What philosophy do you live by?
The past two weeks I have written about the importance of Confidence to your success. We have also gone over concrete, research supported techniques to improve your Confidence.
Today I would like to go deeper into Confidence at its most fundamental level. It seems to me that Confident people all share something in common- they know what they believe- in the world and in themselves.
To truly improve your Confidence at its deepest level, I would recommend soul searching to find what it is you believe in.
Some people put their faith in a higher power, others put it in science, still others trust a combination of the two. Whatever it is, you must decide what you believe about the world and yourself. What philosophy do you live by? You may believe in your own blend of several different philosophies. That is fine too. The important thing is that you know what you believe- about yourself and about the world.
Many religions and philosophies have at their roots the belief that people are powerful beyond belief; created in the image of an immortal. Others believe in Chi, inner energy, or the vibration of the universe. My recommendation is to find what you believe in- read about it. Then, write it down on a piece of paper that you refer to several times a week to remind yourself what you believe in. Life will throw curve balls at you and unexpected events will occur that both have the capacity to derail you from your center (core beliefs about the world). Be open-minded and never too rigid, but it is crucial to know what you believe.
Even if you are not a believer in a higher power you can still have a belief in science and research. You can still be a believer in science if you have faith in a higher power. In both cases, you can be confident that all of the techniques and strategies I offer you every week are the best available from the latest available evidence.
One thing that always gave me Confidence to face my fears head on and go after my goals was my strong faith. I have a list of favorite Bible Quotes that I continue to read weekly. They keep things in perspective for me and remind me what I believe in. If you are interested in seeing my list of Motivational Bible Quotes from both the Old Testament (Hebrew Scripture) and New Testament, I have attached that blog for you here:
http://gzchristian.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-04-06T23%3A38%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7
Reminder that Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all share a reverence for the Old Testament, whereas the New Testament is more Christianity specific. I included both so as to reach the broadest audience possible.
Again, if you are not religious, it is still to know what you believe in. If you know what you believe in, it will carry over to the field of play. You will have things in perspective and have a deep feeling of inner Confidence that will be very difficult to beat.
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/
Monday, October 18, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Mindset Monday 10/11/10- Build Confidence Part 2
Confidence is so important to our success I have decided to do at least a 3 part series continuing from last week.
What else can we do to build Unstoppable Confidence?
A different approach to building confidence is taken from behavioral theorists (a major branch of psychology).
It may be common sense that the body listens to the mind. If we start to have thoughts like, “I am not good enough,” the body will probably start sweating, your heart will start racing etc. But what may not be such common sense is that the mind also listens to the body. Indeed, after seeing one’s body sweat and feeling one’s own heart race, the mind will look at this and decide, “I must be nervous because my body looks nervous.” This will make a person even more nervous than they were originally!
How do we stop the cycle?
We do not need to be Confident, we must simply ACT CONFIDENT! Muhammad Ali was the master of this. He said he was scared to death before every fight. He did not appear this way though because he ACTED CONFIDENT. He moved confident, he spoke confident, etc. When he or anyone else does this, your mind sees your body’s actions and decides, you must really be confident.
Can you be happy right now? Maybe, maybe not.
Can you think happy thoughts right now? Again, maybe, maybe not.
Can you smile? YES, anyone can smile. And studies show that we smile when we are happy and also WHEN WE SMILE- WE FEEL HAPPIER.
Apply this to Confidence. ACT AS IF, even if you do not feel this way. Fake it till you make it. Better still- fake it till you feel it!
(Dr. Gilbert)
Tony Robbins gives this exercise- Get yourself upset, or mad, or in some negative mood and then make a Big Smile and Look up in the air. You cannot stay mad, because you are sending your mind mixed signals. This will at very least break the cycle we spoke of earlier.
* Know in advance what Confidence looks like. What do you look like when you are confident? How do you move? How do you speak? How do you hold your head? What gestures go with your confident feeling? When you get this feeling of confidence remember how you look so you can make yourself do these same things when you need to be confident in the future. Practice doing this a lot before competition. As always, you do not want to practice for the first time before a competition. You want to get this look down.
