There’s a common tactic in the NFL called icing the kicker. Essentially, this is calling a timeout right before the opposing team kicks a field goal — usually at the end of the game or a half when they’re going for a lead or the win. The simple purpose — to disrupt their rhythm, spike their nerves, and make them miss the one job they’ve trained their whole life to do.

Now icing the kicker becomes expected, good kickers weigh it into their setup, but they train ready to fire regardless. Kickers can’t expect the timeout, because what if it isn’t called? Being ready at all times is the only way. The only real option is to prepare so thoroughly that no external interruption can change the outcome.

Now the lesson here is that after a set amount of preparation, when you know you have the skill to get something done, all that’s left is execution. People are always going to throw you curveballs, drag your jersey, question you, shake your footing, but you can’t let that happen. You can’t stop the kick because the crowd gets too loud. Be so confident in yourself and your preparation, that three timeouts doesn’t stop you from kicking one right down the middle. Additional thinking causes negative marginal returns. And at some point, everything other than action is just noise.