The most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 28 medals, followed the same pre-race routine for decades.
Michael Phelps completed his warm-ups and stretching by listening to a curated set of hip-hop, EDM, and country music songs. He used the songs to “get amped up and in the zone” before competing.
Phelps understood that music can have a tremendous influence on the mind and competitive spirit. So should you.
The songs a performer enjoys for relaxation, energy, or positive vibes can be harnessed to intentionally motivate great performance.
Leaders, athletes, and performers of any kind can use their own curated playlist to inspire positive and motivating energy anytime they need a boost. All they have to do is make the selections that speak directly to them.
Listening to select music just prior to competition or between performances can block out distractions, elevate the performer’s mood, and set the right execution tempo.
For many performers, even singing a particular song with their inner voice or humming a comfortable and positive tune can anchor their thoughts and keep them from thinking about the mechanical aspects of execution.
After a stellar performance or victory, listening to a song or playlist can create an association that rekindles the sensations and feelings the performer experienced when they were at their best.
So, immediately after a superior performance, top performers often reach for a pre-selected song they have been saving for just such a moment.
Then, as soon as they can, they listen to it over and over, imprinting the confidence and emotions of victory while it is still fresh.
Once the feelings and song are burnished in the mind, any time the song is played it can bring back much of the sensory experience and mood that captured that magical moment. The boost of confidence and positivity on the current performance can sometimes be remarkable.
Music is a universal language that speaks to top performance. It is a nutrient for the performing mind.
Deployed intentionally to elevate a performer’s mood just prior to performance, music serves a unique role. It strengthens the competitive spirit.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
