Mindset Monday 8/9/10 - Mental Quiet

Pop Quiz: If you took three athletes of similar skill level and lined them up in a row: one athlete has all positive thoughts, the other athlete has all negative thoughts, and the last athlete has no thoughts (in essence, lights are on, no one’s home), who would win? If you are like most people, you would assume the positive thinker would win. You fail the pop quiz! Don’t worry, everybody fails the first pop quiz, all the time. We know the negative thinker wouldn’t win. But the positive thinker would lose to the non thinker.

If you think back to your best performance in competition and think what was going on in your mind during the competition…go ahead, think back…If you are like most people, you are probably saying, “I don’t know, I just__” In other words, you probably did not have much going on in your mind. While, you want to be the positive thinker walking around every day, to fill your head with empowering confident thoughts, during a performance you do not want to have any thoughts in your head. You should just be acting and reacting to the present moment.

OK, so how do you compete with a clear head? One of the best things you can do to clear your mind is putting together a specific pre-competition routine. Great performers do this instinctively. Jason Kidd blows a kiss to the basket before taking a free throw, many pitchers do the same thing before each pitch, many golfers do a certain number of practice swings each time before hitting the ball. You can modify this to your sport. Comprise a specific and detailed pre-competition routine, and practice it several times a week on your own (apart from competition). You will find that the more you do this, the more of a home feeling you will get as you perform it. When you concentrate on your pre competition routine, you will phase out all distractions including the crowd, expectations, pressure, and self conscious thoughts.
Gene Zannetti
Peak Performance Specialist
One-on-One Consultation and Motivational Speaking
(908) 337-6143
genezannetti@gmail.com
Visit My Blog- http://genezannetti.blogspot.com/

Mindset Monday 8/2/10- Power of Symbols

The Power of Symbols
Psychologists have long known the importance of the Unconscious Mind in goal directed behavior. The mind contains a Conscious and Unconscious component. The conscious mind are the thoughts we choose to have, or deliberate thoughts we think. It responds to words, phrases, and sentences. The unconscious mind contains thoughts that occur below our awareness. It responded to repeat exposure of a particular stimuli, music, and feelings. For example, when we see a few McDonalds commercials on TV and then later that day we wonder why we are having an unbearable craving for McDonalds. While we thought we were not paying attention to TV, and we could not recall consciously what commercials were going on in between our favorite show, the REPEATED MESSAGE was detected and registered in our Unconscious Mind. Our goal directed behavior (deciding to go to Mickey D’s) was heavily influenced by our unconscious mind, and we didn’t even realize it.

Our Unconscious Mind is responsible for our goal directed behavior because it registers all of our imagination, dreams, fears, and insecurities even if we consciously try to suppress them. This is the reason self-sabotaging occurs- we come close to a goal that we feel we deep down do not deserve to achieve, so we do something to blow it for ourselves at the very last minute. This is not uncommon, it happens to all of us sometimes. It is first necessary to recognize this self-sabotaging which is synonymous with approach-avoidance, that goes on inside ourselves, And step 2 is to take control of our Unconscious Mind.

We take control of our Unconscious Mind by using the Repeat Exposure of Symbols- a person, super hero, animal, symbol, object, or created image. We need to know what task we wish to perform ie. throwing a ball as fast as you can, and then choose some symbol that we can personally relate to (everyone’s will probably be a little different). Perhaps one person would envision the Human Torch throwing a ball of fire right before performing the throw. Maybe a sprinter would picture a Gazelle running fast and smooth immediately before a competition. A wrestler in the bottom position may picture a bull seeing red right before the whistle blows. The symbol would then take control of the mind as opposed to a thought or self-criticism.
You can maximize the use of symbols by repeat exposure- thinking of your symbol EVERY TIME, including practice, before you perform the desired action. Also, be sure to see my previous blog on ANCHORING. Your best bet would be to choose a symbol and then an accompanied ANCHOR or PROCESS CUE. Pairing your Symbol and Process Cue would be a double whammy for your mind and would be extremely helpful in making the mental connection. Your Anchor should go with your symbol. An example of this would be a sprinter, before a race, imagining a Gazelle (Symbol) and then doing a Gazelle like hop in the air (Process Cue). Do this every time before you sprint, and you will see both mental clarity and supreme confidence. If you are not a sprinter, apply this concept to your sport.

