How to identify specific ‘hot spots’ of distraction?

Based on Dr. Dana Sinclair’s Dialed In, identifying your “hot spots”—the specific distractions and psychological barriers that get between you and your best performance—is the critical first step to improvement. If you cannot articulate what is in your way, you cannot learn how to get around it.

Here is the process for identifying your specific performance hot spots:

1. Perform an Honest Self-Audit

To begin, you must be willing to sit with some discomfort and ask yourself, “What is bothering me?”. You need to move past vague descriptions like feeling “in the dumps” and drill down to the specifics of the situation.

• Drill Down: Ask specific questions about your environment and feelings. For example, an NFL player realized his distraction wasn’t just “feeling bad,” but specifically perceiving that “not starting in games was a lack of respect”.
• Check for Avoidance: Ask if you are being honest or if you are deflecting blame to external factors (like traffic, weather, or equipment) to avoid taking ownership of a behavior.
• Monitor Outbursts: If you tend to “lose it,” throw a tantrum, or react with outsized anger to an unmet need—such as a baseball player breaking a bat after striking out—you have likely located a hot spot.

2. Use a Distraction Checklist

Sinclair suggests viewing a list of common distractions, as seeing them written down helps people realize they are not alone and makes it easier to acknowledge what is on their mind. Common hot spots include:

• Results: Worrying about stats, points, or the final outcome,.
• External Judgments: Worrying about what parents, coaches, or audiences are thinking,.
• Internal Noise: Negative self-talk, feeling like a fraud (imposter syndrome), or doubting your ability,.
• Specific Triggers: Making a mistake, feeling rushed, harsh criticism, or specific environments (like a “bad rink”),.

3. Ask Diagnostic Questions by Category

If you are struggling to pinpoint your issues, Sinclair provides targeted questions in the “Fun Homework” section to uncover them in specific areas:

• Fear: Are doubts making you defensive? Do you make excuses to soften the blow of potential failure?.
• Confidence: Do you believe you must feel confident before you can perform? Do you tinker with plans excessively to avoid putting yourself to the test?,.
• Motivation: Is “lack of motivation” actually a mask for fear of failure? Are you using it as an excuse?,.
• Control: Are you relying on superstitions (random actions) rather than routines? Do you struggle when things feel out of your control?.

4. Isolate Your “Super Derailers”

Your initial list of distractions might be long, potentially containing twenty or more items. However, you must distinguish between minor annoyances and the major barriers that actively damage your performance.

• Find the Top Three: Review your list and tick off the ones that cause significant angst and hurt your results; these are your “super derailers”,.
• Ignore the Small Stuff: You only need to plan for these few super derailers. If you manage the big ones, the minor distractions often fade into the background because they were never the real issue.

By listing your distractions and isolating your super derailers, you move from a vague sense of anxiety to a concrete list of problems you can solve.