MESSAGE #1252 THIS IS COURAGE
Courage is not the absence of fear-it’s inspiring others to move beyond it.
-NELSON MANDELA
Fear is part of sports…and life. Let me share with you a secret:
Winners and losers feel the same feelings.
The difference is in the action they take.
Before the Super Bowl, the US Open, and World Series, the athletes are nervous. Some players even get sick in the locker room before the game.
But once the competition begins, they don’t ACT nervous. They move beyond their feelings.
That’s courage.
That’s mental toughness.
And you can do the same.
MESSAGE #1242 FOCUS
We choose what we focus on.
Suppose you are winning a tennis match by a score of 5-0, and your opponent then wins the next three games. You start to think that the momentum has switched and that the person on the other side of the net has a chance to win.
STOP!
This type of thinking is normal, however, many people end up losing that set by focusing on the possible loss instead of focusing on HOW they can close it out.
The key is acknowledging that negative little voice inside your head and then moving on. Focusing on the next point. Your strategy. Your footwork.
Is this easier said than done?
Yes and no. Simple…yes. Easy…no. Mental training is just like physical training. You have to work at it.
Here’s an example of how you can shift your focus at any time.
Look around you and find three things that are blue.
Now quickly close your eyes and find something green.
Isn’t it hard to do?
Why?
Because it’s hard to focus on two things at the same time.
You can’t get green when focusing on blue.
You can’t get a win from focusing on a loss.
MESSAGE #1240 WINNING MINDSET
Practice like you are the worst player.
Compete like you are the best player.
Work hard in practice.
Stay loose in competition.
MESSAGE #1229 MARIANO RIVERA
Today I had the fortunate opportunity to meet one of the most mentally tough athletes in history, Mariano Rivera, closer, New York Yankees.
Teammates have said that Mariano is very humble and is the same person that he was when he played in the minor leagues. I could believe that. He was such a pleasure to speak to and had such a great positive energy about him.
Rivera once said:
“When you start thinking, a lot of things will happen. Emotions take place, and you have to know how to control your emotions. If you don’t control your emotions, your emotions will control your acts, and that’s not good.”
Rivera told me today that during pressure situations, you need to keep your composure.
How does Rivera do it? He focuses on the catcher’s mitt. He acknowledges the pressure, then gets to work.
You may not have Mariano Rivera’s cut fastball, but you can have the same mindset and focus as him.
Starting NOW.
MESSAGE #1224 BRUCE LEE 3
“Defeat is a state of mind.
no one is ever defeated
until defeat has been accepted
as a reality.
To me, defeat in anything
is merely temporary,
and its punishment is but an urge
for me to exert greater effort
to achieve my goal.
Defeat simply tells me
that something is wrong in my doing;
it is a path leading to
success and truth.”
-BRUCE LEE
MESSAGE #1223 BRUCE LEE TOO
As promised, today’s message will include more of Bruce Lee, who would have turned 70 yesterday.
“If you want to learn to swim, jump into the water. On dry land, no frame of mind is going to help you.”
-BRUCE LEE
Think about it. If you learn all the technical and physical aspects of your sport/job, that is good. But you have to put yourself out there to get “tougher.”
In college, you learn theory.
In the real world, you gain experience and first-hand knowledge.
In practice, you learn theory.
In competition, you gain experience and learn how to win.
Most people don’t like to be thrown into pressure situations, but it is there where you learn the most.
It is there where you grow the most.
MESSAGE #1221 KEEP GOING
With Billie Jean King at my US Open book signing
Champions keep playing until they get it right.
-BILLIE JEAN KING
I once had a student who began playing tournaments. In her first tournament, she lost first round. In the next tournament, she had the same result. And the next, and the next. For practically the first year, she didn’t get past the first round.
I told her, “This is a great way to improve, learn and develop as a player.”
She agreed with me, although she wanted better results. Well, she stuck with it and then started getting results.
She started winning some matches. She got to the 2nd round, then the 3rd and now it is rare if she doesn’t make it to at least the semifinals. She is also on her high school varsity team.
Most people give up too soon. They want immediate results. The great ones persist.
You need to hang on until you catch on.
Winning may feel good temporarily, but you learn more from losses.
The two most important questions you can ask yourself after a game/match/practice session are:
1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how did I play?
2. What can I do differently next time to get to a 10?
Focus on constant improvement and as a by-product, you will win more.
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