Gene Zannetti
Peak Performance Specialist
One-on-One Consultation and Motivational Speaking
(908) 337-6143
genezannetti@gmail.com
Visit My Blog- http://genezannetti.blogspot.com/

Mindset Monday 7/26/10- How to Relax Part 2

How to Relax Part 2

It is easy to train your brain to relax. We use Anchors (aka Cues) to relax, energize, and create almost any mindset we would like to have. Choose one or two words you can say to yourself (ie. Easy, Relaxed, Calm, etc etc.) and have an accompanied body movement or gesture (ie. placing your hands palms down on your upper leg or whatever you choose), this is your Cue. Every time you feel very relaxed simply do your Cue. You could also create a relaxed mindset by doing the deep breathing exercise I described last Monday, then performing your Cue. The more times you pair your Cue with a Relaxed state, the stronger this Mental Muscle will become- Just like the more times you do a bicep curl, the bigger your arms will grow. So make sure to do your Cue every time you feel relaxed. After enough repetitions, you will be able to simply perform your Cue and you will begin to feel more relaxed.

The biggest mistake you can make is deciding on a Cue and never practicing it and then expect it to work right before a competition. This is the equivalent of a bodybuilder not exercising until the day of the competition and expecting results. Pair the Cue and the Relaxed state enough and you will be able to relax at will, including right before the big competitions.


Gene Zannetti

Peak Performance Specialist

One-on-One Consultation and Motivational Speaking

(908) 337-6143 (908) 337-6143

genezannetti@gmail.com

Visit My Blog- http://genezannetti.blogspot.com/

Mindset Monday 7/19/10- How to Relax Before Competition (Part 1)

Studies show that too much anxiety will kill a performance (not that you needed any studies to prove this point to you). Many coaches tell their athletes not to worry. They say to, “just relax.” Few coaches however tell their athletes exactly how to do this. The coaches are not holding anything back from their athletes, they simply may not know how to do this themselves. You can teach someone how to relax.

Step 1 is realizing that it takes no effort at all to relax. You have all natures most powerful sedatives flowing through your body at every moment. First and foremost, you must realize this.

Step 2: Breathing properly. Deep breaths in through your nose, out through your mouth. Feel your stomach expand and contract. Your chest should not move. All breathing is done in your abdomen. For every 1 second you breath in, you should breath out for 3 seconds.

Step 3 is realizing at this moment, there is nothing else in the world except your breath. You breath in, and you breath out. There is no upcoming competition, there are no other objects, there are no people, there is even no you. The only thing that exists is your breath. You breath in, you breath out, and everything else fades out of existence. (This concept is similar to Zen Buddhists- allowing oneself to regain oneness with the universe). Allow your mind to go blank. If thoughts should arise, do not react to them, do not judge them. Your mind is a reflex organ, it reacts to everything. Realize this. Realize that your mind will wander, your mind will judge, your mind will worry. Do not fight your mind. This is the equivalent of a Civil War taking place inside yourself. Allow your mind to have doubts, fears, and worries, and recognize this is a natural thing the mind does. You do not have to respond to it. You do not need to live according to your minds automatic thoughts. You have a choice. You can persist through doubts, fears, and worries.

Deep breathing increases blood flow and circulation throughout your body. You will gain physical and mental well being through taking control of your breathing. You breath consciously to regain control of your energy- your body and your mind.
Get into meditation. Read the Miracle of Mindfulness by Ticht Nacht Hahn. Learn how to Center from Aikido. Make deep breathing a part of your regular routine. Use it before you compete. I can say from personal experience that after you take deep breaths before you compete you feel like a new person. You feel energized and relaxed. Do your deep breathing about 10 minutes before you compete and do not stop until your mind is clear (not thinking about anything).

Gene Zannetti
Peak Performance Specialist
One-on-One Consultation and Motivational Speaking
(908) 337-6143
genezannetti@gmail.com
Visit My Blog- http://genezannetti.blogspot.com/

Mindset Monday 7/12/10- Redefining Failure

Failure is Feedback to Champions, failure is Final to Losers. If you want to succeed you must be willing to persist through failure along the way. You want to adopt a Mastery Mindset- you are in it for the long run; you will not be deterred by the daily ups and downs.

Champions look long-term. In fact, Winners lose more than losers lose. Think about it, they have to. They put themselves on the line more. The success creed goes like this, “ I am not judged by the number of times I failed, but by the number of times I succeed, and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I fail and keep moving forward.”

Now this is not to say that the Champions like losing, in fact, I am sure they hate it even more than losers. The difference is they recognize failures as part of the PROCESS to be a Success. Here are some examples who illustrate what I am talking about:

~Few people would think that the hitter who struck out most times in baseball history would be thought of as a good player, much less a baseball hall of famer, Mr. October REGGIE JACKSON.
~Or that the batter who made the most outs ever would also have the most hits- does PETE ROSE ring a bell?
~ Surely the pitcher with the most all time losses would be sent back to the minors. He wouldn't be the pitcher with the most all time wins would he? Would they name the Most Valuable Pitcher the CY YOUNG award?
~You would think the basketball player who missed over 9,000 shots, lost almost 300 games, missed the game winning shot 26 times, and cut from freshman high school team would be MICHAEL JORDAN.
~Just google the "successes and failures of ABRAHAM LINCOLN" if you want to see real adversity and bouncing back from losses!
~Thomas Edison said he didn’t fail thousand, but rather found thousands of ways NOT to invent the light bulb.

