I just finished reading an excellent book called "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point and Blink- Both excellent books). In Chapter 1 he writes about the importance of being a little bit older for your grade. He uses examples of soccer, hockey, and baseball to illustrate this point. I hypothesized that Wrestling State Champs were probably also older for their grade. There are obvious advantages that go along with this. Physical and mental maturity will likely present themselves disguised as talent.A person who is older for their grade will generally be seen by others and themselves as better than those around them. As a result, older children will be seen as having more talent than their peers. The older children will be then treated by coaches and peers differently (as someone with talent). This could lead concrete advantages such as nomination to compete and/or practice in special leagues, tournaments, and divisions. This special treatment would give the older child a special opportunity to improve. As a result of this special treatment, added practice, comparison to younger peers, and praise from peers, coaches, and adults, older children could grow to have higher self-confidence. Notice this success cycle that is in place for such individuals.
MY Study
100 State Champs
I compared everyone as if they were in the same grade-
Graduation Year:Year Born
1997:1979, 1998:1980, 1999:1981, 2000:1982, 2001:1983, 2002:1984, 2003:1985, 2004:1986, 2005:1987, 2006:1988, 2007:1989, 2008:1990, 2009:1991, 2010:1992, 2011:1993
Results:
Month Born - Number of State Champs born in that time period
October or before of previous year - 30
November of previous year - 10
December of previous year - 9
January - 8
February - 8
March - 7
April - 5
May - 5
June - 8
July - 2
August - 4
September - 4
October or After - 0
INTERPRETATION
Do you see the pattern? Most state champs are born in the previous year or in the earlier months of their year. In other words, they tend to be older for their grade. These results are a researchers dream. They are clear cut, with no statistical analysis needed, you can just look at it and see the pattern.
30% of the state champs were born in October or before of the previous year.
57% of the state champs were born before February.
77% of state champs were born before May.
92% were born before August.
The results speak for themselves! An important thing to realize here is that many of the state champions won the title a few times. Though they may have been young (not a senior) that year, they still have been socialized in the above mentioned success cycle of older children, thereby reaping the benefits that are associated with it.
Before entering a state champions pool this year for the NJSIAA Tournament, perhaps you should find the contenders birthdays...
*NOTE- No one is born to become a state champion on ability alone. I have seen and trained with many of the state champs I polled and know personally that they are some of the most dedicated wrestlers out there. Most train all year long, almost exclusively on wrestling. I also know many people who are old for their grade that have not amounted to anything in their wrestling career. This shows that birthdays and age are not everything. But, they may have more to do with success than we may realize.
Friday, January 9, 2009
The 4 Optimal Mindsets (Mandatory to be a Champion)
Pre-Competition
1. I don't care who I go against, I want everyone. I go after the tougher opponent. I live for the challenge.
The best defense is a good offense right? Same thing with your mindset. If you seek the challenge and look for tougher opponents, you're not worried about competing against someone good. You want them!
2. I'm good enough to beat this person, or anyone else for that matter.
Confidence Plus is a Must.
3. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. I live for this. I love it!
Present, In the moment. Devoted 100% to the experience you're having.
Post-Competition
4. This is the best thing that could have ever happened to me.
Learn from everything- wins and losses. Learn lesson regardless and move on.
Note- If you are missing ANY of these mindsets, it is important to rethink your mental game and take the steps necessary to change them to the ones above.
1. I don't care who I go against, I want everyone. I go after the tougher opponent. I live for the challenge.
The best defense is a good offense right? Same thing with your mindset. If you seek the challenge and look for tougher opponents, you're not worried about competing against someone good. You want them!
2. I'm good enough to beat this person, or anyone else for that matter.
Confidence Plus is a Must.
3. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. I live for this. I love it!
Present, In the moment. Devoted 100% to the experience you're having.
Post-Competition
4. This is the best thing that could have ever happened to me.
Learn from everything- wins and losses. Learn lesson regardless and move on.
Note- If you are missing ANY of these mindsets, it is important to rethink your mental game and take the steps necessary to change them to the ones above.
Energy Management Workshop
LOWER ANXIETY BEFORE COMPETITION
Competitions differ from practice primarily because athletes get more nervous.
You want you energy level not to be too high or too low.
Anything you want to accomplish in life will take energy. –Tony Robbins
Inverted U Theory of Anxiety
Arousal will steadily improve your performance until a certain point. Your performance will then just as steadily decline with more anxiety. Draw an upside down U for a visual.
Deep Breathing-
The Antidote for stress and anxiety
- Essential for both physical and mental health
- #1 way to increase your energy
- decreases depression, irritability, muscle tension, and fatigue
When an insufficient amount of fresh air reaches your lungs, your blood isn’t properly purified or oxygenated. Waste products that should have been removed are kept in circulation, slowly poisoning your system. Lack of oxygen and waste products cause poorer complexion, undernourished and deteriorating organs and tissue, anxiety states, depression, fatigue.
Breathing: Separate yourself from everyone else around you
Start in a comfortable position (off your feet)
In Nose, Out Mouth
Abdominal breathing (not chest)
Long, slow, deep breaths
Focus entirely on your breath (nothing else in the world exists)
Practice- 10 minutes 2x a day
OR
10 deep breaths 3x a day
(practice especially when you feel tense or anxious)
Remember- If you don’t practice it on your own, you will not be able to do it as effectively when under stress. In times of peace, prepare for war.
Exercise 1:
List 3 things drain you (physically, emotionally, or mentally) in practice.
List 3 things that charge you in practice.
List 3 things that drain you in competition.
List 3 things that charge you in competition.
Can you control any of these things? Add as many charges, eliminate as many drains.
Exercise 2:
Remember a performance you were too energized. Describe in detail how you felt.
-Under energized.
-Just right. (That’s the place we want you to get back to)
To increase energy- Use energizing music.
-Have a high energy cue or trigger
To lower your energy or anxiety (much more common for competitions)
Centering (Taken from Aikido)
To go from left brain (thinking) to right brain (feeling)
Proven successful with high stress groups like the SWAT team, Green Berets, Athletes
Learn proper deep breathing first
1st realize that it is effortless to relax. It takes no energy or effort.
Step 1: State your intent.
I’m going to_____
Never use don’t. always frame positively.
