of exercise during the school day is demonstrated to help the ability of kids diagnosed with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to attend to lessons. Both sleep and exercise also make learning and practicing a more fruitful endeavour - exercise releases neurotrophic factors and sleep is integral to the processes within our brain that allow us to retain new information and acquire motor skills.

It follows that if young performers wish to maximise their mental resources and become better at how they manage them, then doubling down on sleep and maintaining a regular exercise regimen is are important. The latter is usually a given, whereas many student athletes need to take steps to improve their sleep habits. To come full circle, being disciplined with using technology in the evenings and eliminating devices from the bedroom is part of this practice.

The final key that unlocks so much is when young performers adopt the practice of relieving psychological discomfort by reaching out to real people when something is on their mind and talking through whatever is bothering them rather than seeking to distract themselves from troubling thoughts and feelings of disquiet. This begins with acknowledging that distraction at best turns down the volume temporarily but otherwise just defers the problem and often makes it loom larger (the prospect and what we conjure in our imagination typically being far worse than the reality when we get things out in the open and ultimately confront the situation).

POSTSCRIPT:

For those interested in diving deeper I highly recommend the writing of Nir Eyal on this topic, who also has a number of resources and suggestions that can be found at: https://www.nirandfar.com/indistractable/

Readers who are interested can enquire to find out more about what support and coaching provision we can offer for those local to Vancouver, as well as remote coaching options for those further afield. For more, including how to arrange an initial assessment, see the ‘Enquire’ link at the top of the page or email us direct at PreparedATH@gmail.com.

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Thanks also to all those who have shared feedback on the recent release Prepared: Unlocking Human Performance with Lessons from Elite Sport (click on the image below for details).