* If you do not know how you look when you are confident, look at other people who you perceive as confident and watch how they move, walk, talk, hold their head, gestures, etc. and DO THAT. This will remind you of Confidence and you doing this will in turn make you feel confident. Your body moving around confidently will remind your mind to feel CONFIDENT.
*Add a gesture (or cue) every time you practice ACTING CONFIDENTLY. This will strengthen the connection between you mind and body so you will feel maximally confident when you need it most.
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/
What else can we do to build Unstoppable Confidence?
A different approach to building confidence is taken from behavioral theorists (a major branch of psychology).
It may be common sense that the body listens to the mind. If we start to have thoughts like, “I am not good enough,” the body will probably start sweating, your heart will start racing etc. But what may not be such common sense is that the mind also listens to the body. Indeed, after seeing one’s body sweat and feeling one’s own heart race, the mind will look at this and decide, “I must be nervous because my body looks nervous.” This will make a person even more nervous than they were originally!
How do we stop the cycle?
We do not need to be Confident, we must simply ACT CONFIDENT! Muhammad Ali was the master of this. He said he was scared to death before every fight. He did not appear this way though because he ACTED CONFIDENT. He moved confident, he spoke confident, etc. When he or anyone else does this, your mind sees your body’s actions and decides, you must really be confident.
Can you be happy right now? Maybe, maybe not.
Can you think happy thoughts right now? Again, maybe, maybe not.
Can you smile? YES, anyone can smile. And studies show that we smile when we are happy and also WHEN WE SMILE- WE FEEL HAPPIER.
Apply this to Confidence. ACT AS IF, even if you do not feel this way. Fake it till you make it. Better still- fake it till you feel it!
(Dr. Gilbert)
Tony Robbins gives this exercise- Get yourself upset, or mad, or in some negative mood and then make a Big Smile and Look up in the air. You cannot stay mad, because you are sending your mind mixed signals. This will at very least break the cycle we spoke of earlier.
* Know in advance what Confidence looks like. What do you look like when you are confident? How do you move? How do you speak? How do you hold your head? What gestures go with your confident feeling? When you get this feeling of confidence remember how you look so you can make yourself do these same things when you need to be confident in the future. Practice doing this a lot before competition. As always, you do not want to practice for the first time before a competition. You want to get this look down.
* If you do not know how you look when you are confident, look at other people who you perceive as confident and watch how they move, walk, talk, hold their head, gestures, etc. and DO THAT. This will remind you of Confidence and you doing this will in turn make you feel confident. Your body moving around confidently will remind your mind to feel CONFIDENT.
*Add a gesture (or cue) every time you practice ACTING CONFIDENTLY. This will strengthen the connection between you mind and body so you will feel maximally confident when you need it most.
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/
Monday, October 4, 2010
Mindset Monday 10/4/10- Building Confidence
There is no factor more crucial to your Success than our Self-Confidence.
To be successful, you must truly believe that you are capable of achieving that which you are attempting. Technique and skills are important, but they are nothing if you perform them half heartedly. The main reason people do not perform technique and skills at 100% is because they deep down do not believe that it will work. They have some doubt that they will achieve what they are trying. When you take a shot in wrestling, expect to get the leg. When you swing a bat, expect to hit the ball. When you throw a block, expect the other guy to go down.
We have all heard these little pieces of advice. But as always, do not say to yourself, "I already know this.” Instead, ask yourself, “how well do I apply this?”
Here is how you build Unstoppable Confidence:
*Make a long list of your successes and positive attributes both on and off the field of play. On one side of the paper, write your sport and everything you have ever accomplished, great performances, and positive attributes you possess. They key here is to pick out every little thing. Do not hold back. Write even little things. On the other side of the paper write Life and make another list of accomplishments, achievements, and positive attributes. Stock pile even small successes. Read this paper once a day for a few months, then continue to revisit it once or twice a week. You want to ingrain this list in your mind, so when you step into a situation where you have doubts, you can very easily call to mind reasons why you can succeed and overcome the doubt. It will be difficult to overcome doubt in the moment without a plan. So it is important you hammer this list into your mind so you will be well equipped to handle doubt.