Step 2: Pick a focal point
Below eye level, some distance away
Where you will release
Step3: Deep Breathing
Done until that’s your only focus.
Step 4: Release tension
While deep breathing, scan your body for tension top to bottom. Check one area per inhale. On exhale shake it loose and relax that area. Neck, shoulders, arms, midsection, legs.
Step 5: Find your Center of Gravity.
About 2 inches below your navel and 2 inches below the surface
Your Center helps you feel rooted, grounded, stabilized, and in control of your energy.
Take 5 breaths once there.
Step 6: Process Cue of Confidence
Step 7: Release tension at your focal point.
Pull all tension and anxiety from your body to your center.
Bring it straight up your body to your eyes
Shoot it out of your eyes onto your focal point
At this point you release and let it all go and trust your instincts.
Competitions differ from practice primarily because athletes get more nervous.
You want you energy level not to be too high or too low.
Anything you want to accomplish in life will take energy. –Tony Robbins
Inverted U Theory of Anxiety
Arousal will steadily improve your performance until a certain point. Your performance will then just as steadily decline with more anxiety. Draw an upside down U for a visual.
Deep Breathing-
The Antidote for stress and anxiety
- Essential for both physical and mental health
- #1 way to increase your energy
- decreases depression, irritability, muscle tension, and fatigue
When an insufficient amount of fresh air reaches your lungs, your blood isn’t properly purified or oxygenated. Waste products that should have been removed are kept in circulation, slowly poisoning your system. Lack of oxygen and waste products cause poorer complexion, undernourished and deteriorating organs and tissue, anxiety states, depression, fatigue.
Breathing: Separate yourself from everyone else around you
Start in a comfortable position (off your feet)
In Nose, Out Mouth
Abdominal breathing (not chest)
Long, slow, deep breaths
Focus entirely on your breath (nothing else in the world exists)
Practice- 10 minutes 2x a day
OR
10 deep breaths 3x a day
(practice especially when you feel tense or anxious)
Remember- If you don’t practice it on your own, you will not be able to do it as effectively when under stress. In times of peace, prepare for war.
Exercise 1:
List 3 things drain you (physically, emotionally, or mentally) in practice.
List 3 things that charge you in practice.
List 3 things that drain you in competition.
List 3 things that charge you in competition.
Can you control any of these things? Add as many charges, eliminate as many drains.
Exercise 2:
Remember a performance you were too energized. Describe in detail how you felt.
-Under energized.
-Just right. (That’s the place we want you to get back to)
To increase energy- Use energizing music.
-Have a high energy cue or trigger
To lower your energy or anxiety (much more common for competitions)
Centering (Taken from Aikido)
To go from left brain (thinking) to right brain (feeling)
Proven successful with high stress groups like the SWAT team, Green Berets, Athletes
Learn proper deep breathing first
1st realize that it is effortless to relax. It takes no energy or effort.
Step 1: State your intent.
I’m going to_____
Never use don’t. always frame positively.
Step 2: Pick a focal point
Below eye level, some distance away
Where you will release
Step3: Deep Breathing
Done until that’s your only focus.
Step 4: Release tension
While deep breathing, scan your body for tension top to bottom. Check one area per inhale. On exhale shake it loose and relax that area. Neck, shoulders, arms, midsection, legs.
Step 5: Find your Center of Gravity.
About 2 inches below your navel and 2 inches below the surface
Your Center helps you feel rooted, grounded, stabilized, and in control of your energy.
Take 5 breaths once there.
Step 6: Process Cue of Confidence
Step 7: Release tension at your focal point.
Pull all tension and anxiety from your body to your center.
Bring it straight up your body to your eyes
Shoot it out of your eyes onto your focal point
At this point you release and let it all go and trust your instincts.
Focus Workshop
Focus-concentrating at the right thing at the right moment.
What we focus on affects the way we feel, how we feel determines how we act.
* What did you think during your best performance? Most people say something like, "I dunno, I just." This means when we focus on the process, we can lose ourselves, and attain the coveted flow state.
You need to get out of your own way. You need to shift from left brain (thinking) to right brain (feeling). Clear your mind of thoughts.
May sound opposite of self-talk. But we use our self-talk mainly outside of competition to program our subconscious for competition. It cannot wait until game day to be learned. Same with technique. Technique is mastered in practice.
Humans by nature are poor multi-taskers.
Concentrate Intensely on ONE THING AT A TIME
You will get more out of studying 30 minutes with full concentration than 3 hours with half attention.
McGuffey’s Primer
Work while you work,
Play while you play;
One thing each time,
That is the way.
All that you do,
Do with your might;
Things done by halves
Are not done right!
Present Moment- Satori (Buddhist philosophy)
-Take out the Trash- The Trash is anything that is keeping you from the only thing that matters- this moment. This is Not saying future or past doesn’t matter. But, we learn from the past to do things right in the present and we do things in the present to improve our future. Either way the only time we have control over is the present. Only time that’s a gift is the present.
NOW IS THE MOMENT OF POWER
There is no power that exists at any other period of time
Use Deep Breathing to clear mind and refocus.
-Where are you? Here
-What time is it? Now
-What are you? This moment
Focus only on what you can control, not what you can’t. Others reactions and outcomes are not directly within your control. You affect the outcome by focusing on the present.
Remember also that the crowd, fans, friends, coaches, and parents are unarmed and they will remain in the stands throughout the entire duration of the competition. They’ll have no impact on the match whatsoever. They are irrelevant and they will mess with your mind if you let them. They aren’t part of the equation. They aren’t to be trusted at all. Let them mess up your opponents. Not you.
After a mistake, refocus. Great athletes forgive themselves and let go of their mistakes much faster than amateurs. And they have much less reason to. Accept your mistakes and move on. Don’t make one mistake cause another. Drop it.
Have an interrupt cue to let it go and move on. ie. You gotta love it etc.
In competition- there’s a time and place for evaluation and it’s NEVER during a competition.
Know at what points you need to focus.
When could you focus better.
Use process cues to narrow your attention focus (make it simple, avoid overwhelming)
Training vs. Trusting
Training- practicing techniques and learning
Trusting- practicing letting go and relying on instincts
Some experts recommend 70% Practice should be Trusting- To practice staying in the moment and trusting your instincts.
Decisiveness
When you do a technique or movement you go all the way with it. Don’t second guess yourself or move halfheartedly.
