Intent

I was able to go down to Twickenham yesterday to watch England play Italy in the Six Nations rugby. It wasn't a fantastically exciting match but it did give me the opportunity to watch Jonny "Legend" Wilkinson in action. We were only 20 rows up so I was able to see the bizarre ritual that Jonny goes through before taking a kick, which some people find comical. But the truth is that the routine and the body language are all designed to put Jonny in 'the zone' where he can concentrate on only one thing. Kicking that goal. He has trained himself for years to be able to do this and it is an integral part of his performance. It is his intent to score with every kick no matter how difficult.
This intent or will power is an important part of any athletes approach and is something that the Fencer will do well to cultivate. Every time you step onto a piste you should have the intent to win, or to otherwise excel in your performance. If you are not winning consistently, have the intention to score more points then last time until you find yourself winning anyway. Go out there with the intention of hitting your opponent more times than they hit you and you will not go far wrong. The piste is not the place for un-focussed thought.
Equally, when being coached, have the intent to do the next repetition of the move better than the last time and you will have a very content coach (although he may not show it!) There is always room for intention to improve.