*Write out reasons why you will succeed in your goal. Or imagine that you already accomplished your goal. Write out reasons why you accomplished it. This type of thinking gives your mind a shift in focus. You go from looking at your goal as a dream, to now looking at your goal as a real possibility. Why are your skills good enough to win? Has anyone very successful used the same skills to win? Are their people who are similar to you who have achieved the same thing you want? These are all reasons why you can succeed.
*Forget about being realistic. Most psychologists and philosophers dispute what realism even means and how perspective is very subjective (see post-modernism). I think most people use it as a cop out- an excuse if you lose. Live in your own reality. The 90/10 rule in economics and success is that 10% of the people control 90% of the money. This is sad but true about success too. Think like the 10% of the people who succeed, not like the 90% of people who do not. Read biographies of success stories. Talk to these people when you are making decisions. Take successful people out to lunch and pick their brains. I guarantee you they do not think like the 90% of the people you hang out with. Would you rather a safety in numbers being with the 90% so you have a good excuse if you lose? Or do you want to join the company of champions? The choice is yours. Throw “realism” out the window. Make a list of what you believe or what you would need to believe to be a success and read this list everyday along with your accomplishment list. Live in your own reality.
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/
To be successful, you must truly believe that you are capable of achieving that which you are attempting. Technique and skills are important, but they are nothing if you perform them half heartedly. The main reason people do not perform technique and skills at 100% is because they deep down do not believe that it will work. They have some doubt that they will achieve what they are trying. When you take a shot in wrestling, expect to get the leg. When you swing a bat, expect to hit the ball. When you throw a block, expect the other guy to go down.
We have all heard these little pieces of advice. But as always, do not say to yourself, "I already know this.” Instead, ask yourself, “how well do I apply this?”
Here is how you build Unstoppable Confidence:
*Make a long list of your successes and positive attributes both on and off the field of play. On one side of the paper, write your sport and everything you have ever accomplished, great performances, and positive attributes you possess. They key here is to pick out every little thing. Do not hold back. Write even little things. On the other side of the paper write Life and make another list of accomplishments, achievements, and positive attributes. Stock pile even small successes. Read this paper once a day for a few months, then continue to revisit it once or twice a week. You want to ingrain this list in your mind, so when you step into a situation where you have doubts, you can very easily call to mind reasons why you can succeed and overcome the doubt. It will be difficult to overcome doubt in the moment without a plan. So it is important you hammer this list into your mind so you will be well equipped to handle doubt.
*Write out reasons why you will succeed in your goal. Or imagine that you already accomplished your goal. Write out reasons why you accomplished it. This type of thinking gives your mind a shift in focus. You go from looking at your goal as a dream, to now looking at your goal as a real possibility. Why are your skills good enough to win? Has anyone very successful used the same skills to win? Are their people who are similar to you who have achieved the same thing you want? These are all reasons why you can succeed.
*Forget about being realistic. Most psychologists and philosophers dispute what realism even means and how perspective is very subjective (see post-modernism). I think most people use it as a cop out- an excuse if you lose. Live in your own reality. The 90/10 rule in economics and success is that 10% of the people control 90% of the money. This is sad but true about success too. Think like the 10% of the people who succeed, not like the 90% of people who do not. Read biographies of success stories. Talk to these people when you are making decisions. Take successful people out to lunch and pick their brains. I guarantee you they do not think like the 90% of the people you hang out with. Would you rather a safety in numbers being with the 90% so you have a good excuse if you lose? Or do you want to join the company of champions? The choice is yours. Throw “realism” out the window. Make a list of what you believe or what you would need to believe to be a success and read this list everyday along with your accomplishment list. Live in your own reality.
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/
Monday, September 27, 2010
Mindset Monday 9/27/10 - Sleep Like a Baby the Night Before Competitions
One major issue performers claim to have is a severely impaired, if not, complete inability to sleep the night before a competition. I have not seen too many experts address this very important issue. We all know the importance of rest for our bodies and minds to perform at their optimal. Here are some tips to help you sleep like a baby the night before competition, so you can be at your best when you need it most. As with any good performance advice, they include both mind and body.
(1) Avoid sugar and caffeine the night before competition. This may not pose a problem for athletes who need to make weight the next day, but this is important for everyone to remember. A wrestler who can have a few ounces to drink the night before should probably choose something other than soda. This will give your body a biological edge in getting to sleep soon.