People with worse technique but greater decisiveness often beat the athlete who has better technique but are less decisive. Technique is only half the equation, decisiveness is the other half.
Directive Focus-
Our subconscious, brain, nervous system, and muscles respond best to the smallest possible target. Don’t aim for the hole, aim for a specific part of the hole. Don't say-I wanna be rich. Instead say- I wanna have 1 million in 5 yrs
Perspective and Focusing-
Close eyes, brown vs green
Controlling our emotions-
Probably the quickest way we can control and direct our mental and emotional state is to control and direct the focus of you mind.
2 things that affect your state (1) how your feeling (2) what you focus on
Headache story, distracted mind altered your focus. Worked like a Tylenol.
There are so many things going on at once so we become forced to choose what we focus on. Focus is a choice. Either you consciously decide what you will focus on or your subconscious will make that decision for you. Since we cant focus on everything we become deletion creatures. Card example. We magnify what we want to see and delete the things we don’t. There are so many things we could choose to focus on, so what we focus on is what we choose to focus on. This is why negative thinking is like a disease. Its contagious to others (especially bad when we spread this to the people closest to us, then they reinforce it back to us, until were surrounded by negative stinking thinking). So, we need to consciously focus on the things that we want.
Life is a self-fulfilling prophesy- we get what we expect. We get back the image that we project to the world.
Focus is a choice!
Ex: Write down things that distract you when you compete.
Write down things that distract you when you train.
Tools- attentional boundaries
Visualize a barrier that separates you from the rest of the world.
Peaks and Valleys graph.
You cant peak if you don’t drop to valleys.
Take advantage of times where there’s a break in the action to unwind and recharge.
Your focus is your future.
Success is no hocus pocus, its focus focus.
What we focus on affects the way we feel, how we feel determines how we act.
* What did you think during your best performance? Most people say something like, "I dunno, I just." This means when we focus on the process, we can lose ourselves, and attain the coveted flow state.
You need to get out of your own way. You need to shift from left brain (thinking) to right brain (feeling). Clear your mind of thoughts.
May sound opposite of self-talk. But we use our self-talk mainly outside of competition to program our subconscious for competition. It cannot wait until game day to be learned. Same with technique. Technique is mastered in practice.
Humans by nature are poor multi-taskers.
Concentrate Intensely on ONE THING AT A TIME
You will get more out of studying 30 minutes with full concentration than 3 hours with half attention.
McGuffey’s Primer
Work while you work,
Play while you play;
One thing each time,
That is the way.
All that you do,
Do with your might;
Things done by halves
Are not done right!
Present Moment- Satori (Buddhist philosophy)
-Take out the Trash- The Trash is anything that is keeping you from the only thing that matters- this moment. This is Not saying future or past doesn’t matter. But, we learn from the past to do things right in the present and we do things in the present to improve our future. Either way the only time we have control over is the present. Only time that’s a gift is the present.
NOW IS THE MOMENT OF POWER
There is no power that exists at any other period of time
Use Deep Breathing to clear mind and refocus.
-Where are you? Here
-What time is it? Now
-What are you? This moment
Focus only on what you can control, not what you can’t. Others reactions and outcomes are not directly within your control. You affect the outcome by focusing on the present.
Remember also that the crowd, fans, friends, coaches, and parents are unarmed and they will remain in the stands throughout the entire duration of the competition. They’ll have no impact on the match whatsoever. They are irrelevant and they will mess with your mind if you let them. They aren’t part of the equation. They aren’t to be trusted at all. Let them mess up your opponents. Not you.
After a mistake, refocus. Great athletes forgive themselves and let go of their mistakes much faster than amateurs. And they have much less reason to. Accept your mistakes and move on. Don’t make one mistake cause another. Drop it.
Have an interrupt cue to let it go and move on. ie. You gotta love it etc.
In competition- there’s a time and place for evaluation and it’s NEVER during a competition.
Know at what points you need to focus.
When could you focus better.
Use process cues to narrow your attention focus (make it simple, avoid overwhelming)
Training vs. Trusting
Training- practicing techniques and learning
Trusting- practicing letting go and relying on instincts
Some experts recommend 70% Practice should be Trusting- To practice staying in the moment and trusting your instincts.
Decisiveness
When you do a technique or movement you go all the way with it. Don’t second guess yourself or move halfheartedly.
People with worse technique but greater decisiveness often beat the athlete who has better technique but are less decisive. Technique is only half the equation, decisiveness is the other half.
Directive Focus-
Our subconscious, brain, nervous system, and muscles respond best to the smallest possible target. Don’t aim for the hole, aim for a specific part of the hole. Don't say-I wanna be rich. Instead say- I wanna have 1 million in 5 yrs
Perspective and Focusing-
Close eyes, brown vs green
Controlling our emotions-
Probably the quickest way we can control and direct our mental and emotional state is to control and direct the focus of you mind.
2 things that affect your state (1) how your feeling (2) what you focus on
Headache story, distracted mind altered your focus. Worked like a Tylenol.
There are so many things going on at once so we become forced to choose what we focus on. Focus is a choice. Either you consciously decide what you will focus on or your subconscious will make that decision for you. Since we cant focus on everything we become deletion creatures. Card example. We magnify what we want to see and delete the things we don’t. There are so many things we could choose to focus on, so what we focus on is what we choose to focus on. This is why negative thinking is like a disease. Its contagious to others (especially bad when we spread this to the people closest to us, then they reinforce it back to us, until were surrounded by negative stinking thinking). So, we need to consciously focus on the things that we want.
Life is a self-fulfilling prophesy- we get what we expect. We get back the image that we project to the world.
Focus is a choice!
Ex: Write down things that distract you when you compete.
Write down things that distract you when you train.
Tools- attentional boundaries
Visualize a barrier that separates you from the rest of the world.
Peaks and Valleys graph.
You cant peak if you don’t drop to valleys.
Take advantage of times where there’s a break in the action to unwind and recharge.
Your focus is your future.
Success is no hocus pocus, its focus focus.
Self-Talk Workshop
What you say to yourself and how you say it will determine how you perform under pressure. – Dr. Don Greene
All great athletes talk to themselves. –Wali Muhhammad
You are what you say to yourself most of the time. – William James
The Power of the Subconscious Mind
Conscious Mind- Judge (conscious level of thinking. takes in information and makes rational? Decisions)
Subconscious Mind- Robot (unconscious level of thinking. Storage of information and automatic reactions like emotions)
Robot autopilot, aircraft, homing torpedo programmed in advance to seek a target making on board corrections along the way (like the brain) .
