of intensity. This allows their brains’ intuitive processes access to emotional meaning. A relaxed pilot can continue to use intuition to guide decisionmaking. If you find yourself “flying scared,” the best remedy is to dial it back and fly more conservatively until you feel confident at that level. Next, challenge yourself incrementally, until you can fly more aggressive tasks with confidence. Knowing and accepting your own limits is crucial. Confidence is not something you can trick your unconscious into feeling. False confidence will come and go, because your unconscious always knows if you’re truly up to the task. If you’re in over your head, your unconscious knows. Therefore, convincing your conscious mind that you’re capable when you’re not is bad strategy and a recipe for disaster. Just as blocking out fear will cause it to resurface unpredictably on its own terms, false confidence will leave you when you need it. Elite pilots like Gavin have to change their thinking and their approach to risk in order to make these quantum leaps. That transformation requires mental toughness that has been earned through hours in the air, years of problem solving and some form of mental-skills training to make the leap. Whether it’s done informally, in the context of a mentorship or with friends, or formally, by working with a performance coach, the goal must be learning to turn down the volume on worry, fear and other distractions and shine the light on optimal mental performance. If you’re determined to take an accelerated path and want help achieving your goals, find an instructor with expertise in mental performance to guide you.
Performance Psychology and Mental Training Confidence reduces anxiety, allowing for more fluid muscle movements and more intuitive decision-making. Decreased anxiety also allows for better concentration, because you are able to allocate more attention to interpreting subtle kinesthetic sensations and changes in the air. The pilot who’s attuned to subtle movements and nuances is less likely to overcorrect or botch a crucial opportunity to catch lift. Learning and practicing mental performance techniques helps you further your capabilities. The pilot in the opening scenario catches himself getting into a “bad head-space.” He consciously employs strategies to refocus and move into a more adaptive psychological state. After reaching this state, the pilot allocates maximum psychological resources to the task at hand. Once you’re committed, the most effective strategy for minimizing risk is to fly well. Understanding and accepting risk is the starting point. Accepting your own limitations follows. Flying scared should tell you to dial back on how aggressively you fly. It’s important to fly with confidence that’s real, so knowing your limitations is key. When the time comes to push yourself, consider your own tolerance of fear. Once you have committed yourself to taking action, focus on flying. Mental toughness comes naturally to many, who learn from friends, mentors and coaches. Patrick McGuinness is a life coach and a hang gliding instructor. He holds a Masters degree in applied psychology and specializes in mental performance in extreme sports. Patrick is the owner of Mountain View Performance Coaching. For more information, go to: www. MountainViewPerformanceCoaching.com.
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