(2) Have a routine you perform every night before you go to sleep. This could include washing up, prayers, cleaning your room, deep breathing, or whatever (try to avoid physical activity which can wake your body up). Perform this every night, so the night before competition you have a set routine and you will not be pacing around endlessly thinking of competition. The more you do this routine, the better it will work for you when you need it. Do not make the night before competition the first time you do this.
(3) Include deep breathing as one of the final parts of your pre-sleep routine. Deep breathing is known to lower heart rate and improve relaxation. Remember: all breathing is done in your stomach (your chest and arms should not move) inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth for 3x as long as you inhaled. Think about nothing more than breathing.
(4) Use visualization and symbols to your advantage. As you lay in bed, picture yourself as a bear getting ready to hibernate (or use any symbol or idea you can relate to). The point is to see yourself as the symbol and put you in a relaxed state of mind. You can also imagine yourself stepping into a very comfortable environment (happy place, worlds most comfortable room,etc. etc. use your imagination) and see yourself at ease and slowly but surely drifting away into a completely blissful sleep. Incorporate this into your pre-sleep routine every night. The more times you pair this image to a peaceful sleep, the better it will serve you the night before a competition.
(5) Plan Ahead. Find out a week in advance what time you will need to be awake for your competition and what time you will need to go to sleep to be awake for that time. Start going to bed at that time a week ahead. This will get your body adjusted to feeling sleepy at the right time. Why do we always wait until the night before competition to go to sleep at a decent hour? Do you expect your body to be able to make such an adjustment in one night (especially while you have other hings on your mind). Your body has a rhythm you can use to your advantage.
(6) Accept. Accept that your mind may wander and you may feel some nervousness the night before you compete. This is natural. It is nothing to get into a panic over. We all get nervous, the trick is to stop worrying there. Do not worry about getting worried. We all do this from time to time. Remind yourself that your mind will often play tricks on you the night before to get you to over think things. Have a sense of humor with it. Be able to laugh at yourself and your mind's games. Accept that this is natural and you will gain control over your mind. When you do not accept yourself and your mind, you allow your body and mind to engage in a civil war against one another. Resistance causes tension and discord, acceptance causes peace and tranquility. Remember, it takes no effort to relax. Relaxation is the state of being your body and mind naturally want to be in. You have all the best drugs and tranquilizers already inside your body.
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/
(1) Avoid sugar and caffeine the night before competition. This may not pose a problem for athletes who need to make weight the next day, but this is important for everyone to remember. A wrestler who can have a few ounces to drink the night before should probably choose something other than soda. This will give your body a biological edge in getting to sleep soon.
(2) Have a routine you perform every night before you go to sleep. This could include washing up, prayers, cleaning your room, deep breathing, or whatever (try to avoid physical activity which can wake your body up). Perform this every night, so the night before competition you have a set routine and you will not be pacing around endlessly thinking of competition. The more you do this routine, the better it will work for you when you need it. Do not make the night before competition the first time you do this.
(3) Include deep breathing as one of the final parts of your pre-sleep routine. Deep breathing is known to lower heart rate and improve relaxation. Remember: all breathing is done in your stomach (your chest and arms should not move) inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth for 3x as long as you inhaled. Think about nothing more than breathing.
(4) Use visualization and symbols to your advantage. As you lay in bed, picture yourself as a bear getting ready to hibernate (or use any symbol or idea you can relate to). The point is to see yourself as the symbol and put you in a relaxed state of mind. You can also imagine yourself stepping into a very comfortable environment (happy place, worlds most comfortable room,etc. etc. use your imagination) and see yourself at ease and slowly but surely drifting away into a completely blissful sleep. Incorporate this into your pre-sleep routine every night. The more times you pair this image to a peaceful sleep, the better it will serve you the night before a competition.
(5) Plan Ahead. Find out a week in advance what time you will need to be awake for your competition and what time you will need to go to sleep to be awake for that time. Start going to bed at that time a week ahead. This will get your body adjusted to feeling sleepy at the right time. Why do we always wait until the night before competition to go to sleep at a decent hour? Do you expect your body to be able to make such an adjustment in one night (especially while you have other hings on your mind). Your body has a rhythm you can use to your advantage.