The human system is goal seeking by design. It uses environmental information to make decisions. You get this environmental information is processed by your mind, usually unconsciously. In fact 95% of what we do or think is automated. So we need to control how we process information
Relationship of judge and robot (taken from Dr. Denis Waitley)
Judge cant make a decision without the robot
Robot checks the memory bank including words, mental images, and self-image and plays available data to judge for action
Judge controls the robot? No, incredibly often the reverse is true. Often the robot controls the judge in a master slave relationship (addictions, cravings, etc) Action often takes place without any consultation of the judge, but no decision is made without reference to the robot.
So your Robot is programmed with or without you. This happens all the time. It’s how your mind makes sense of the environment.
You may have some outdated and negative neuroassociations inside your robot.
These uselessly negative neuroassociations will predictably and continually mess you up when it matters most.
Under stress and anxiety, the body reacts with that which it knows best ie. highlight reels or doomsday videos, positive language or negative language, confidently or timidly. If you do not reprogram yourself you will suffer.
You cannot wait until your under stress to change your neuroassociations and reprogram your robot.
This needs to be done in advance.
You need to reprogram them now.
How?
Change Self-talk, Imagery, and Confidence building. Here we focus on self-talk.
Everything you say to yourself should be framed with positive language. Don’t use don’ts.
Golf example-
Don’t hit the ball into the water---subconscious hears---hit the ball into the water
Instead say- Hit the ball straight
Substitute- Can’t à Can
Try à Will
Need to/ Should/Have to/Must à I want OR I choose to
Change all helpless Why questions to positive empowering How questions
Write 5 examples
Eliminate extreme language which puts unnecessary pressure on yourself, others, and the world- Need, Must (musterbating –Dr. Albert Ellis), Should (don’t should on me –Teacher Ken Himber). You don’t need to do anything but die, you don’t even have to pay taxes, you can go to jail instead. Such strong language puts you in a slave mindset.
A freedom mindset says I want to, I choose to, it will be good for me to.., I will improve if I..
Awfulizing-à We tell ourselves things are awful, terrible, completely bad. Nothing is 100% bad. Don’t deny reality. Just tell it like it is. Instead of telling ourselves things are awful and terrible, tell yourself it’s unpleasant and inconvenient, but that’s tough, that’s life, that’s the way the world works, nothing to get particularly upset or bent out of shape about.
Directly after a mistake just say- you gotta love it or that’s what its all about
(shake it off and move on, stay positive with yourself)
Quickly get over your mistakes by saying à I should have known
Then simply chalk it up to experience and forget about it.
Forget the feeling and experience, simply learn the lesson.
Your subconscious mind (robot) has no sense of humor.
Self-effacing jokes and sarcasm can be deadly, as they too register in the subconscious.
The questions we ask ourselves often determine what we focus on and how.
Our brain will answer ANY question you ask it. “Ask and you shall receive.”
It will make up things if it has to.
If you ask yourself Why am I a Schmuck? Your brain will tell you why you’re a schmuck. If you ask yourself why am I so lucky? Your brain will tell you why you’re lucky.
Turn your Why Questions into How Questions.
Why implies helplessness
How implies power and control
Why asks about the past, while How asks what to do in the present to have a better future.
Ex- Why am I so fat? -à How can I reach my target of losing 20lbs.
Remember that self-talk is a primary cause of low self-esteem, quitting, and reluctance to pursue goals.
If you continue telling yourself something you’ll believe it (hypnosis and subliminal messages)
Negative self-talk will create a life of its own making more negative self-talk.
Be a good coach to yourself.
Would you pay a coach or caddie to talk to you negatively? Of course not!
Would you speak to a kid who really looked up to you negatively? NO!
you would be supportive, encouraging, and positive. Be that way to yourself.
Send yourself emails.
Post positive notes.
All great athletes talk to themselves. –Wali Muhhammad
You are what you say to yourself most of the time. – William James
The Power of the Subconscious Mind
Conscious Mind- Judge (conscious level of thinking. takes in information and makes rational? Decisions)
Subconscious Mind- Robot (unconscious level of thinking. Storage of information and automatic reactions like emotions)
Robot autopilot, aircraft, homing torpedo programmed in advance to seek a target making on board corrections along the way (like the brain) .
The human system is goal seeking by design. It uses environmental information to make decisions. You get this environmental information is processed by your mind, usually unconsciously. In fact 95% of what we do or think is automated. So we need to control how we process information
Relationship of judge and robot (taken from Dr. Denis Waitley)
Judge cant make a decision without the robot
Robot checks the memory bank including words, mental images, and self-image and plays available data to judge for action
Judge controls the robot? No, incredibly often the reverse is true. Often the robot controls the judge in a master slave relationship (addictions, cravings, etc) Action often takes place without any consultation of the judge, but no decision is made without reference to the robot.
So your Robot is programmed with or without you. This happens all the time. It’s how your mind makes sense of the environment.
You may have some outdated and negative neuroassociations inside your robot.
These uselessly negative neuroassociations will predictably and continually mess you up when it matters most.
Under stress and anxiety, the body reacts with that which it knows best ie. highlight reels or doomsday videos, positive language or negative language, confidently or timidly. If you do not reprogram yourself you will suffer.
You cannot wait until your under stress to change your neuroassociations and reprogram your robot.
This needs to be done in advance.
You need to reprogram them now.
How?
Change Self-talk, Imagery, and Confidence building. Here we focus on self-talk.
Everything you say to yourself should be framed with positive language. Don’t use don’ts.
Golf example-
Don’t hit the ball into the water---subconscious hears---hit the ball into the water
Instead say- Hit the ball straight
Substitute- Can’t à Can
Try à Will
Need to/ Should/Have to/Must à I want OR I choose to
Change all helpless Why questions to positive empowering How questions
Write 5 examples
Eliminate extreme language which puts unnecessary pressure on yourself, others, and the world- Need, Must (musterbating –Dr. Albert Ellis), Should (don’t should on me –Teacher Ken Himber). You don’t need to do anything but die, you don’t even have to pay taxes, you can go to jail instead. Such strong language puts you in a slave mindset.
