Unlocking Peak Performance: Lessons from Steve Smith

Unlocking Peak Performance: Lessons from Steve Smith

When working harder doesn’t increase performance.

Steve Smith was back in the runs this week in the final of the World Test Championship at Lords. His record at the home of cricket is phenomenal. Two years ago, this seemed impossible. He was out of runs and seemingly out of solutions.

The cricket professor, known for being the best problem solver in world cricket, had lost his mojo. People were asking whether he’d lost it. Had his eyes gone, is his body letting him down or had age caught up with him?

According to former Australian captain Greg Chappell, he’d recaptured form by shifting his focus. Gone were the endless throwdowns and hour upon hour in the nets, practices he is known for. Chappell called it potentially revolutionary.

He said, “It hints at a maturity that understands the limitations of purely physical effort as one ages, and the growing importance of the mental landscape.”

Smith has recognised “that preserving mental energy and finding a state of ease is paramount for sustained performance at the highest level.”

And then he gets into a bit of quantum physics….even spiritual….

“The most significant gains are to be made not in adding more hours in the nets but in cultivating the inner game, in learning to work with the universe, not against it.”

Too often, when dissecting a string of poor performances, players and coaches talk about having to “get back to the training paddock and working harder”…physically.

The reality is that you can’t always physically work your way out of a form slump.

One of the best of all time, Smith has backed this up with his stunning return to form in the last 12 months. Not by working harder in the nets, but by working on his inner game, his mental strength, his emotional regulation and dare I say it, his spiritual connection.

Applying This to Your Own Performance:

Reflect on areas where you might be relying solely on physical effort. Consider how you can integrate mental clarity, emotional regulation, and a holistic approach to achieve sustained excellence in your endeavours.

Sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come from within.