Imagine you are stuck in rough waters. Rudderless, your boat is whipped around by the chaos of the sea. Certain death approaches. At the last moment you realized you are equipped with a 30 pound anchor. You drop the weight and it plows into the ocean shore and, while you may still drift slightly, you are grounded, safe, and steady.
In sport and performance, you can possess your own psychological anchors to weather the storm of pressure, self-doubt, and fierce competition. These cues can be cognitive, physical or both. They could be the fastening or unfastening of a glove, a tap of the bat, removing your hat OR they could be a one word mantra, a deep breathe, or a quick visualization. Regardless of the specific anchor, these practices are stabilizing and calming in the face of stressful performance moments.
So, next time you are lost in the proverbial turbulent swells of competition, drop the anchor. It is likely the keep to remaining focused, steady, and present during the most emotionally charged moments.