A freedom mindset says I want to, I choose to, it will be good for me to.., I will improve if I..
Awfulizing-à We tell ourselves things are awful, terrible, completely bad. Nothing is 100% bad. Don’t deny reality. Just tell it like it is. Instead of telling ourselves things are awful and terrible, tell yourself it’s unpleasant and inconvenient, but that’s tough, that’s life, that’s the way the world works, nothing to get particularly upset or bent out of shape about.
Directly after a mistake just say- you gotta love it or that’s what its all about
(shake it off and move on, stay positive with yourself)
Quickly get over your mistakes by saying à I should have known
Then simply chalk it up to experience and forget about it.
Forget the feeling and experience, simply learn the lesson.
Your subconscious mind (robot) has no sense of humor.
Self-effacing jokes and sarcasm can be deadly, as they too register in the subconscious.
The questions we ask ourselves often determine what we focus on and how.
Our brain will answer ANY question you ask it. “Ask and you shall receive.”
It will make up things if it has to.
If you ask yourself Why am I a Schmuck? Your brain will tell you why you’re a schmuck. If you ask yourself why am I so lucky? Your brain will tell you why you’re lucky.
Turn your Why Questions into How Questions.
Why implies helplessness
How implies power and control
Why asks about the past, while How asks what to do in the present to have a better future.
Ex- Why am I so fat? -à How can I reach my target of losing 20lbs.
Remember that self-talk is a primary cause of low self-esteem, quitting, and reluctance to pursue goals.
If you continue telling yourself something you’ll believe it (hypnosis and subliminal messages)
Negative self-talk will create a life of its own making more negative self-talk.
Be a good coach to yourself.
Would you pay a coach or caddie to talk to you negatively? Of course not!
Would you speak to a kid who really looked up to you negatively? NO!
you would be supportive, encouraging, and positive. Be that way to yourself.
Send yourself emails.
Post positive notes.
Confidence Workshop
There is no element more critical to your success than your self-image. Build it, reinforce it, and guard it with your life.
Confidence is perhaps thee key ingredient to success.
Confidence is more than believing you are capable of succeeding. Real Confidence is knowing that you WILL succeed. Even knowing you will succeed.
At first don’t worry at all about being over confident, well take care of that when the time comes. Right now it’s not part of the equation.
Psychology studies show (1) Confidence and Anxiety have an inverse relationship. (2) Confidence and success have a direct positive relationship.
Confident athletes-perform more successfully
-spend more time on priorities
-take more calculated risks increasing success chances
-use better game strategy
-are more resilient
Act As If
(Fake it till you make it. Better yet- Fake it till you feel it.)
- you may think you’re not confident, and that’s ok for now. You just need to act confident.
Can you be happy right now? Maybe, maybe not.
Can you think happy thoughts? Maybe, maybe not.
Can you smile? Yes, of course.
Our thoughts may be difficult to control, but we can almost always control our actions.
Behavior leads to changes in thought. Studies show we smile because we’re happy and we’re happy because we smile. Behavior and thought reinforce each other.
So ACT confident to FEEL confident
What do you look like when you’re most confident?
IF you haven’t been confident, how would you look?
What did you look the last time you were extremely confident?
How did that make you feel?
Don’t you want to feel that again?
Anchoring for success
Behavioral Psychology- Pavlov’s Dog
A neuroassociation is formed. These neuroassociations happen all the time. It’s the mind’s way of putting things together to make sense of the world. Through associations we remember pleasure and pain (our two greatest driving forces). We move toward that which was pleasurable and away from that which was painful. Pleasure breeds desire, pain breeds fear. FEAR is usually False, Evidence, Appears, Real. You're Born with only 2 Fears- heights and loud noises, that’s it! The rest is learned. And if something can be learned-it can be unlearned. Just something to keep in mind.
Come up with an anchor, process cue, or trigger- a word, a symbol, or a song. Example- Brands mat slap. Well use this from now on. Incorporate something from your picture of confidence as a reminder, ie. Ali shuffle.
Note-who cares what it looks like, this is for you
Take your most confidence self and multiply it by 10. That’s your new confident self. (Anchor)
Get a vivid picture of you extremely confident x10 and remember it. Hammer that image into your mind. Revisit it daily, and especially when feeling anxious or doubtful and use your anchor.
BE THE ALPHA MALE
For small guys: think of Cruise, Pacino, and Stallone who command respect and are just as Alpha as anyone.
Know the look!
Alpha Male Qualities-
-Open Body Language (uncrossed, hands out of your pockets)
-Take up space
-Smile when you enter a room
-Speak loud, clear, and deliberate.
-move briskly and with a purpose
-head up looking slightly above the horizon
-When standing still have your hands on your hips
It’s better to be overconfident than under-confident.
Don’t worry about appearing pompous or arrogant at first.
Almost all successful people have big egos.
Can you think of any example?
An ego is a good thing when used to promote self-confidence, resist peer pressure, bouncing back from setbacks, and overcoming the odds.
Exercises to Improve Confidence
*List your 10 greatest accomplishments in the specific area.
If there aren’t 10 in that area, then include life to show yourself you are good at things you put your mind to. You have succeeded before and it will come again.
*Make a highlight reel if you can, and play it twice a week.
*Make a list of your greatest attributes both physical and mental in your area. If none in your area then use everything else.
*Watch video on successful people in your area preferably on your specialization ie. Smith low single, Ted Williams Swing. Use Youtube if you need to. This will remind you that your technique has proven effective, and you will succeed when you execute correctly.
BREAKING A SLUMP
Theory- Stockpile small successes
Application-
(1) Avoid long shots for now. Take on smaller challenges to experience success more.
(2) Take Right Actions. Focus on Fundamentals AND do all the little things you know that you should do but may have gotten lazy about ie. stretch before practice, proper diet and sleep
Reframing-the only way to feel failure is to believe you failed. Change your rules on what success and failure means to you. Make success and failure process oriented rather than outcome oriented. Make it hard to fail and easy to succeed through these new definitions.
Write 3 new ways to measure failure and success.
Another Exercise- Help one person each week become more confident. If you help someone become confident, you will learn how to teach yourself to be confident.
Confidence is perhaps thee key ingredient to success.
Confidence is more than believing you are capable of succeeding. Real Confidence is knowing that you WILL succeed. Even knowing you will succeed.
