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Perfect Practice Makes Perfect Performance

By: Dennis Maness, PhD

Your performance on the field is predicated by your performance in practice. There’s an old saying that “Practice Makes Perfect.” Unfortunately, that is wrong. As a neuro scientist, I have been working with students, executives and athletes for over twenty years and I have seen and know that “Perfect Practice makes Perfect Performance.”

There are many factors that go into a perfect performance. They include Vision, Listening, focus, attention, rapid neuro-muscular reaction to thought, and the understanding and control of your emotions. Life is a brain thing. Performance is not limited to the field of athletic performance. Performance is behind every desk in each school, office, home and boardroom throughout the world.

For just a moment, take off your boardroom and everyday life mentality and step onto the field of athletic performance. I am going to show you how you can use every molecule in your being to become a better person, friend, spouse, business professional, student, teacher and/or athlete. Are you ready? The Play: You are an offensive linesman for your favorite football team. The next play will be for your running back to run between you and your team mate who is to your right on the line.

You step up to the line and survey the landscape, your first observation is the Opposing Linesman - He is trash-talking you, insulting you, your family and trying to demoralize you in every way possible in order to distract you. If he can distract you, your chances of making a mistake have increased ten-fold. If he can upset you, your chances of being taken out of the play are increased by 200%.

Rule Number One:

Learn How to Listen - Anyone can hear: Few can Listen.

There are only two voices on the field you need to listen to - the Center who is calling the snap (the snap is the signal to hike the ball) and the Quarterback who is calling the play.

All other voices are only background noise; the sounds of life. Let all others hear – let you and yours listen only to the signals that matter.

Listening requires focusing. Whether you are in your living room or the boardroom, there are sounds that you should listen to and sounds that should be only white noise to you. Some of the important sounds that should require your attention are the cry of your infant in the crib, the complaint of a key customer or your supervisor or teacher as they explain an assignment.

Rule Number Two: Learn How To Observe; Anyone can see: Few can Observe

When you step up to the ball, I want you to see the eyes of your opponent and without moving your eyes, I want you to see the feet and calves of the opponent on both sides of the opposing linesman in front of you. When you are able to see their feet and legs, you will know if they are going to rush or drop back or some other play. This information allows you to develop an appropriate plan of action.

This is important because you can’t tackle or plan your business, your education or your life when you are being controlled by the elements or outside influences. Just as the opposing linesmen are outside influences, by watching their behaviors you are able to adjust your play. This keeps you in control. Through observation, you know your opponents path of attack and therefore you are in control. When you are in control, you will learn and accomplish more in less time, less effort and less stress; a side benefit is your ability to recall on demand the information your have obtained.

Perfect practice makes perfect performance When in practice, you learn how to expand your visual range, how to not only see but comprehend what is going on around you. You learn what your strengths are and which ones you can apply to strengthen each weakness.

Now, it is coming together. You are in a position to start applying your learned skills such as expanding your visual range to not only see but comprehend what is going on around you. You work on the timing of your neuro muscular reaction to thought. When you visually see the whole picture and are quick to process thought, your access to information is better.

In life, you are learning by observing and comprehending. Anyone can see. Each additional piece of information you are able to collect when you are observing helps you manage your play. This helps you become more alert, more attentive and more focused. You are able to make sense out of an adversarial situation. Then recall how you mastered that situation in your perfect practice.

In my eighteen years in working with athletes, I have found the same principles apply. Perfect practice makes perfect in prime time.

At BrainTek^tm Institute I tune your brain so you are able to process at the speed of the Hippocampus and Limbic System. I teach you how to communicate and organize information and energy in your brain to help you access recall faster. I teach lobe specific communications so you can think in a whole brain behavior. I help you bring your brain frequencies back into optimal balance and function.

Your will learn while at BrainTek^tm Institute that your brain is affected by the foods you eat, how well you manage your stress and your lifestyle. At which is why our certified technicians are able to train and assist you so you are able to maintain your new brain and body health long after you leave our offices.

Research
• BrainTek Institute continues to stay at the cutting edge of brain / body research.  Our research has helped us become successful with  traumatic brain injury, stroke, Attention / Focus and other cognitive challenges.  We are also studying how early detection of irregular brainwave behavior is a valuable predictor of potential challenges.