The Power of the Pause: How Great Athletes and Leaders Use Moments of Quiet to Improve Performance

Keeping the Golf Vibe Alive on the Couce

Yesterday was rough. I guess the pain endorphins and adrenaline finally ran out, and I was left feeling restless, bored, and a little depressed. Although I keep telling myself things will get better soon, every minute on the couch feels like torture. 

I’m not great at being still—especially when I didn’t choose the stillness. As I look back on my experiences, I can see clearly how these unexpected lulls, seasons of solitude, and forced downtime lead to great outcomes. When I'm willing to look for the lesson in the midst of the challenge. 

1. The pause isn’t punishment—it’s power.

In a world obsessed with hustle, greatness often looks like constant motion. More reps, longer hours, faster results. But look closely at the best athletes and most respected leaders, and you’ll find a counterintuitive truth: they pause—intentionally.

2. Stillness as a Skill

LeBron James invests over $1.5 million a year in recovery, including meditation and sleep optimization. He credits mental stillness for staying sharp in pressure-filled moments. (Source: CNBC)

Tennis legend Novak Djokovic also embraces meditation, using mindfulness to recover emotionally and mentally. For him, it’s a tool for clarity when the pressure builds. (Source: Forbes)

Even just a few deep breaths can shift our mental state from scattered to centered.

3. Pausing Improves Performance, Literally

Research in the journal Cognition found that brief breaks improve decision-making and accuracy, especially during intense mental tasks. (Source)

NBA coach Steve Kerr encourages players to “slow the game down”—a strategy great leaders use, too. In sports and life, the pause creates space for intentional action over impulsive reaction.

4. Silence Fuels Insight

Ryan Holiday, in Stillness is the Key, reminds us that “Stillness is what aims the archer’s arrow… it gives clarity in chaos.”

Harvard research echoes this, showing that leaders who regularly reflect and pause make better decisions and regulate stress more effectively. (Source: HBR)

5. Golf: A Masterclass in Micro-Pausing

Golf is a quiet sport—but we can't confuse quiet with easy. Between shots, top players deliberately reset—mentally and physically. That moment of stillness isn’t wasted; it’s where the next great shot is born.

During the U.S. Open, J.J. Spaun said he “tried to let the course come to him.” That’s not giving up control. That’s wisdom.

Consider adding micropauses to your day: 

• Feeling overwhelmed? Pause before reacting. 

• In between tasks? Take a breath instead of rushing. 

• Feeling stuck like I did yesterday? Let the stillness be your teacher.

Stillness isn’t easy. But it’s where healing happens and where clarity finds you. Where your next move is born—not out of panic, but from presence.

Wise Takeaway:  Greatness isn’t always built in the grind. Sometimes, it’s discovered in the pause.

If you’re on the couch, in recovery, or just worn out—know this: you’re not falling behind. You’re recharging and resetting. And that might be the strongest move you make.

With love and gratitude (even from the couch),

Coach Heidi