Stop Thinking?

I hear a lot of golf experts advising golfers not to think when they’re standing over the ball.? Unfortunately, the only times the conscious mind is inactive are when we are asleep, dead, or in a coma.? So, even if you wanted to you couldn’t force yourself to stop thinking when you’re playing golf.? And trying not to think requires thinking.

?Research on Zone-like experiences also known as Peak Performance of High-Performance Mind States report that when individuals are performing at peak efficiency, there is a drastic reduction in conscious mind activity.? This requires training, especially given the fact that we’re constantly trying to multitask our way through life.? It also requires the appropriate practice strategies, and the same commitment serious golfers give to improving their physical skills.

?My research indicates that, while we cannot stop thinking altogether, we can reduce it to a single thought, object, or point in space while becoming oblivious to all other internal and external stimuli.? That means that while you still may be thinking, your conscious mind is unaware of any thoughts outside of that singular focus, giving the impression that you have stopped thinking.

?This type of focus has been documented in Buddhist monks who have been meditating for years, martial artists, like blackbelts in Karate, and soldiers in a war zone.? Now, you don’t need to become a Buddhist monk or meditate for hours on end every day for years to develop the ability to learn to access a Zone Mind State on demand while playing golf.? You just need to learn how to quiet your mind and develop a single mindedness in your attention.

?So, don’t try to stop thinking.? It doesn’t work.? Learn to focus so completely that you lose awareness to your thoughts, emotions, and any external stimuli other than your point of focus.