At first don’t worry at all about being over confident, well take care of that when the time comes. Right now it’s not part of the equation.
Psychology studies show (1) Confidence and Anxiety have an inverse relationship. (2) Confidence and success have a direct positive relationship.
Confident athletes-perform more successfully
-spend more time on priorities
-take more calculated risks increasing success chances
-use better game strategy
-are more resilient
Act As If
(Fake it till you make it. Better yet- Fake it till you feel it.)
- you may think you’re not confident, and that’s ok for now. You just need to act confident.
Can you be happy right now? Maybe, maybe not.
Can you think happy thoughts? Maybe, maybe not.
Can you smile? Yes, of course.
Our thoughts may be difficult to control, but we can almost always control our actions.
Behavior leads to changes in thought. Studies show we smile because we’re happy and we’re happy because we smile. Behavior and thought reinforce each other.
So ACT confident to FEEL confident
What do you look like when you’re most confident?
IF you haven’t been confident, how would you look?
What did you look the last time you were extremely confident?
How did that make you feel?
Don’t you want to feel that again?
Anchoring for success
Behavioral Psychology- Pavlov’s Dog
A neuroassociation is formed. These neuroassociations happen all the time. It’s the mind’s way of putting things together to make sense of the world. Through associations we remember pleasure and pain (our two greatest driving forces). We move toward that which was pleasurable and away from that which was painful. Pleasure breeds desire, pain breeds fear. FEAR is usually False, Evidence, Appears, Real. You're Born with only 2 Fears- heights and loud noises, that’s it! The rest is learned. And if something can be learned-it can be unlearned. Just something to keep in mind.
Come up with an anchor, process cue, or trigger- a word, a symbol, or a song. Example- Brands mat slap. Well use this from now on. Incorporate something from your picture of confidence as a reminder, ie. Ali shuffle.
Note-who cares what it looks like, this is for you
Take your most confidence self and multiply it by 10. That’s your new confident self. (Anchor)
Get a vivid picture of you extremely confident x10 and remember it. Hammer that image into your mind. Revisit it daily, and especially when feeling anxious or doubtful and use your anchor.
BE THE ALPHA MALE
For small guys: think of Cruise, Pacino, and Stallone who command respect and are just as Alpha as anyone.
Know the look!
Alpha Male Qualities-
-Open Body Language (uncrossed, hands out of your pockets)
-Take up space
-Smile when you enter a room
-Speak loud, clear, and deliberate.
-move briskly and with a purpose
-head up looking slightly above the horizon
-When standing still have your hands on your hips
It’s better to be overconfident than under-confident.
Don’t worry about appearing pompous or arrogant at first.
Almost all successful people have big egos.
Can you think of any example?
An ego is a good thing when used to promote self-confidence, resist peer pressure, bouncing back from setbacks, and overcoming the odds.
Exercises to Improve Confidence
*List your 10 greatest accomplishments in the specific area.
If there aren’t 10 in that area, then include life to show yourself you are good at things you put your mind to. You have succeeded before and it will come again.
*Make a highlight reel if you can, and play it twice a week.
*Make a list of your greatest attributes both physical and mental in your area. If none in your area then use everything else.
*Watch video on successful people in your area preferably on your specialization ie. Smith low single, Ted Williams Swing. Use Youtube if you need to. This will remind you that your technique has proven effective, and you will succeed when you execute correctly.
BREAKING A SLUMP
Theory- Stockpile small successes
Application-
(1) Avoid long shots for now. Take on smaller challenges to experience success more.
(2) Take Right Actions. Focus on Fundamentals AND do all the little things you know that you should do but may have gotten lazy about ie. stretch before practice, proper diet and sleep
Reframing-the only way to feel failure is to believe you failed. Change your rules on what success and failure means to you. Make success and failure process oriented rather than outcome oriented. Make it hard to fail and easy to succeed through these new definitions.
Write 3 new ways to measure failure and success.
Another Exercise- Help one person each week become more confident. If you help someone become confident, you will learn how to teach yourself to be confident.
Goal Setting Workshop
First, A few Quotes:
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. –John Wooden
A person with great dreams can achieve great dreams.
Small dreams confine people to mediocrity and frustration. –Dr. Bob Rotella
If people aren’t laughing at your goals, you aren’t setting them high enough. –Coach Mike Tully
God gave you eyes in the front of your head not in the back so you can see where you’re going, not where you’ve been. –Lou Holtz
The Past does not equal the future. –Tony Robbins
If you turn the steering wheel of your car sharp right, then your car will go in that direction, despite where or how you drove it in the past.
Lesson- What you think and do this very moment determines the direction of your life.
You’re either moving toward or away from your goals, you’re never staying still. If you’re not moving in the right direction, simply stop what you’re doing and turn around.
You’re either growing or you’re dying (business, tree, person, flower, or a team)
To find which you’re doing ask yourself one question- am I trying to get better. – Lou Holtz
"My Wage"
I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;
For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have gladly paid.
~ Jessie B Rittenhouse
Long term Goals- list one long term goal in sport or each area of life that is important to you.
Goal Setting
- write it down (it’s just a dream until its on paper, then it becomes a goal).
- make it public (you lie most to yourself, not as much to others)
- post your goals in the places you are at most, as a constant reminder (at least 3 places)
- set practice goals
Your Action Plan becomes a priority
Do you know what a priority is?
A priority is when you jump out of a plane and you make sure you pull the chute.
Pulling the chute is a priority.
When you decide to do something, you make sure it gets done.
Outcome Goals and Action Plan
We put our focus on our Action Plan because that is within our control. Outcomes are not usually directly controllable. We control outcome goals by controlling our Action Plan. When times get tough and we feel like giving up we then focus on our Outcome Goals.
