MESSAGE #1170 SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , /by

The other day I was getting ready to teach a young boy. Before we went on the court, I said, “This just might be the best lesson you’ve ever had.”

“I thought EVERY LESSON is the best I’ve ever had?” he responded.

I liked his answer.

So we went on the court and his energy level was exceptionally high, even in the warmup. We started hitting and he was totally focused and high-energy.

It truly was one of the best lessons he ever had.

And he created it in his mind first.

The problem with many people is that either they act how they feel or they think negatively.

And that’s what they get. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Does your day determine your attitude, or does your attitude determine your day?

MESSAGE #1169

/0 Comments/in /by

MESSAGE #1168 WHEN TO GET SERIOUS

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Dr. Alan Goldberg is one of the top sports psychologists in the world. Goldberg says you have to know when to be serious in sports.

“The time to try hard and get serious should ONLY be WHEN YOU PRACTICE and NEVER, EVER WHEN YOU STEP INTO THE COMPETITIVE ARENA,” says Goldberg.

“When you get ‘serious’ about the outcome of any game, match or race you inadvertently set yourself up for frustration and failure.”

Think about a time when you performed “in the zone” or “in flow.”

Didn’t you “just” do it? Weren’t you focused but relaxed?

That’s peak performance.

How do you do it?

Focus on your strategy, effort and attitude, instead of the outcome.

MESSAGE #1167 TEAMWORK AND INTELLIGENCE

/0 Comments/in /by

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”
-MICHAEL JORDAN

 

MESSAGE #1166

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , , /by


In Derek Jeter’s professional debut in the minor leagues, he played a doubleheader and went 0 for 7 with five strikeouts.

He doubted himself.

But he didn’t show it. Nobody knew.

He continued to work hard and he persisted.

Challenges can make or break you.

In fact, William Arthur Ward once said, “Adversity causes some men to break, others to break records.”

How do you react in challenging situations?

MESSAGE #1165

/0 Comments/in /by

Don’t wait, take action.

Too many people wait until the right time to train, learn a new skill, or take a chance.

They wait until all the lights are green before they get in their cars and start driving.

It’s not going to happen.

Take action and then make adjustments.

There is no perfect time.

Start today!

MESSAGE #1163 SALES

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

I work with athletes but I also work with salespeople to help them increase sales.

When I was interviewed for my forthcoming book, “Success Simplified” with the great Stephen Covey, the interviewer asked, “Do you have experience in sales?”

I said, “No, but I do have the most difficult sales job–I try to sell people on themselves.”

You see, this blog is not just about mental toughness, it’s about believing in yourself.

Believing in your abilities.

Believing in your potential.

When you look at all the successful people in the world, they were not born to be great athletes, salespeople or musicians–they were trained to be.

Anything is possible with the right training.

What do you want to be great at? Who’s already doing it? Why aren’t you copying them?

I asked minor league baseball players, who do you want to be like? Mariano Rivera?

Are you doing what Mariano Rivera is doing right now? Are you training like him?

The answer is usually no.

You don’t have to wait to become successful to do what successful people do.

Believe.

Achieve.

MESSAGE #1162 YOUR BEST, YOUR WORST

/0 Comments/in /by

You can perform your best even when you feel your worst.

It’s true.

Many athletes don’t feel “on their game” when they are warming up, but then something happens–they start getting “into” it and start performing at a higher level.

But you don’t have to wait until you “feel” into it to act into it.

The best athletes in the world act “into it” whether they feel like it or not.

Everyone else acts how they feel, so if they are in a bad mood, their body language shows that they are in a bad mood. If they don’t feel like making sales calls or studying, they don’t.

If you are an actor in a movie and the cameraman yells “Action!” can you say, “Wait! I’m not in the part yet!”

Of course not, you have to be in the part whether you feel like it or not.

Sports and life are the same way.

MESSAGE #1161 MENTAL WEAKNESS

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Recently, I was teaching a high-level high school player and we were playing a groundstroke game to 11 points.

I was up 7-1 and he said to me, “Can we play another one after this one?”

In his mind, he had already lost.

And then he really did lose.

When you think about the future, you can’t perform well in the present.

Remember what the great philosopher, Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over til it’s over.”