(6) Accept. Accept that your mind may wander and you may feel some nervousness the night before you compete. This is natural. It is nothing to get into a panic over. We all get nervous, the trick is to stop worrying there. Do not worry about getting worried. We all do this from time to time. Remind yourself that your mind will often play tricks on you the night before to get you to over think things. Have a sense of humor with it. Be able to laugh at yourself and your mind's games. Accept that this is natural and you will gain control over your mind. When you do not accept yourself and your mind, you allow your body and mind to engage in a civil war against one another. Resistance causes tension and discord, acceptance causes peace and tranquility. Remember, it takes no effort to relax. Relaxation is the state of being your body and mind naturally want to be in. You have all the best drugs and tranquilizers already inside your body.
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/
Monday, September 20, 2010
Mindset Monday 9/20/10 - 3 Purposes of Sport Psychology
The 3 Purposes of Sport/Performance Psychology
1. Help you determine what you want- Your Goal.
2. Help you create a plan of action to get to your goal.
3. Help you to get out of your own way.
Step 1 is to determine what it is you want to accomplish. Lou Holtz always says everyone needs 4 things in this world (1) something to do (2) someone to love (3) something to believe in (4) something to hope for. He was talking about goals. Determine what you love. What is your passion? Or, what is an area of your life you wish to get control over?
Step 2. Many people, and most athletes have step 1 completed. (If you don’t, that’s ok, just work on step 1 first then). They know what they love and what they want to accomplish. The next step is to write out a full and comprehensive plan of action that will take you from point A (where you are now) to point B (your goal). You must determine all the important aspects of your sport or activity- mental and physical. There should be several physical areas you must work on ie. technique, strength, conditioning, etc. as well as several mental areas you must improve ie. Confidence, staying relaxed, positive self-talk, etc. Then once you have all the areas of your field down, you must write out a very specific way in which you will improve them. You cannot just say “my conditioning needs to get better, so I will work harder.” This is a great goal, but the plan to get in better shape must be specific- I will run 10 sprints after every practice or I will make sure I am the hardest worker in the room- first one in, last one out.
Step 3 is a lifelong journey- stepping out of your own way. Believe it or not, we are the major obstacle between ourselves and our own success. We often think negatively, doubt our abilities, try to impress others, over think things, get distracted, lose focus, etc. etc. If we can overcome ourselves, we can accomplish anything. There are proven ways to help you succeed in Step 3, but they must be practiced and lived on a regular basis. We all battle demons in our own way. I always tell my athletes not to worry about beating their opponents. If they can win the battle within, they can beat anyone. Sport Psychology Experts main job is this step. Make sure you know how to master this area, or get someone who can assist you in doing so-
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/
1. Help you determine what you want- Your Goal.
2. Help you create a plan of action to get to your goal.
3. Help you to get out of your own way.
Step 1 is to determine what it is you want to accomplish. Lou Holtz always says everyone needs 4 things in this world (1) something to do (2) someone to love (3) something to believe in (4) something to hope for. He was talking about goals. Determine what you love. What is your passion? Or, what is an area of your life you wish to get control over?
Step 2. Many people, and most athletes have step 1 completed. (If you don’t, that’s ok, just work on step 1 first then). They know what they love and what they want to accomplish. The next step is to write out a full and comprehensive plan of action that will take you from point A (where you are now) to point B (your goal). You must determine all the important aspects of your sport or activity- mental and physical. There should be several physical areas you must work on ie. technique, strength, conditioning, etc. as well as several mental areas you must improve ie. Confidence, staying relaxed, positive self-talk, etc. Then once you have all the areas of your field down, you must write out a very specific way in which you will improve them. You cannot just say “my conditioning needs to get better, so I will work harder.” This is a great goal, but the plan to get in better shape must be specific- I will run 10 sprints after every practice or I will make sure I am the hardest worker in the room- first one in, last one out.
