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appointment. None of these emotions helps BR E A T HE T R IGGER S
you perform at your best, and the emotional The most powerful tool available is also At the 2010 British Open at St. Andrews,
reaction of the mind impacts the body’s one that you already possess—the breath. Louis Oosthuizen used a red dot drawn on
performance. Breathe in through the nose for a count of his glove to focus his mind. Whenever his
A special variety of time traveling is story four, exhale for a count of six, and be sure to mind traveled into the future, he refocused
writing. As golfers approach the close of the use your diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breath- his attention by looking at the dot. Athletes
round, they begin crafting a response to a ing is a highly effective tool because it is al- use a variety of triggers to refocus. Whether
nearly inevitable question, “What did you ways present. You can’t breathe in the future, it’s looking at the top of the foul pole (Tampa
shoot?” If it is a good day, they prepare to and you can’t breathe in the past. Focusing on Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria),
regale their friends with the story of their the breath relaxes the mind and body while writing messages on his shoes (Golden State
success. If it isn’t their best, they prepare to returning our focus to the present. Warriors forward Kevin Durant), or hitting
describe every unfortunate bounce and break an imaginary reset button (Seattle Seahawks
that led to their poor score. When the mind W .I.N. quarterback Russell Wilson), these triggers all
is occupied in this fashion, it can’t devote its serve the same purpose—restoring a present
full attention to the task at hand. Whether I’m a big fan of acronyms, and this might moment focus.
it’s time traveling or story writing, golfers are be my favorite. W.I.N. stands for What’s
rarely present. Important Now? It’s a simple question with a MINDFULNE S S
profound impact on performance. The more Mindfulness is paying attention in the
So how do we deal with this situation? Joe we focus on winning, the less likely it is to present moment, on purpose and without
Maddon, manager of the Chicago Cubs, is occur. By focusing on W.I.N., however, we judgment. Engaging in a mindfulness prac-
fond of saying, “Be present, not perfect.” The increase the chances of winning, as well. The tice can have a host of physical and mental
perfect round of golf can never be played, but beauty of this question is that it can be used benefits. It reduces stress, anxiety, emotional
we can play with more presence. Here’s how: everywhere, not just on the golf course. reactivity, inflammation, and blood pressure.
At the same time, it enhances concentration,
creativity, decision-making, and calm. By
simply noticing your thoughts and sur-
roundings with kindness and curiosity, you’ll
be more focused, resilient, optimistic, and
present.

With these four tools, you’ll find yourself
in the present more frequently. Not only will
your game improve, you will find that you
enjoy golf more as well.

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