The present study examined the effectiveness of distal versus proximal external foci of attention as a function of performers' preferences for a certain focus. We used a dart throwing task, and participants were instructed to direct their attention either to the target (distal focus) or the flight of the dart (proximal focus). Participants were asked to select their preferred focus after one trial under each focus condition without knowledge of results. Subsequently, all participants performed two 24-trial blocks, one under each condition, with focus order (preferred first vs. non-preferred) counterbalanced. Significantly more participants preferred the distal compared to the proximal focus. Also, dart throwing accuracy was generally enhanced when participants adopted a distal focus, regardless of focus order or preference. The present findings provide further evidence that the “distance” effect in attentional focus is a general phenomenon that does not depend on individual preferences.