Focusing on simple goals can also lead a player to identify and seize more opportunities. “There is so much information out there that the brain filters out what isn’t necessary. A part of your brain called the reticular activating system draws your attention towards things you deem important,” explains Busch. “That’s why, when you want a certain car or phone, you start to see it everywhere.” So, if a striker regularly thinks about the bottom corner of the net, he will instinctively start to see it more often through the forest of legs and bodies during games. Similarly, if you write down your personal goal – to save money, meet more people, or take more jogs – you’ll soon start to see more windows of opportunity during the day to make it happen. All thanks to your reticular activating system.