Step 3 is a lifelong journey- stepping out of your own way. Believe it or not, we are the major obstacle between ourselves and our own success. We often think negatively, doubt our abilities, try to impress others, over think things, get distracted, lose focus, etc. etc. If we can overcome ourselves, we can accomplish anything. There are proven ways to help you succeed in Step 3, but they must be practiced and lived on a regular basis. We all battle demons in our own way. I always tell my athletes not to worry about beating their opponents. If they can win the battle within, they can beat anyone. Sport Psychology Experts main job is this step. Make sure you know how to master this area, or get someone who can assist you in doing so-
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/
Monday, September 13, 2010
Mindset Monday 9/13/10- The 4 Rules of Sport Psychology
I created a simple set of 4 basic rules of Sport Psychology to make things as easy for people as possible.
(1) One thing at a time
(2) Keep it simple
(3) Write it down
(4) When in doubt, don't think, ACT.
(1) One thing at a time: There is usually alot going on in our minds at once (both consciously and unconsciously). When trying to correct your mindset, there is a tendency to come up with many things we wish to improve. This will only overwhelm you. Make a list of a few things you wish to improve mentally, and then try to prioritize your most important 3 things. Then, spend time on ONE of these at a time.
(2) Keep it simple: "Rome was not built in a day." Do not overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much right away. Notice in #1 I did not say "make sure you pick the most important 3 things." I said TRY. Do not beat yourself up if you later realize there is something else you would like to work on. Just move forward with what you have for now. Take it slow. If you are persistent and consistent, little modifications will change your life.
(3) Write it down: The mind is abstract, you must make it concrete. Did you ever notice you will have a good idea or insight and later forget it after you get distracted by something small? This is how the mind works. We could have great ideas and flashes of insight, but soon forget them. So it is important to write down your thoughts and ideas as soon as you can after having them. For an athlete, this means right after competition (not before or during) writing down your pre-competition and/or during competition mindset. Whether you perform well or poorly, you want to remember what was going on in your mind so you can work on it by making necessary corrections and also reminding yourself of good thoughts you had. This also goes for writing down your goals and your action plan to reach them. Have it written down- this has been shown to increase compliance and effort.
(4) When in doubt, don't think, ACT: How many times did you ever think you should get a work out in, only to sit around and eventually talk yourself out of it? Sometimes we talk to ourselves so much about the annoyance or misery of a task for so long, by the time we finish these thoughts, we would have already been halfway done with the workout or task. Don't over think or over analyze tasks, training, or actions, just do them. Get them done with (not going through the motions), but get them done. Many people find this interesting advice from a Sport Psychology Expert, but the mastery of Performance Mentality lies in action, often analysis paralyzes us. Like Nike says, just do it.
(5!) Consult with a Sport Psychology Expert: even people with great knowledge of this material could still benefit from an experts point of view. I was very familiar with these concepts as a competitor, but still benefited greatly from meeting with my teams Sport Psychologist. This is because we are often blinded by some of our own flaws and it is difficult to assess ourselves without being a little bias. Bottom line- take advantage of the experts around you.
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/
(1) One thing at a time
(2) Keep it simple
(3) Write it down
(4) When in doubt, don't think, ACT.
(1) One thing at a time: There is usually alot going on in our minds at once (both consciously and unconsciously). When trying to correct your mindset, there is a tendency to come up with many things we wish to improve. This will only overwhelm you. Make a list of a few things you wish to improve mentally, and then try to prioritize your most important 3 things. Then, spend time on ONE of these at a time.
(2) Keep it simple: "Rome was not built in a day." Do not overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much right away. Notice in #1 I did not say "make sure you pick the most important 3 things." I said TRY. Do not beat yourself up if you later realize there is something else you would like to work on. Just move forward with what you have for now. Take it slow. If you are persistent and consistent, little modifications will change your life.
(3) Write it down: The mind is abstract, you must make it concrete. Did you ever notice you will have a good idea or insight and later forget it after you get distracted by something small? This is how the mind works. We could have great ideas and flashes of insight, but soon forget them. So it is important to write down your thoughts and ideas as soon as you can after having them. For an athlete, this means right after competition (not before or during) writing down your pre-competition and/or during competition mindset. Whether you perform well or poorly, you want to remember what was going on in your mind so you can work on it by making necessary corrections and also reminding yourself of good thoughts you had. This also goes for writing down your goals and your action plan to reach them. Have it written down- this has been shown to increase compliance and effort.
