Good performances are like competitions
For the past 12 months, I have been training for my project "Malaga 2018" (800 meters and 1,500 meters at the World Masters Athletics Championship or as one would say in German: at the Senior World Championships). How terrible does that sound? As if I'm walking with a walker. Although the idea does have its charm... But when I tell friends that with training, my blog "Knacki Runs," and the trips to training, physiotherapy, or the doctor, I easily spend 20 to 25 hours per week, I can understand why I am constantly asked if I will really see it through to the end? Of course, I will see it through, and of course, I have questioned this decision multiple times: Why am I doing this? What keeps me going? Is it really just about winning? I can already say one thing: it's worth it, and two essential insights have solidified so far. Firstly, it takes more than just the will to win. Of course, I want to win ;), but to endure for a long time and overcome rough patches, you need a drive that is stronger than just a simple performance goal. What you need is a mission. A personal motive that integrates our goal into a higher need and motivation system. Such a mission is certainly not as all-encompassing as morally religious principles, but it has the advantage that we can tailor and adapt it specifically to our respective endeavors. And I know from many projects that if this motivational foundation is lacking, it becomes difficult to persevere in the long run. My mission consists of three components. Firstly, the desire to "close the deal." I have wanted to start on a real big competition all my life. I made it to the German Championships, but the next really big step eluded me. And I always regretted that. Secondly, I want to show as many people as possible that even as we age, we still have a future. And thirdly, I have set myself the goal of embarking on a crazy adventure once more and enjoying it. (Midlife crisis? I don't think so. And if so? Who does it harm?!) I can't say which of these three motivations pushes me the most. But even after 12 months, including three months of injuries, I am still having a lot of fun with it. But in terms of a second topic, this project has brought me a lot as well. After 34 years of stage experience, I was firmly convinced: I know everything about appearances, presenting, and speaking. But my new training and especially the competition preparations have provided me with plenty of new insights or insights that I had forgotten. Topics like stage fright, nervousness, and focus are, of course, not unfamiliar to me. Ultimately, performances are always a form of competition, but if you have been on stage for over 30 years, you eventually slip into automatism. Preparing for the first competitions gave me the opportunity to reconsider the fundamental approach to competitions and thus also to appearances. In contrast to performances, I understood in the context of competitions that one should already deal with mental questions during the training phase. Visualization techniques that are common in sports also help for any form of performance. Imagining how you walk on stage, deliver the first line, and remain calm even in difficult audience conditions can significantly ease your life on stage. The most important stage rule: When something goes wrong - and something always goes wrong - don't get upset, but smile. Even though honesty is a great virtue, you don't have to show every emotion immediately. However, you can only control your reactions if you train them in advance. I always imagine difficult situations, such as technical problems or difficult audience conditions, and then I imagine how I react calmly and continue to smile kindly. Imagine your worries and think about how you would react. I promise, if you spend just two to three minutes a day on this, you will have much better control over your emotions in case of a real crisis. During my first competition, I also realized again how nervous one can get shortly before their performance, and I caught myself thinking an hour before the start, "I wish I were home now." Such thoughts must be pushed aside immediately as soon as they pop up. Tell yourself firmly: "No. I have been looking forward to this for weeks, now I will see it through! I'm nervous? So what!" Just such thoughts can instantly change your mood. But maybe you are not afraid, but just "don't feel like it." I have a clear opinion on that. Fear is understandable. Everyone has fear, and fear at least shows you that you are on the right path. But "not feeling like it" is not acceptable; then you did something wrong in your preparation. You haven't really engaged with your motivation and your mission. But even then, you have no choice but to get yourself into the right mood now, and that is the simplest trick for a good performance. Your mood is always visible. So work on that mood. You alone are responsible for it. Whether you are afraid or just "don't feel like it." Think strong. Look forward to what is about to happen. It's your job. Now, there is also the case where you generally look forward to the presentation or performance, but it is the conditions that make you extremely nervous. In this respect, my new running experiences have allowed me to experience such situations anew. It doesn't matter if the audience is loud, interview partners don't react as agreed, or the technique doesn't work as expected; if you stay cool AND friendly, you will notice how you rebuild yourself even in difficult moments and suddenly the competitors start cooperating again. I know some may think now: "But I am not cool! That's THE problem." I understand. But, there is always a BUT. If you are not "cool AND friendly," then try to "play" "cool AND friendly" as well as you can, and you will notice how you gradually slip into the corresponding mood and behavior. This is not a self-made tip, but insights based on behavioral psychological studies. Just as performances have a lot to do with competitions, acting skills are a means to create and direct moods. And the right attitude and alignment of the mood are a simple tool to quickly improve your competition quality. Good competitors are good actors. Just look at how great athletes walk onto the field. The Walk of Champions - confident and full of joy. In summary, preparation is everything. Already in this phase, I can engage with the situation through simple visualization techniques and not be so easily surprised. Secondly, it is my task to put myself in the right mood before the performance. This approach is the easiest way to improve your performance on the spot. And thirdly, the Walk of Champions. While you may not always be able to control your emotions, you can certainly work on your entrance and expression like an actor, influencing not only spectators and competitors but, what the actual goal is, redirecting your own emotions back into the desired paths through expression and gesture.
Would you like to experience Klaus Jürgen "Knacki" Deuser live? Then secure your tickets now for the 11th Cologne Knowledge Forum!
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