Focusing on What You Can't Control Is Time Lost

Cindra Kamphoff

Cindra had just reached a personal best in the 2013 Boston Marathon. Exhausted, but feeling on top of the world, she walked slowly to her hotel. Then the bomb went off. Physically unharmed, she began asking herself core questions about her life focus.

Dr. Cindra Kamphoff is a certified mental performance consultant, keynote speaker, and author who works with professional athletes, executives and championship teams around the nation. She is the author of “Beyond Grit: Ten Powerful Practices to Gain the High Performance Edge.” Her clients range from Verizon Wireless, Mayo Clinic Health System to the Minnesota Vikings. Her work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, New York Times, ESPN the Magazine, USA Today, and Runner’s World Magazine. Her Ph.D. is in sport and performance psychology, and she speaks on how to gain the high-performance edge while providing practical strategies that work. In her spare time, she runs and trains for marathons. She has run 15 marathons including the Boston Marathon 5 times and in 2012 she won the Omaha Marathon.

How Did You Start Using Your Talents?

“Growing up in the small town of Sheldon in northwest Iowa, I got to follow my passion: run and participate in lots of sports. Even as a middle schooler, I was always interested in running. Vividly, I remember there were two boys down the street from me, Andy and Ben, who I loved racing in the summertime. And I loved participating in sports. I played softball and basketball, and ran cross-country and track.”

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

After crossing the finish line at the 2013 Boston Marathon—having accomplished a personal best—Cindra was limping back to her hotel with her husband and running buddies. “Suddenly, we heard a loud blast, and saw chaos. I was right there in the middle of the Boston Marathon bombing. Our hotel was a block from Boylston Street. One minute I was on top of the world. Then, 45 minutes later, I was wondering if I was going to get home to see my two boys. It was heartbreaking! Sitting in the hotel room, I was asking myself, ‘What am I about? Why am I still here? Am I using my gifts like I’m supposed to use them?’ I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t. I knew I had something more to offer and that I really wasn’t following everything I wanted to do.”

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

“From working in the NFL and with high-level executives and the world’s best athletes, what I see is that every minute you are focusing on something you can’t control is one less minutes you are living in the present. Or, it’s one less dollar you are earning. You are just wasting your energy. It leads to frustration, blame and anger. That’s how essential it is to live in and own your present moment.”