Don’t let the Fear of Failure stop you from going after your dreams. Look at the list above when you feel like quitting.

Gene Zannetti
Peak Performance Specialist
One-on-One Consultation and Motivational Speaking
(908) 337-6143
genezannetti@gmail.com
Visit My Blog- http://genezannetti.blogspot.com/

Mindset Monday 6/28/10- Empowering Self-Talk

Self-Talk
The great wrestling coach Wali Muhamad once said, “All great athletes talk to themselves” and he couldn’t have been more right. We may not be able to hear what people say to themselves, but their behavior gives us a good indicator. While performing, successful people speak to themselves with Self-Talk that is (1) positive (2) empowering (3) rational (4) clear and concise.

Simple changes to improve your Self-Talk:
*Change WHY questions into HOW questions. Instead of asking “WHY can’t I do this” ask instead “HOW can I do this? WHY to HOW moves you from the victim to the victor!
*Change extreme irrational words like MUST, NEED to, HAVE to, SHOULD to less stressful words like WANT to, CHOOSE to. This takes pressure off of you and reminds you that your thoughts and behavior are your choice.
*Eliminate the word CAN’T pretty much altogether. Again, change this word to HOW CAN I do this?
*While performing or competing, eliminate the word “I” and “ME.” This is taken from the Zen Buddhist philosophy of oneness. When the self is lost and all that left is the action, a person loses themselves and becomes one with the experience. This facilitates the coveted FLOW STATE aka THE ZONE aka feeling like you can’t miss.
*As soon you find yourself blaming other people, circumstances, or things outside your control say to yourself “I take responsibility for myself.”
*During competition, give yourself SHORT and PRECISE directives. Avoid long drawn out instructions.
*Be a good coach to yourself. If you were giving advice to someone who looks up to you, you wouldn’t beat them up verbally over mistakes, you would probably talk them down and say motivational things to them- DO THIS FOR YOURSELF.

Gene Zannetti
Peak Performance Specialist
One-on-One Consultation and Motivational Speaking
(908) 337-6143
genezannetti@gmail.com
Visit My Blog- http://genezannetti.blogspot.com/

Mindset Monday 6/21/10- Developing Dominance

Developing Dominance
Before you have a Dominant performance you must first create a Dominant Self. Most people do not realize that Dominance is something you develop, not something you are born with. Developing a Dominant Self-Image is the first step to Dominating your opponent or event. The appropriate question is: How do I create a Dominant Self-Image for myself?

Answer:

(Step 1) Fire up your Unconscious mind with the help of your imagination.
Who are athletes in your sport or any other sport that are Dominant?
*watch their Dominant performances frequently- watch how they carry themselves (how they walk, talk, stand, and move) START DOING THOSE THINGS THAT THEY DO…this helps your mind and body remember what a Dominant mindset looks like.

(Step 2) Make an ongoing list of ANY time you were Dominant- in your sport GAME or PRACTICE, or anytime you can remember at anything. The goal here is to see yourself as the Dominator. Your confidence is largely related to things you focus on. Focus on time you lost- feel like a loser. Focus on times you Dominated- feel like a Dominator. ALSO- remember how you looked and felt when you Dominated- write it down and repeat your past Dominant Self-Talk and Body Language.

(Step 3) Anchor in Your Success. An Anchor or a Cue is something physical you do (ie. Leg slap, deep breath, hand clap, say an empowering word, etc. etc.) to remind you of a specific mindset. An example of how it works- after I do Step 1, I clap my hands. After I do Step 2, I clap my hands. I repeat Steps 1 and 2 three times this week before my competition this weekend. By the time the competition comes, my CUE or ANCHOR will be strengthened through practice. Before my competition I will clap my hands (my Cue) and my mind will remember that feeling of Dominance that I created.

Note- Like lifting weights, you must train your brain. You cannot expect to do curls one day and see results. You must do them multiple times a week for several weeks. Practice creating and Anchoring your Dominant Self-Image. Start today!
Be a Dominator!

Gene Zannetti
Peak Performance Specialist
One- on-One Consultation and Motivational Speaking
(908) 337-6143
genezannetti@gmail.com
Visit My Blog- http://genezannetti.blogspot.com/