Anytime I train, practice, teach, race, or perform at any level, I take a few minutes of going completely inward. First I usually hide (literally) in a place where no one else is around so I can gather my calm. One I arrive in the place where I'm surrounded by noise or distraction before the "event" (performance, race, practice, training, teaching, talking, whatever) occurs, I take another few moments completely to myself walling everything else away. Sometimes I call it focus, sometimes I call it meditation, the result is the same. I think this tool so useful in life that I like to encourage others to try utilizing it before, during, or after quite frankly *anything* in life. You will think better, feel better, do better, and recover better.

This is me about to do an ad hoc performance at the last night of my 2015 retreat at anamaya, with a couple of fractured ribs from a surfing mishap on day 3. I listened to my body before and during and managed to move without pain or strain, rather just expressed what was wanting to happen then and there. I attribute that to this moment of finding my calm and inner focus.