Changing Direction Via A Lateral Manoeuvre Performance in Polo: Performance & Motivation

Having written previously about ‘Fitness for Polo’, Jason Warren has now turned his hand to more in-depth coaching. Jason has been working with high performing clients within polo and outside of the sport, helping them to develop their performance by delving into their mindset, preparation, routine, diet and many other factors that can influence it. Jason has worked alongside Jack Richardson throughout his successful 2020 high goal campaign to help him with his off-field mental preparation and to develop more ideas and tools to help professionals within polo

Performance & Motivation

Motivation & its effect on performance

Photograph by Emily Gordon

What is motivation?

Let us look at what motivation is: At first glance motivation might be a prematch pump-up speech where you come out the other side ready to die for your team. You can go onto YouTube these days and easily pull up an eight minute motivational speech resulting in you heading to the garage punch bag and sinking a glass of raw eggs. But realistically what is motivation? Motivation is the set of psychological forces that compel you to take action. Simple as that.

I believe there are two driving factors to motivation: Number one: – The enjoyment of doing something For example: You are motivated to exercise or play polo because you enjoy it! Number two: – As put by Steven Pressfield in the book The War Of Art,“At some point, the pain of not doing it becomes greater than the pain of doing it.” For example: You’re motivated to do a job you hate because the worry of not having money is greater!

If we understand what motivation is, then we can better understand how to be and feel more driven.

Motivation & its effect on performance

When playing, we want to feel energised, prepared, and excited so that we can be strong, have stamina, communicate well, anticipate the game, play with passion and be ready to react to whatever is thrown at us. Without these feelings we will be late to plays, have less confidence, resilience and we will fatigue earlier.

How can we be motivated all the time?

The truth is you cannot always feel motivated, no matter how hard you try. Life and sport come with their natural ups and downs and it can be difficult to consistently maintain a high level of motivation. However, we can work to increase and sustain it.

Photograph courtesy of Jason Warren Planning breaks away from polo keeps your outlook fresh

Creating an environment for motivation:

Let us look at ways we can create a process that enables us to feel motivated: As we discussed the motivation for polo can be gained through the love of playing or the fear of not getting the outcome of playing. Therefore, we need to look at two things when maintaining and increasing motivation: 1) Enjoyment 2) The reasons why we play

To be clear the aspects we are focusing on here are the ones we can control. The ones that are out of our control are out of our control, dealing with them are for another day. Getting fired from a team and racking up £30,000 of debt in vet bills is another reason for de-motivation but here we are assuming things are roughly on track. The elements we control are our physical and mental health and the various elements which affect these.

During a season we need to think about our organisation, planning, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and rest. Not overdoing it or taking too much on and planning breaks away from polo to keep it fresh. We do not want to be overrun on game-days and therefore eliminating unnecessary work to keep the focus on the task in hand. Planning blocks of time before games to rest and focus is essential. A good routine in the morning is also necessary to start the day well. A big part of the process is eliminating the things that sap our energy and adding those that give you energy. If we look at high performing professionals in other sports, it is no secret how important routine, organisation, nutrition, and training are to their end outcome.

Now coming to the other side of motivation: the whys, results, aspirations, and end goals. We need to stay focused and have short term goals throughout the season. With all my clients I ask them to journal regularly to stay focused and intent on what they want to achieve. Alongside that we plan short-term weekly goals. Having a mentor or coach is a great way to keep you accountable during a busy season (this is also a plug, get in touch!). Tapping into the whys and staying connected to your goals inspires clarity and purpose, alongside not getting bogged down by the 12-1 hammering you just received, as well as a lame horse post-game.

Here are some strategies to help you awaken your motivation

1) Write a mantra or sentence for yourself: “He was relentless on the polo field no matter the result or situation” 2) Flow test – ask the question at random moments during the week (set random alarms) whether you’re in a “flow” (fully engaged)? If yes, why? if not, why not? 3) Question at the end of the day: “Was I better today than I was yesterday?” 4) Give yourself regular performance reviews – make sure every aspect of your work relates to your larger purpose. 5) Allow time to focus on projects/creations in your work rather than just the things you feel you must do.

In summary, motivation does not come from a motivational video, quote, or single moment. It must be automatic and natural. The whole process needs to flow with enjoyment and purpose so that you can sustain motivation throughout a season or career. Tweaking your process and staying self-aware is key. Each time you step out onto the field, ask yourself “why am I here?”

Find Jason on Instagram: @jason_tola_warren or contact him at jasontolawarren@gmail.com