DISTRACTION... Acting As My Kryptonite???

I just had my first and hopefully last horrible practice for the year.  The culprit… distraction!!!  Now, in fairness, I’ve been basking in the glory of some great training sessions, so when a day like today occurs it sticks out like a sore thumb!

I can handle having a bad practice because of an injury or illness; but, not because of distractive thoughts, especially if thoughts of last night’s The Bachelor or Charlie Sheen are entering my mind.  Interestingly, I believe a bad day in training is not so different from anyone else having a bad day in life. 

I am a self-proclaimed perfectionist.  I compete in a discipline that demands mastery and precision.  And I am just 500 days away from the start of the 2012 Olympic Games, 5 months from the World Championships and 2 months from the start of my competition season.  So, when I have a wasted practice session like today, I am more than just upset.  It can be a slippery slope if you don’t identify problems when they occur, and allow them to linger.

I believe the same can be said about life in general.  If you find yourself not getting the results that you want (no matter what it is), it pays dividends to stop, take note and confront the brutal facts.  We aren’t passengers in this thing called life.  We are the drivers.

The difference with sports compared to life, are that the goals and objectives are clearly defined, within a constructed time frame.  Therefore it is easier to identify problems… But, often people can linger in this horrible state when it comes to life…. Eeeek!!!!!

As for me, I’ve already begun identifying the errors in today's practice session and what I must do to ensure a day like this doesn’t happen again… Even if that means I never watch another Bachelor show between now and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Days like today remind me, I just might be a mere mortal… hmmm…. but, I doubt it…

Pressing onto a better day in training & hitting the books,

Nicole