Luck is not a strategy for success. High performers prepare for success. And so one of the techniques that I use with all my clients is a pre-performance routine. What are we going to do before the event to prepare us to be at our best?
First step, identify a future event where the outcome is important that being successful in that is going to mean a lot to you. So first off again to identify the event and then we identify what is the outcome that we would like to see after it’s completed.
Next we need to identify the actions, behaviors and state that you need to be in for that outcome to achieve. Again luck would just be I hope it works. No, it’s up to you now of how you’re going to show up in the performance state for that outcome to come to you.
So part of that is understanding that maybe it’s a sales meeting. And it’s a big sales client that you want to close that deal with. That’s the outcome. Well maybe you need to be an engaged listener. Maybe you need to clearly communicate. Maybe you need to be focused. Maybe you need to be composed. You need to know those things before you go to that event. So that’s the second part is identify those actions, behaviors and states that you’re going to show up in to make that outcome more realistic of happening.
Next which is related, is what emotional state do you need to be in? Now again it could be composed. It could be confident. It could be determined. Depending on what the event is, identify that first because we want to what’s called prime it. We want you to remind yourself of how you want to show up instead of being reactionary of, oh those people there. And get nervous and get anxious. No, you’re going to be composed, you’re going to be confident, you’re going to be determined and you’re already setting the stage for how you’re going to show up.
Next thing is actually now visualizing success. This comes back from my coaching with athletes that they all do quite successfully is they visualize the outcome but they also visualize the process. They actually see themselves in the behaviors that are necessary to achieve the goal. So visualizing that with as much clarity as possible, seeing yourself be a great listener. Seeing yourself asking for the sale. Seeing yourself being focused is going to make it more real to you that you can do it. So we certainly are going to see success, the outcome. But I want to also now visualize how you personally, what are your behaviors, how are you going to show up is key.
Now that’s not the end of the routine. The routine also has to do with dealing with adversity and obstacles. Yeah, it would be great for me to always think that everything’s going to be perfect with the outcome. But great performers and I don’t care if they’re athletes, I don’t care if they’re entertainers, I don’t care if they’re CEOs, they plan for disaster.
When we’re looking at that is that we can actually have a routine based around different scenarios. I call them if then scenarios. So in a sales meeting if the client objects to something then I do blank. Maybe I have to ask more questions, maybe I have to understands their needs. So you have now different scenarios built in so you are prepared for what occurs at that event.
So the first visualization was certainly about success and everything just going your way but also have some routines that are based around strategies that you’re going to utilize when things do not go well. Foresee what could happen. What are the obstacles that you could come your way? Now by running those scenarios on you’re going to be more comfortable now dealing with whatever happens your way.
So pre-performance routine is about preparation. It’s about seeing success but it’s also about running the success behaviors over and over in your mind so now they become a habit. You run the routine the night before, maybe you run that routine 10 minutes before that event. So now you’re more prepared to perform for success.