Preparation vs. Performance: The Mindset Shift

“We have to know ourselves... Know how we are able to focus? Where are we directing our attention? What does that look like for each of us? When I work with high performers, that is the core question, because I believe each person is different.”

That is just one of the pieces of wisdom offered by Brian Levenson during a recent chat we had.

I’ve known Brian for many years. He’s the founder of Strong Skills, a coaching and consulting firm that helps elite leaders and teams elevate their performance. His roster of partners in high-stakes environments includes: CEOs and executives, as well as professional athletes across the NBA, NHL and MLS.

Simply put, Brian knows exactly what it takes to focus on what matters for people who need to be at their absolute best when the lights are brightest be it on the court, on the field or in the boardroom.

The preparation paradox

If you want to perform at your peak, you have to follow the classic Boy Scout motto: "Be Prepared." But Brian takes that a step further.

He told me a story about working with a collegiate golfer several years ago. While chatting over coffee about what mindset the golfer had for preparation and for performance, Brian realized something.

Brian had just finished Tom Coughlin's book, Earn the Right to Win, in which the two-time Super Bowl-winning coach shares a brilliant mantra: 

“Humble enough to prepare, confident enough to perform." 

“When I read that, I was like, ‘whoa, that is like a simplistic, brilliant line,’” Brian said. He asked the golfer, “what do you need in preparation? What do you need in performance?”

They took a piece of paper out and put the prep on one side and the performance on the other.

“It was amazing… they were very, very different, and they were almost opposites,” Brian noted.

Different mindsets for different moments

Since then, Brian has used this exercise with other clients. 

“We often say, ‘practice like you're gonna play’ and ‘practice makes perfect,’” Brian mused. “We have all these lines. But no one is saying, actually, ‘prepare this way so you can perform that way.’

“The idea that what your mindset is in preparation is actually probably different than what you need in terms of your mindset for performance.”

It got me thinking: How well do we really know ourselves on that basic level? How honest are we being?

Think about a common task, like giving a presentation at work. We jot down notes, prepare slides and rehearse the words in our heads. That’s the preparation. But when the actual moment arrives, the sweat starts, the heart races and the words spill out much faster than intended. When the Q&A begins, we mumble through confusing answers.

As Brian says, we have to know ourselves. Maybe in the "prep" phase, we shouldn’t be so intent on memorizing exact words. Instead, we should focus on the questions we might be asked. A little humility—the acknowledgment that we don’t know everything—actually gives us the confidence to deliver what we do know and find the answer for that which we don’t.

In my prep I may need to find a coffee shop, away from the office to get ready. I would then need to perform in a conference room. In pro basketball, rarely do teams practice at the same facility where they play games. There is separation and different routines in each location.

My performance takeaway

Understanding the shift between these two modes is key to eliminating distractions. In "prep mode," your distraction might be overconfidence. While in "performance mode," your distraction might be self-doubt.

Stay tuned. I plan on bringing more of Brian’s insights to “No Distractions” in the future.

Can’t wait for it? If you want to dive deeper into this philosophy, Brian has turned these shifts into a full program.  His book Shift Your Mind: 9 Mental Shifts to Thrive in Preparation and Performance offers changes to help people thrive in preparation and performance. 

Order it now and start your new “Shift.”