Moment 57 - Why You Need To Forget About The End Result: Sir David Brailsford
This episode discusses a philosophy of focusing on process over outcome to improve performance and reduce emotional hijacking. It emphasizes understanding one's own emotional and logical brain, setting controllable targets, and developing empathy for others' behaviors.
Deep Dive Analysis
9 Topic Outline
The Detrimental Impact of Focusing on Results
Understanding Unconscious Emotional Reactions and Threat States
Distinguishing Between Dreams and Controllable Targets
The Philosophy of Process Over Outcome
Training Mental Skills Like Physical Skills
Understanding Your Emotional and Logical Brain
Applying Self-Insight to Understand Others' Behavior
Balancing Ambition with Practical Implementation
Managing Emotional Responses in High-Pressure Environments
4 Key Concepts
Emotional Hijack
This refers to an unconscious emotional reaction that occurs quicker than logical thought, often in perceived 'threat states'. It leads to inconsistent and illogical behavior, making it difficult to base actions on rational decision-making.
Dreams vs. Targets
A 'dream' is an aspirational outcome, like winning a major competition, which is often beyond one's complete control. 'Targets' are the controllable, actionable steps and processes one can undertake to work towards that dream, such as training, nutrition, and team building.
Process Not Outcome
This philosophy advocates for focusing entirely on the controllable actions and steps in the present moment, rather than fixating on the future result or consequence. By concentrating on the process, individuals can maintain focus and reduce agitation caused by uncontrollable outcomes.
Mental Skills Training
Similar to how physical strength is built by overloading the body and allowing it to adapt, mental skills like focus, emotional regulation, and self-awareness can be trained. Understanding the emotional and logical parts of the brain provides insight into one's own behavior and allows for targeted mental development.
5 Questions Answered
Focusing on the outcome can trigger an unconscious emotional reaction, leading to agitation and fear because the outcome is often beyond one's complete control. This emotional hijack can lead to inconsistent and illogical behavior, reducing the chances of success.
By recognizing that these are normal emotional responses, one can train their mind to acknowledge the emotion, put it aside, and then separate their 'dream' (the desired outcome) from 'targets' (the controllable actions). The focus should then shift to the process and the present moment.
A 'dream' is the ultimate aspiration or desired end result, which may be influenced by external factors and is not entirely within one's control. 'Targets' are the specific, actionable, and controllable steps or processes that one can commit to in pursuit of that dream.
Mental skills can be trained similarly to physical skills; by understanding the mind's mechanisms (like the emotional vs. logical brain), one can practice self-awareness, emotional regulation, and focus. This training helps individuals adapt and strengthen their mental capabilities to perform under pressure.
By understanding one's own emotional triggers and responses, it becomes easier to empathize and put oneself in others' shoes. This insight allows for a more considered response to others' emotional behavior, rather than reacting emotionally in return, fostering better understanding and communication.
8 Actionable Insights
1. Forget Outcome, Focus Process
Actively forget about the final result or outcome of your performance because focusing on it can reduce your chances of success by triggering emotional responses like fight, flight, or freeze.
2. Separate Dreams from Targets
Distinguish between a ‘dream’ (the ultimate, often uncontrollable outcome) and ’targets’ (the controllable actions and processes you can take), then base your plan around these actionable targets.
3. Recognize and Park Emotion
Train your mind to recognize when emotion is taking over, acknowledge it as just emotion, and consciously set it aside to prevent it from illogically dictating your behavior.
4. Develop a ‘Bring Back’ System
Create a personal system or routine (like tying shoelaces) to talk yourself back into the present moment and refocus on the immediate process when you find yourself worrying about future outcomes.
5. Understand Your Emotional Triggers
Dedicate time to self-reflection to understand your emotional brain, identify what triggers your less-than-best self, and recognize the difference between your emotional and logical responses to gain insight into your behavior.
6. Train Mental Skills Consistently
Understand that mental skills can be trained like physical muscles; consistently overload your mind with challenges and allow time for adaptation to strengthen your mental resilience and performance.
7. Empathize Before Reacting
Before reacting emotionally to someone else’s behavior, especially if they seem angry or troubled, pause to consider their perspective and what might be causing their emotional response.
8. Cultivate High Ambition
Maintain high ambition and enthusiasm, believing that you can achieve significant goals, even those that seem unprecedented, and actively stretch your beliefs about what’s possible.
4 Key Quotes
if you set your goal as i'm going to win you're going to agitate non-stop because it actually it's out of your control
David Brailsford
put a crowd in there and what changes nothing changes physically it's all between your ears
David Brailsford
you've got like an emotional brain and a logical brain and... it gives you insight into yourself and why you are behaving and feeling like you are
David Brailsford
a lot of my behavior a lot of my life was driven by emotion it wasn't driven by the real me who could be calm and logical and think things through
David Brailsford
1 Protocols
Routine to Re-center and Focus on the Present
David Brailsford- Recognize when emotion is taking over or when worrying about the future.
- Engage in a small, deliberate physical action (e.g., untying and re-tying shoelaces).
- Use this action as a cue to bring the mind back to the present moment and concentrate on the process at hand, rather than the future outcome.