When you learn to ride a motorcycle they tell you to look where you want to go, or “where you look is where you’ll land.” You have to keep your focus in the right place. Your brain can react lightning fast if you let it. Don’t give your attention where it slows up the process.

A new age – Hippy Dippy guy (keyboard player) told me when you focus on your goal it’s as if you grab on to something and get pulled along… or something. I can’t take those folks seriously.

A drummer told me that when he injured his ankle the doctor told him to keep his head up and look at where he was going instead of looking at the floor or his leg. He realized the truth in it when he had to walk up several flights of stairs. He was doing great till he started to hurt and looked at his leg. He said the pain instantly got worse. Remembering the advice, he raised his head up and looked at the top of the stairs. As soon as he focused on his goal he moved there more easily. So, maybe hippy dippy guy was on to something.

Have you ever talked to a person who tells you everything that’s wrong? Everything that hurts, or every bad thing that's ever happened to them? They give so much attention to the bad they can’t see the good. If you‘re not careful they can bring you down with them.

Just like you can spiral down, you can spiral up too! When you’re about to go on stage, think about the best show you’ve had. How the crowd reacted and how everything went right. Take that memory with you.

Some performers have taken this to the next step where they look at something as if it already happened, and it was great.

A fighter described how he was in a match and felt like he was watching himself execute perfectly. He said it was like the scene in the Matrix where Neo finally figures out he’s indestructible. He anticipated his opponent’s moves as if he remembered what was going to happen.

A comedian described how before each show he says, “Remember how great this show was.” Since he’s changed his focus to the great result he expects, he even comes up with better material while performing.

You’ve done the hard work to get to this point. Written great music and practiced till you can perform with your eyes closed. Now you can anticipate great shows and fans who respond back with the same energy you give out.

Remember how great your next show was?