How far ahead and or how far behind or to the side?
Hockey coaches kids to skate with "your head on a swivel" to know and to be aware of your surroundings. This gives you an awareness of your "Time & Space" so that you can approximate the space you have and the time it will give you to make a play.
I use this analogy as it also works with skiing, how much time or space to avoid that skier or how fast are you traveling while trying to pass that boarder before the trail merge or how much time do I have before the person out of control behind me catches up.
Now when you look ahead what do you see or more importantly what do you see?
Going tree skiing in tight glades do you look and focus on the trees or the pow path between them? Obviously we need to be aware of the trees but we need to focus our attention on the path between.
The better racers are aware of the gates and focus their attention on their line, the top racers have the technique to back their crazy tactics.
Too often our brains are focusing on what to avoid than to what do you want to do. Be aware of the surroundings, tree, skiers and conditions, then use that focus or attention on the needed course of action
Awareness raises attention so that we're able to formulate proper response..