From the desk of Andrew Neitlich....

I just got back from a Tampa Bay Rays game. Pitcher Scott Kazmir had a horrible night against the Red Sox. His first nine pitches were balls, then he gave up a home run, and then he gave up more walks and home runs. His throws were erratic. On one easy play at first, he somehow pulled back and missed the bag, turning an easy out into a hit.

How can an all-star pitcher have a game like that? Is it the pressure of being in a pennant race against the World Series Champs -- especially when it is the first pennant race ever for the Rays? Or did he have something else going on in his head?

It doesn't matter whether you play in high school, college, a local league, the minor leagues, or the big leagues. You have to be able to focus on the spot and achieve peak performance.

One of the exercises we do with our clients is to determine every possible thing that can get in the way of being 100% present during key moments. If a player is totally honest, there should be enough content to fill a page or more: distractions with the family; money issues; contract issues; entourage issues; issues with the cars and the home; nagging pain; complaints about the coach or GM; jealousy with teammates; problems with the agent; problems with the spouse; rifts with the parents; conflict with the media; the noise of the crowd; a particular superstition about what to wear or how to comb the hair; pressure during a particularly important game; fear of failure; fear of injury; fear of what happens if you don't perform; setting up a "win or else" scenario in one's head; legal issues; endorsement issues; and all sorts of limiting or conflicting beliefs.

Peak performance is -- in part -- taking those distractions and making them nothing but background noise. On of our jobs as a sports life coach is to help the player access peak performance and get into that zone in an instant. There are many exercises to do that, from things as simple as finding time to meditate and pray before each game, to visualization, clearing away off-the-court/field distractions,  replacing limiting perceptions, dealing with pressure during simulations, improving one's preparation prior to the game, and many more.

What gets in your way when you need to achieve peak performance? What do you do to get in the flow and play your best?