Short-term goals should be- CARS
Challenging, Attainable, Realistic, Specific
USOC Guidelines
1. Focus on yourself (not others, outcomes, or rewards)
2. Make goals specific and measurable (get better and win are not goals)
3. Get Feedback (from coach and learn to self-monitor)
4. Keep them positive and framed positively.
5. Have Short-term and Long-term goals
6. Be flexible and adjust when and if necessary.
ACTIVITY
Ultimate Goal: ________________________________________________
ALL UPPER CASE LETTERS
(Take a proud stance)
Goal for 1st Period of time:__________________________________
If I could give you one goal setting piece of advice it would be to BEHAVE. Believe it or not the reason why most people do not achieve great success is because they cannot spell this word correctly. I have a simple spelling test for you. If you can correctly assemble these two words and never forget them, I can assure you that success is yours. The two words: HAVE & BE
Your Answer: ________________
All too often people think the HAVE comes before the BE. This is a major error. People focus on what they want to HAVE. “I want to have a national title,” I want to have a million dollars” etc. What you need to focus on is the person you will have to BE to achieve your goals. What does a person who wants these goals have to DO? Do they go through the motions, go to sleep late, eat garbage foods, slack off, etc.? Or do they live a life of TOTAL COMMITMENT? What kind of person would you have to BE to HAVE your goals? When you put the BE before the HAVE, you realize that more than having a dream, you must BE the type of person who TAKES ACTION CONSTANTLY, INTELLIGENTLY, AND INTENSIVELY.
Physical Goals
Top 3 Strengths (Focus on them the most) –If its already something you’re naturally good at, why not make it freaky -Darren Schulman
1.
2.
3.
It is through Mastery of these Strengths that you will achieve Success.
Top 3 Improvement Areas (Note: we never call them weaknesses)
1.
2.
3.
It is through improving these lesser strengths that you will find balance.
Decide how often you will revisit your goals. I recommend at least once a season. Separate the year into 4 quarters or anyway you like.
Creation of HABITS:
First we form habits, then they form us.
Sow a thought reap an action
Sow an action reap a habit
Sow a habit reap a character
Sow a character reap a destiny
For added success- involve your coach in the process for his modifications and adjustments for your particular area. (remember that you always have the final say)
Life Goals- Make a life list of as many things you want to accomplish in your life. Don’t hold back. List EVERYTHING you would like to do. (Bucket List- Things to do before you kick the bucket)
-If you have no view of the future, you have no sense of risk.
-You gain happiness by producing and doing things(especially things for others or for a higher cause, greater than yourself)
Finally - The difference between a dream and a goal is that you work toward a goal. You take action. Don’t just take action, take immediate action. Get going! Start! Now!
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. –John Wooden
A person with great dreams can achieve great dreams.
Small dreams confine people to mediocrity and frustration. –Dr. Bob Rotella
If people aren’t laughing at your goals, you aren’t setting them high enough. –Coach Mike Tully
God gave you eyes in the front of your head not in the back so you can see where you’re going, not where you’ve been. –Lou Holtz
The Past does not equal the future. –Tony Robbins
If you turn the steering wheel of your car sharp right, then your car will go in that direction, despite where or how you drove it in the past.
Lesson- What you think and do this very moment determines the direction of your life.
You’re either moving toward or away from your goals, you’re never staying still. If you’re not moving in the right direction, simply stop what you’re doing and turn around.
You’re either growing or you’re dying (business, tree, person, flower, or a team)
To find which you’re doing ask yourself one question- am I trying to get better. – Lou Holtz
"My Wage"
I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;
For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have gladly paid.
~ Jessie B Rittenhouse
Long term Goals- list one long term goal in sport or each area of life that is important to you.
Goal Setting
- write it down (it’s just a dream until its on paper, then it becomes a goal).
- make it public (you lie most to yourself, not as much to others)
- post your goals in the places you are at most, as a constant reminder (at least 3 places)
- set practice goals
Your Action Plan becomes a priority
Do you know what a priority is?
A priority is when you jump out of a plane and you make sure you pull the chute.
Pulling the chute is a priority.
When you decide to do something, you make sure it gets done.
Outcome Goals and Action Plan
We put our focus on our Action Plan because that is within our control. Outcomes are not usually directly controllable. We control outcome goals by controlling our Action Plan. When times get tough and we feel like giving up we then focus on our Outcome Goals.
Short-term goals should be- CARS
Challenging, Attainable, Realistic, Specific
USOC Guidelines
1. Focus on yourself (not others, outcomes, or rewards)
2. Make goals specific and measurable (get better and win are not goals)
3. Get Feedback (from coach and learn to self-monitor)
4. Keep them positive and framed positively.
5. Have Short-term and Long-term goals
6. Be flexible and adjust when and if necessary.
ACTIVITY
Ultimate Goal: ________________________________________________
ALL UPPER CASE LETTERS
(Take a proud stance)
Goal for 1st Period of time:__________________________________
If I could give you one goal setting piece of advice it would be to BEHAVE. Believe it or not the reason why most people do not achieve great success is because they cannot spell this word correctly. I have a simple spelling test for you. If you can correctly assemble these two words and never forget them, I can assure you that success is yours. The two words: HAVE & BE
Your Answer: ________________
All too often people think the HAVE comes before the BE. This is a major error. People focus on what they want to HAVE. “I want to have a national title,” I want to have a million dollars” etc. What you need to focus on is the person you will have to BE to achieve your goals. What does a person who wants these goals have to DO? Do they go through the motions, go to sleep late, eat garbage foods, slack off, etc.? Or do they live a life of TOTAL COMMITMENT? What kind of person would you have to BE to HAVE your goals? When you put the BE before the HAVE, you realize that more than having a dream, you must BE the type of person who TAKES ACTION CONSTANTLY, INTELLIGENTLY, AND INTENSIVELY.
Physical Goals
Top 3 Strengths (Focus on them the most) –If its already something you’re naturally good at, why not make it freaky -Darren Schulman
1.
2.
3.
It is through Mastery of these Strengths that you will achieve Success.
Top 3 Improvement Areas (Note: we never call them weaknesses)
1.
2.
3.
It is through improving these lesser strengths that you will find balance.
Decide how often you will revisit your goals. I recommend at least once a season. Separate the year into 4 quarters or anyway you like.
Creation of HABITS:
First we form habits, then they form us.
Sow a thought reap an action
Sow an action reap a habit
Sow a habit reap a character
Sow a character reap a destiny
For added success- involve your coach in the process for his modifications and adjustments for your particular area. (remember that you always have the final say)
Life Goals- Make a life list of as many things you want to accomplish in your life. Don’t hold back. List EVERYTHING you would like to do. (Bucket List- Things to do before you kick the bucket)
-If you have no view of the future, you have no sense of risk.
