It’s time to talk about cornhole mindset! Specifically how to perform under pressure!

One of the tools that can be really helpful, especially when you have a bunch of feelings bubbling up and attempting to take over, is something called "Anchoring".

Anchoring is an NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) trick we use to help the body and brain memorize a state of mind and bring it back when we need it.

Think about a song that takes you right back to a memory. That’s anchoring. And you can use this to help you perform under pressure.

First, start off by noticing what your current state is. How are you feeling emotionally? And then what are you feeling physically?

For example, if you're about to go play a big game you may feel nervous, excited, anxious... and maybe you notice your stomach in knots, palms sweating, and tension in your shoulders.

How do you think this impacts your performance?

While we don't technically have control over this we can attempt to elicit a specific state. But this must be mastered during practice, not right before a game.

So in your practice sessions take a moment to drop into the state that feels amazing. Think of a time you were in the zone. You were playing lights out. You were unstoppable. Think about the confidence and pride you felt.

Try and bring in as many sights, sounds, and other senses you can to fully bring you back into that moment. 

Then we anchor it. 

Anchoring can be done with sounds, smells, touch, or whatever you think will be easy to elicit when you need it and powerful.

Let's say you choose sounds. Once you fully bring yourself into the state you want to be in, play a song that helps reinforce those feelings and memories. Put yourself in that song and those feelings.

Now every time you play, allow that anchor to trigger the state you want to be in. Play that song to help you drop into that state all over again.

For your best performance under pressure, it’s all about that state you’re in. Take the time to get into the right state and you will find that pressure delivers our best performance

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