Athletes—and the rest of humankind—can get tangled up in thoughts and emotions that can disrupt and undermine optimal performance and other behaviors.

“Thoughts and feelings are not the currency of performance,” explained Peter Haberl, a senior consulting psychologist with the United States Olympic Team, on his LinkedIn homepage. So, what’s the real currency of athletic execution at the Olympics and other performance venues, according to Haberl, and other sports professionals?

Attention.

Attention to executing the skills required for optimal performance. Dwelling on desired outcomes, self-doubts, etc., or feelings—pleasant and unpleasant—can distract from correct focus and performance. Such off-task mind wandering is something all athletes—child, high school, collegiate, Olympic, and professional—are prone to do because they all happen to be human just like the rest of us.

Haberl served as the senior sport psychologist for the U.S. Olympic Committee from 1998 to 2023. He’s worked at 10 Olympic Games (including the 2024 Games), covering over 30 years with countless medalist teams and athletes. He played Austrian professional hockey for 10 years and represented his native Austria in two hockey World Championships.

He probably knows a little something about elite performance.

Laser attention is essential for success in athletics and everything else we do. Let’s take a closer look at what Haberl and contextual behavioral science have to say regarding the achievement of optimal focus.

Thoughtful reflection on his experience with elite performers led Haberl to an approach in working........

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