-You gain happiness by producing and doing things(especially things for others or for a higher cause, greater than yourself)
Finally - The difference between a dream and a goal is that you work toward a goal. You take action. Don’t just take action, take immediate action. Get going! Start! Now!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Could it be that the BEST have the Mental Edge?
Arnold Schwarzenegger
“The Secret is to make your mind work for you, not against you.”
(Arnold’s approach to bodybuilding was more mental than physical)
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_60/69_fitness_tip.html
Michael Jordan
Michael's biggest strength was his mental game. Jordan held a decisive mental edge over his opponents throughout his entire career. It was his mental toughness... Jeff Janssen, M.S.
http://www.teamarete.com/ificouldbe.html
Wayne Gretzky
…he (Gretzky) was not very strong physically, but he made up for that in the mental edge he held over opponents.
http://www.lycos.com/info/wayne-gretzky-hockey.html
Tiger Woods
Tiger's biggest club is his mental strength –USA Today
His mental game is every bit as good as his physical game. –Bob May
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2004-02-10-tiger-toughest_x.htm
there’s another quality even more important than skill. It’s his mind, and that very well could be his greatest weapon.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/09/sports/sp-mindgame9
Michael Phelps
His strongest asset is relaxing & focusing in competition. He can take himself mentally to a place. That’s what separates him from his competitors. –Coach Bowman
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/bowman-on-phelps-mental-strength/3003143297
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was a master of psychology…his mental toughness played a great factor in many of his fights. There was no one stronger mentally then Muhammad Ali.
http://greatestofalltime.homestead.com/muhammadali.html
Dan Gable
“Mental Toughness is the key of all keys…Mental Toughness is the foundation.”
http://www.briancain.com/articlesbybriancain/Dan%20Gable%20-%20Brian%20Cain%20CBN.pdf
John Wooden
“I am constantly trying to make players realize the mental side.”
Vince Lombardi
“Mental Toughness is essential for success.”
He was always working on both the minds and bodies of his players. The guy was a beautiful psychologist. – Jerry Kramer (former player)
Bobby Knight
“Mental toughness to physical (toughness) is as 4 is to 1.”
“The Secret is to make your mind work for you, not against you.”
(Arnold’s approach to bodybuilding was more mental than physical)
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_60/69_fitness_tip.html
Michael Jordan
Michael's biggest strength was his mental game. Jordan held a decisive mental edge over his opponents throughout his entire career. It was his mental toughness... Jeff Janssen, M.S.
http://www.teamarete.com/ificouldbe.html
Wayne Gretzky
…he (Gretzky) was not very strong physically, but he made up for that in the mental edge he held over opponents.
http://www.lycos.com/info/wayne-gretzky-hockey.html
Tiger Woods
Tiger's biggest club is his mental strength –USA Today
His mental game is every bit as good as his physical game. –Bob May
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2004-02-10-tiger-toughest_x.htm
there’s another quality even more important than skill. It’s his mind, and that very well could be his greatest weapon.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/09/sports/sp-mindgame9
Michael Phelps
His strongest asset is relaxing & focusing in competition. He can take himself mentally to a place. That’s what separates him from his competitors. –Coach Bowman
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/bowman-on-phelps-mental-strength/3003143297
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was a master of psychology…his mental toughness played a great factor in many of his fights. There was no one stronger mentally then Muhammad Ali.
http://greatestofalltime.homestead.com/muhammadali.html
Dan Gable
“Mental Toughness is the key of all keys…Mental Toughness is the foundation.”
http://www.briancain.com/articlesbybriancain/Dan%20Gable%20-%20Brian%20Cain%20CBN.pdf
John Wooden
“I am constantly trying to make players realize the mental side.”
Vince Lombardi
“Mental Toughness is essential for success.”
He was always working on both the minds and bodies of his players. The guy was a beautiful psychologist. – Jerry Kramer (former player)
Bobby Knight
“Mental toughness to physical (toughness) is as 4 is to 1.”
Top 10 Biggest Mental Mistakes An Althlete Can Make And Corrections
1. Getting involved in the hype. Reading the papers and/or forum. Leave this to the spectators, after the season you can read your articles.
2. Associating with negative people and small-time thinkers. These people will only slow you down. Keep your distance from them, especially during the season.
3. Making any particular match or tournament “special.” Every match and practice is important, but nothing is ever special. Special adds pressure. Treat everything the same. Consistency!
4. Believing ANY opponent you face is unbeatable. David and Goliath, Giants and Patriots, Gable and Owings, The Movie Miracle, etc. etc.
5. Focusing on the past or future instead of the present moment. Only worry about the present and how you can do your best at this moment.
6. Under any circumstances using the word CAN’T. Don’t ever say that word!
7. Dwelling on a setback or loss. Learn the lesson, then move on, period. Just let it go and do it better next time.
8. Focusing exclusively on winning or titles. Compete with yourself.
9. Competing not to lose. A coward dies 1,000 deaths before he dies. Always play to win. If you’re already winning: play to dominate.
10. Using extreme self-talk. That puts extra pressure on you: MUST, SHOULD, or NEED TO. Use “I want” and “I choose to” instead.
11! Not taking advantage of a Sport Psychology Expert and being totally mentally prepared to achieve your goals. See Gene Zannetti
2. Associating with negative people and small-time thinkers. These people will only slow you down. Keep your distance from them, especially during the season.
3. Making any particular match or tournament “special.” Every match and practice is important, but nothing is ever special. Special adds pressure. Treat everything the same. Consistency!
4. Believing ANY opponent you face is unbeatable. David and Goliath, Giants and Patriots, Gable and Owings, The Movie Miracle, etc. etc.
5. Focusing on the past or future instead of the present moment. Only worry about the present and how you can do your best at this moment.
6. Under any circumstances using the word CAN’T. Don’t ever say that word!
7. Dwelling on a setback or loss. Learn the lesson, then move on, period. Just let it go and do it better next time.
8. Focusing exclusively on winning or titles. Compete with yourself.
9. Competing not to lose. A coward dies 1,000 deaths before he dies. Always play to win. If you’re already winning: play to dominate.
10. Using extreme self-talk. That puts extra pressure on you: MUST, SHOULD, or NEED TO. Use “I want” and “I choose to” instead.
11! Not taking advantage of a Sport Psychology Expert and being totally mentally prepared to achieve your goals. See Gene Zannetti
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