Why Every CEO Needs a Pre-Shot Routine
The hidden mental techniques golfers use that business leaders should steal
What do the best golfers in the world do before every shot?
They pause—and assess.
They observe the shot requirements: the lie, the wind, the hazards, the green contours, the risks and rewards.
They breathe to calm the nervous system.
They visualize the ball flight going exactly where they want it to go.
They feel the motion in their body before it happens.
They commit—and then they swing.
This is a pre-shot routine—and it’s not just habit or superstition.
It’s a performance tool rooted in neuroscience, used by elite players to manage stress, focus attention, and execute with precision.
Here’s the twist:
The same routine that helps golfers deliver under Sunday pressure...
can help CEOs lead, present, pitch, and perform—when it matters most.
The Science Behind It
In performance psychology, this is called a pre-performance routine (PPR)—a structured sequence of thoughts and actions that prime your body and mind for execution. Research shows that athletes who use PPRs perform more consistently under pressure by stabilizing attention and reducing cognitive overload.
Why It Works:
Cognitive Quieting: Routines reduce brain noise and enhance motor control (Singer, 2002).
Attentional Focus: They help you block out distractions and lock in on what matters most (Beilock & Carr, 2001).
Physiological Regulation: Breathing and visualization activate the parasympathetic nervous system—lowering stress and sharpening clarity.
What It Looks Like in Business
Mental Prep: Clarify your objective for the moment ahead—“What’s my role in this meeting?” Focus narrows when your purpose is clear.
Breathwork: One long, controlled exhale helps regulate your nervous system and shift into a calm, focused state.
Visual Cue: Briefly visualize the desired outcome—not just seeing it, but embodying the feeling of it already happening.
Physical Anchor: Stand tall. Loosen your jaw. Feel your feet on the ground. Anchor your presence in your body.
This last point is key: When you feel the success in your body before it happens—what researchers call "embodied simulation"—you improve both confidence and execution.
Studies show that combining visualization with interoceptive and motor imagery—feeling the physical sensations of the desired result—leads to higher performance accuracy and emotional control (Munzert et al., 2009; Guillot et al., 2012).
Use this mini-routine before a high-stakes presentation, a tough negotiation, or a pivotal pitch.
Over time, it becomes more than a habit.
It becomes a psychological anchor—a moment of clarity before the moment that matters.
From the Course to the C-Suite
Great golfers don’t just hope for peak performance—they prepare for it. And when the stakes rise, they return to the same repeatable routine that got them there.
Business leaders can do the same.
Routine beats adrenaline.
Preparation beats panic.
Presence beats pressure.
So don’t just show up—arrive ready.
At ATX Golf Performance, We Teach This
At ATX Golf Performance, we help golfers—and professionals—train their attention, sharpen their process, and deliver when it matters most.
We teach:
Breath and body-based reset techniques
Custom pre-performance routines
Focus training under pressure
Tools to regulate your nervous system and stay grounded
Because when your mind is ready, your performance follows.
References:
Cotterill, S. T. (2010). Pre-performance routines in sport: Current understanding and future directions. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology.
Singer, R. N. (2002). Preperformance state, routines, and automaticity. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology.
Beilock, S. L., & Carr, T. H. (2001). On the fragility of skilled performance: What governs choking under pressure? Journal of Experimental Psychology.
Munzert, J., Lorey, B., & Zentgraf, K. (2009). Cognitive motor processes: The role of motor imagery in the study of motor representations. Brain Research Reviews.
Guillot, A., Moschberger, K., & Collet, C. (2012). Coupling movement with imagery as a functional simulation of action improves performance. Journal of Sports Sciences.