When I started reading Johann Hari’s Stolen Focus, I found myself reflecting on how much attention truly shapes our lives. In this world full of constant distractions, staying present is one of the hardest skills to master. But as an athlete, I’ve been forced to learn this lesson over and over again both in practice and on game day.
On my team, we have a rule: when we get on the bus to head to a competition, our phones are taken away. At first, it may sound strict, but in reality, it’s the easiest distraction to remove. Without screens pulling us in a million directions, we connect with each other, we focus on the task ahead, and we start building the mindset that competition requires.
The real challenge, however, isn’t giving up a phone; it’s learning how to block out the noise of the world around you. Athletes constantly face outside pressures such as fans in the stands, coaches giving out instructions, the weight of competition, and the doubt that creeps in during high-pressure moments. What I’ve learned through my career is how to adapt to these environments by narrowing my focus until all that’s left is me, my teammates, and the performance at hand.
That’s why Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of the “flow state” resonates so deeply with me. Flow is that moment when you’re so absorbed in what you’re doing that time disappears, self-consciousness fades, and you’re simply in it. For me, this has always happened in athletics. Whether it’s hitting a needed routine or feeling the energy of my team competing together, I know when I’ve hit that zone, and it’s a powerful mix of pressure, purpose, and presence.
When I chose to continue my athletic career with a fifth year, it was largely because of this. Competing has given me countless flow states, and I wasn’t ready to let that go. Truthfully, I think that’s what made the thought of “life after sports” so intimidating—how do you recreate something so rare and meaningful outside of athletics?
Reading Johann Hari’s book reminded me that maintaining focus and finding flow have become increasingly difficult in modern life. Distractions are everywhere, but the pursuit of flow state is worth it. Athletics taught me that when what you’re doing has meaning, and when you’re willing to push the edges of your comfort zone, those moments of pure absorption are possible.