(4) When in doubt, don't think, ACT: How many times did you ever think you should get a work out in, only to sit around and eventually talk yourself out of it? Sometimes we talk to ourselves so much about the annoyance or misery of a task for so long, by the time we finish these thoughts, we would have already been halfway done with the workout or task. Don't over think or over analyze tasks, training, or actions, just do them. Get them done with (not going through the motions), but get them done. Many people find this interesting advice from a Sport Psychology Expert, but the mastery of Performance Mentality lies in action, often analysis paralyzes us. Like Nike says, just do it.
(5!) Consult with a Sport Psychology Expert: even people with great knowledge of this material could still benefit from an experts point of view. I was very familiar with these concepts as a competitor, but still benefited greatly from meeting with my teams Sport Psychologist. This is because we are often blinded by some of our own flaws and it is difficult to assess ourselves without being a little bias. Bottom line- take advantage of the experts around you.
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/
Monday, September 6, 2010
Mindset Monday 9/6/10- Attitude
Attitude
Success is not determined by your motivation before the game, but by your attitude throughout the game.
Many coaches and players give big pep talks before the game to increase the teams motivation to win a game. This usually leads to bursts of energy on the first few plays or minutes of the game. John Wooden, the greatest coach of all time, did not believe in pep talks for this very reason. He wanted players attitudes consistent throughout the game, not just in the beginning. Wooden maintained that a pep talk causes a spike in energy. Life is full of peaks and valleys. After one peaks, one soon crashes. Therefore it is not good to raise and lower the players level. Instead, have a consistently intense attitude throughout the game.
It is necessary to raise ones intensity at different points of the game when the situation calls for it. But we let the game dictate this spike in intensity. I am not saying that pep talks are bogus and that we should never use them. I am saying that motivation is something that should be instilled in athletes well before games. Athletes should be already approaching each game with a burning desire to win. A team that needs a big rah rah talk before competing probably does not already have the will to win instilled in them.
Save your pep talks for practice. The day of a game you should be doing the same thing you always do- being intense, smart, and under control. Game day is just another day at the office. Everything is important, but nothing is special. Don’t make games special by delivering heroic Hollywood pep talks (this is inspiring in movies, but does not usually pan out so well in reality). Once we make a competition special, we start trying too hard which almost always takes away from the natural fluidity of our movements. Trying too hard, which often stems from pep talks, is usually contrary to living in the moment because it hypes up an event. To achieve the Flow State or that can’t miss feeling of being in the zone, have your attitude consistent from the start of the game until the final whistle sounds.
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/
Success is not determined by your motivation before the game, but by your attitude throughout the game.
Many coaches and players give big pep talks before the game to increase the teams motivation to win a game. This usually leads to bursts of energy on the first few plays or minutes of the game. John Wooden, the greatest coach of all time, did not believe in pep talks for this very reason. He wanted players attitudes consistent throughout the game, not just in the beginning. Wooden maintained that a pep talk causes a spike in energy. Life is full of peaks and valleys. After one peaks, one soon crashes. Therefore it is not good to raise and lower the players level. Instead, have a consistently intense attitude throughout the game.
It is necessary to raise ones intensity at different points of the game when the situation calls for it. But we let the game dictate this spike in intensity. I am not saying that pep talks are bogus and that we should never use them. I am saying that motivation is something that should be instilled in athletes well before games. Athletes should be already approaching each game with a burning desire to win. A team that needs a big rah rah talk before competing probably does not already have the will to win instilled in them.
Save your pep talks for practice. The day of a game you should be doing the same thing you always do- being intense, smart, and under control. Game day is just another day at the office. Everything is important, but nothing is special. Don’t make games special by delivering heroic Hollywood pep talks (this is inspiring in movies, but does not usually pan out so well in reality). Once we make a competition special, we start trying too hard which almost always takes away from the natural fluidity of our movements. Trying too hard, which often stems from pep talks, is usually contrary to living in the moment because it hypes up an event. To achieve the Flow State or that can’t miss feeling of being in the zone, have your attitude consistent from the start of the game until the final whistle sounds.
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/
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