ATHLETE / PERFORMANCE / BEFORE–DURING
LOCKED IN
What does “locked in” mean?
“Locked in” is an established expression people use to describe feeling fully focused and engaged. It belongs to everyday sporting language; it is not a CuePoint term or Framework. Here, it is a starting point for exploring what you can choose, notice and return to before and during performance.
You know the feeling.
Fully present. Clear. Committed to what is happening right now.
People call it being locked in.
The problem is that you can’t simply tell yourself to enter that state.
What you can do is make it easier to know where your attention should go when the moment gets demanding.
CuePoint helps you identify the few things that matter, bring them back before and during performance, and return to them when attention drifts.
You don’t need to control the state. You need something useful to return to.
Before and during performance
Before the moment, choose a useful action you want to keep available. During the moment, notice when attention moves elsewhere and use a Cue to return to that action. The aim is something you can practise, without needing to produce a particular feeling first.