Words matter. In every performance, whether on stage, on the field, or in everyday life, the language we use influences how our brains process instructions and goals. Former NFL player and acclaimed performance coach Bo Eason emphasises a powerful truth: our brains are wired to understand and execute commands tied to excellence. However, adding phrases like “go and have fun” introduces another dynamic—one that can influence energy, creativity, and a state of flow.
How ‘The Best’ Commands Focus and Precision
Our brains are sophisticated pattern-recognition systems that respond vividly to clear, powerful goals. When you hear, “Be the best,” your brain conjures up images of peak performance. It visualises championship games, perfect musical recitals, or world-class achievements. This sharp image becomes a mental map, guiding your actions with laser-like precision. As a result, your body is fully engaged, your senses are heightened, and your energy is directed toward achieving this vision.
On the other hand, language like “average” or “okay” leaves the brain searching for meaning. What does “okay” look like? Without a clear benchmark, the mind cannot picture what it has to do or how to perform, it can’t then harness its fullest potential, and performance suffers. “The best” is a call to action that the brain can immediately comprehend, inspiring a state of high alertness and drive. The mind always knows what your best performance, action and effort looks like.
The Impact of ‘Go and Have Fun’
Now, consider the phrase, “Go and have fun.” How does the brain interpret this instruction? Many people, quite understandably, might think that emphasising fun would put the brain into a lazy state, making it unfocused or relaxed in an unproductive way. This concern is valid, as the word “fun” is often associated with leisure or a lack of seriousness.
However, research in performance psychology suggests otherwise. Here’s why:
1. Dopamine and Motivation: Engaging in activities perceived as fun triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that enhances motivation and reward. Rather than making the brain lazy, fun increases focus and drive, making tasks feel more engaging and enjoyable. The brain becomes more alert, not less, when the activity is enjoyable.
2. Relaxed Alertness: Fun brings about a state of “relaxed alertness,” where the brain is highly engaged but free from the anxiety or stress that can hinder performance. This balance allows for sharp focus and flexibility, essential for handling high-pressure situations.
3. Flow State: Fun is a critical component of entering the “flow state,” where a person feels fully immersed and highly focused on the activity. In this state, actions become effortless, and the mind and body are in perfect sync. Fun reduces negative thoughts and distractions, keeping the brain fully present and engaged.
Addressing Concerns About Laziness
Could fun make the brain lazy or unfocused?
It’s a reasonable question, and the answer depends on how we define “fun.” If fun implies being careless or not taking things seriously, then yes, it could lead to a lack of focus. But when fun is about joy, passion, making a game of competition, and having excitement for the activity, it enhances focus. Professional athletes, for example, often describe intense competition as fun. They’re not being frivolous; instead, they are fully engaged and thriving under pressure, which increases their performance quality.
This is one of Max Anstie’s favourite quotes in many interviews “I’m excited to get out there and have some fun” from a young age he knew how much pressure that released in a high pressure environment like the AMA supercross at 16 years old!
So, rather than diminishing focus, purposeful fun can elevate it, provided it is tied to genuine engagement and not complacency.
Combining ‘The Best’ and ‘Have Fun’ for Optimal Performance
Combining both directives—“Be the best” and “Go and have fun”—creates a powerful synergy. When someone aims to be the best while also enjoying the process, they balance precision with creativity. This combination can put the brain in a state of energised focus and relaxed confidence.
1. High Alertness with Reduced Anxiety: “Be the best” gears up the brain for peak performance. Adding “have fun” reduces stress and tension, creating a state of energised calm where performance can flow effortlessly.
2. Engagement and Adaptability: A mindset oriented toward fun allows for flexibility and adaptability. It encourages risk-taking and experimentation, which often leads to innovative solutions and fluid performance.
3. Creating a Flow State: Top performers often describe their best moments as fun and exhilarating. By having fun, the brain is less burdened by self-criticism or fear of failure and instead operates in a state of flow, where performance feels effortless and intuitive.
Sports and Performing Arts
Imagine a sports coach telling a racer, “Go out there and be the best.” The racers brain gears up for peak performance, focusing on precision, hitting their marks, racing with agility, and competitive drive.
Now, if the coach adds, “And remember, have fun out there,” the racers mind balances the intensity with a sense of joy and excitement. This combination creates a state where the racer is hyper-focused but relaxed, aggressive yet graceful, and ultimately capable of their most inspired race, finding ways to use their skill to dance their way around the track, skipping over bumps, picking the front wheel up over obstacles, enjoy hitting the jumps and making a game of passing and putting on a show. When a racer is having fun they are fully tuned in to the bike and connected.
Similarly, actors or musicians often find that their best performances come when they feel a sense of freedom and enjoyment. If an actor hears, “Give an Oscar-worthy performance and have fun with it,” their imagination comes alive. The brain stays alert and creative, free from the tension that often accompanies high expectations.
The Balance Between Excellence and Joy
Language shapes reality. Bo Eason teaches us the importance of aiming for “the best” to command the brain’s full attention and focus. But adding “have fun” creates a different kind of alertness—one rooted in joy, creativity, and adaptability. So, while it’s natural to think that fun might make the brain lazy, purposeful fun actually makes it more engaged and effective.
As you prepare for your next challenge, remember: aim for the top, but don’t forget to have fun along the way. Excellence is amplified when it’s infused with passion, freedom, and play.
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