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“No ambition” is what Gerry Lopez tells me whenI am overthinking. The idea of pre-planning a ride on an ever-changing wave is preposterous, yet I habitually over analyze technique when things aren’t going right. My focus diverts to the past, negative thoughts creep in, and rather than being present in the moment and intuitively reacting with the ocean, performance erodes.
Ambition is motiving. It is what get us on the water at sunrise and to the gym after an exhausting day at work. Ambition drives and directs our training program. Without ambition there are no world champions and no gold medals. However, once the race begins, ambition is no longer a useful focus for an athlete. I once asked multi-sport endurance athlete Zoe Roy, what she thought about while racing. “Ideally, nothing” she replied. Racing with an open mind allows us to be in the moment.
Quieting the mind requires practice. Gerry suggests focusing on breathing. When we fully focus on breathing, we cannot focus on anything else. We are in the moment. The mental state where we reach our maximum potential.
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