Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Turning off the tape player


GetAwayDriva

Recommended Posts

(Not sure if this is the correct place to post this.  Mods please move to the correct spot if needed)

 

I would like to shut off the tape player the continually runs in my head.  When I am making ready, then waiting for the beep, I am usually having a conversation with myself reminding me where the targets are, when I am going to reload, R.E.M. wrong to have good trigger control etc.  It almost seems like the start beep interrupts this dialog but I "think" I have it shutoff moments before the beep.   When I dry fire, I am verbally reminding myself to "remember to...... correctly" (whatever it was that I didn't do correctly the rep before) and for sure that dialog IS happening when the beep goes off.  I have realized that when I am attempting to visualize something, I am actually telling myself what to do and am not actually seeing it in my minds eye.  Problem is, the tape player NEVER shuts off.  It goes on all day long.  As a matter of fact, I have written this post a bazillion times in my head before now typing it out.  So I need to figure out how to shut it off.  I have tried the counting/diaphragm breathing exercise.   I do it during the last "relaxation" pose at my weekly yoga class and I am horrible at it.  (Although, it involves thinking things so not sure that would help anyways). I believe I need baby steps.  Would there be any benefit to setting a short par time (like 5 seconds?  I was serious about baby steps because I don't think I could even do 5 seconds) on a timer and trying to not think of anything at all during that time?  Then increase the par time little by little?  Any ideas of how to shut off that tape player so I can just "do" instead of "tell myself to do?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, but I can't think of what it's called at the moment. I'll update this when I remember it. 

My brother in law is a PGA teaching professional and it's something he teaches to his students. I believe Lanny Bassham also teaches this. Some NFL field goal kickers use it as well. The premise is that you pick a phrase to repeat to yourself that has absolutely nothing to do with what you are about to do. Something that's short and easy to remember. Like "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain". It can be anything, although it should be something that invokes good or neutral feelings. You go through your setup and think about what you want to do. After you holster starting repeating your phrase. 

Where I think you want to get to is the state you are in when you stick your keys in your ignition. It's a complex movement but I'd bet most of us can do it with our eyes closed. Most certainly aren't thinking about that particular act when they do it. 

Having said that, I don't do it. I am thinking about my first shot and only my first shot. Although I'm not thinking about it in any complex way. I don't seem to have any issue with excessive thinking right before or during a stage or during dry fire. Before and after my brain never shuts off. I've decided to embrace it, because I can't make it stop. :) 

I remembered what it's called. It's called a clear key. The idea is to get your conscious mind thinking about something else so that your subconscious mind can perform the action. Google "Carey Mumford of Clearkey Golf" and there is a pdf that explains some of it. There is also a video on youtube entitled "clear key lesson". 

Edited by promtcy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do this... Hit the "pause button" -  Visualize a horizontal line through the center of your eyes and a vertical line through the center of your nose. Now imagine a spot (or small area) one inch of above the intersection of the two lines. Consciously place all of your attention on that spot. Be aware of your mind's activity when you do that. Notice - for the moment of the "placing," the thinking mind stops completely. 

Keep doing that until you get really good at it. :) Really good meaning suspending thought for a few or more seconds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read once where it is impossible for the mind to not think, or maybe it was to be blank.  Also the man who could focus on a single thought for 7 minutes? could rule the world.

I have a hard time with ear worms, when a song or thought gets stuck in your head and you can't seem to get it out, but at a match it doesn't bother me.

At the make ready I make ready, close my eyes and do an internal pantomime of my cof plan, assume the start position, take a deep breath, and then try to let my mind go blank, which it can't, so it ends up just being aware of the cof.  On occasion I will focus on some action, grip, front sight, etc... 

Another trick is to see in your minds eye a perfect sight picture on your first target, but that trick seemed to slow down my first shot so I quit it.

The one thing to remember is your best performance will be with your sub-conscious mind, once you start thinking of your shooting you will slow down and become erratic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

attention is just selective focus. you have to choose to begin the process of being in control of and directing, where your focus is. this is real work and has to be practiced.

 

i've found the ability to be focused on the things i want of greater value than just having a mental check list style, stage plan.

 

focus is vastly different than imagery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are several classic Zen Buddhist techniques aimed at doing just this, though they all attempt to silence 'the babbler' globally rather than just in certain circumstances, like standing at the stage start mark.  One of the more popular is koan practice, which is similar to the advice above to repeat a nonsense phrase, but is more intense in that it uses an unsolvable question to force the babbler into overdrive and exhaust him so he shuts up.  The classic is 'what is the sound of one hand clapping', but also 'who is the master', 'what was your face before your parents were born', etc.  It doesn't matter... just something to concentrate intensely on so you can drown out that tape player.  Do it often enough and the tape will slow down and eventually stop. 

 

Another is go for mindfulness.  Try and fill your attention up with everything around you as head to the start line.  The targets and course, yes, but also the environment around it, the sunlight, the air... if you're concentrating on the world around you enough you won't have any time left for that tape player. 

 

All this is easy to type out but hard to do.  I certainly fail most of the time at it.  It's worked enough, though, that I'm convinced of it's utility... what's lacking is my own discipline.  :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your quote on mindfulness reminds of Brian's practice of trying to live an "error free day".  If your paying intense attention to everything in your operating environment, you have less bandwidth available for babble.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...