MESSAGE #1378 MY DOG VISUALIZES

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The other morning, my dog was barking in her sleep. She was moving around and even making chewing motions. She was obviously dreaming. She was visualizing.

Have you ever had a dream so vivid that you woke up and thought that it actually happened?

Did it actually happen?

No, only in your mind.

Your brain cannot distinguish between what you visualize and what you actually do physically.

This means that mental practice is just as good as physical practice.

When I spoke to gold medal skier, Lindsey Vonn, she mentioned that she visualizes before she goes down the slope.

You don’t have to be a skier (or a dog) to visualize.

You can visualize before a presentation at work or school. You can visualize before a test.

When you visualize…

1. Make it as realistic as possible (sounds, smells, temperature, surroundings, etc).
2. Imagine how you want to perform (instead of how you DON’T want to perform).
3. Do it in a relaxed state (just before bed is ideal).

Try it and let me know your thoughts.

MESSAGE #1375 REACH HIGHER

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You have to set the goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential.
-STEVE GARVEY, former Major League Baseball player

MESSAGE #1374 HERE’S HOW TO WIN MORE

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It’s all about winning right?

WRONG.

Oftentimes people have the wrong focus—their main goal is to win, i.e., money, trophies, job titles/status.

Would those EXTERNAL “things” really make you happy?

Let’s put it this way, what if you had five million dollars, but on the inside you were a negative and miserable person? What would that make you?

A miserable person with a lot of money.

Being strong, and focusing on the INTERNAL is something that nobody can take away, i.e., money, trophies, job titles/status.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t strive for external riches, but what I am saying is this:

Your INTERNAL riches will make your EXTERNAL riches that much better.

Not the other way around.

MESSAGE #1371 QUITTERS NEVER WIN

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Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team.

Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times when trying to invent the lightbulb.

Derek Jeter started his professional baseball career so poorly that he called home nearly every night crying.

Did Michael Jordan give up?

No.

Did Thomas Edison give up?

No.

Did Derek Jeter give up?

No.

Did Elmer McAllister give up?

You don’t know who Elmer McAllister is?!?

That’s because he gave up.

MESSAGE #1369 THE EASTER BUNNY AND THE ENERGIZER BUNNY

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Children and families love the Easter bunny because it brings colored eggs, candy and toys.

I love the Energizer bunny because it brings motivation and inspiration.

The pink Energizer bunny, used in commercials for Energizer batteries is known for its ability to “keep going and going and going.”

You don’t have to have Energizer batteries in you to persist, to do what you need to do. You just have to choose to keep going and going and going.

Is it easy?

Not always, but the pain of persisting goes away and you will always have the pride of accomplishment.

Muhammad Ali said, “Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

Let me put it another way…

If you persist in sports, sales and school, you will be one of the few left standing after everyone else gives up.

See you at the top, and Happy Easter to everybody celebrating.

MESSAGE #1366 THE 8 MOST POWERFUL WORDS

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Today on Success Hotline, my friend and mentor, Dr. Rob Gilbert shared a great quote, the eight most powerful words…

“Do the thing and you’ll have the power.”

-RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Today, I also gave a workshop on mental toughness at Nick DiPillo’s basketball skills camp. Afterwards, I spent some time with Nick and Hamady Ndaiye, the 7′ 0″ center for the Washington Wizards (above).

Hamady Ndaiye, or “H” as I now call him, did the thing and now he has the power.

“H” only started playing basketball six years ago and now he’s in the NBA. He admits there are challenges and that he has negative thoughts, but in his mind, there are no limits regarding how far he can go.

According to DiPillo, nobody works harder than “H.” As a matter of fact, DiPillo said, “He’s had nothing handed to him. He’s worked for every minute of playing time, and every spot on every team he’s played on. His work ethic is unmatched, and his enthusiasm is infectious. He’s the epitome of a team player.”

That’s the “thing” and “H” is doing it. And he wasn’t even a starter for Rutgers University until the end of his senior year!

The other thing that impresses me about “H” is that he is determined.

Hamady Ndaiye does not strive to do his best…

Hamady Ndaiye strives to DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.

Everybody knows what to do, but very few people do what they know.

“Do the thing and you’ll have the power.”

MESSAGE #1365 SCORE!

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Ryan Freeman in Denver, Colorado.

You can’t score without goals.

No, I’m not talking about soccer or hockey.

The most successful people in the world are not necessarily the most talented, best looking, or smartest.

The most successful people are the ones who WANT to become successful.

They know where they want to go and set goals to help them get there.

If you don’t have goals, you are just spinning your wheels.

What good is it if you are the fastest runner in the world if you are running in the wrong direction?

Write down your goals, read them daily, and don’t stop until you reach them.

That’s it.

MESSAGE #1363 SETBACKS

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Hollie Holcombe.

Earlier today, I spoke to about 40 young basketball players at Nick DiPillo’s Spring Break Skills Camp. A key point I brought up was that failure was inevitable. Everyone fails. It’s part of the process.

Michael Jordan got cut from his basketball team in high school, but he didn’t give up.

Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times when trying to invent the lightbulb.

Babe Ruth hit the most home runs, but he also had the most strikeouts. And each time The Babe failed, he said, “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”

How does this relate to you? Let me put it to you this way…

A SETBACK IS A SETUP FOR A COMEBACK.

Bounce back today!

MESSAGE #1362 ARE YOU A THERMOMETER?

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Nick DiPillo, former WNBA assistant coach of the New York Liberty.

I had a meeting of the minds today with Nick DiPillo. We were talking about mental toughness in basketball…and life.

I asked him what the biggest challenges were for basketball players.

One common challenge was that some players lacked focus. They were thinking about the wrong things at the wrong time.

Many young basketball think about homework, other sports or other external factors when practicing or competing.

The pro basketball players think about the commercial they need to shoot or other commitments they may need to tend to after practice or the game.

The specific distraction may be different for young and pro basketball players, but the challenge is the same—they have the wrong focus.

The average or below average players are thermometers—they focus on what’s happening on the outside, other than basketball.

The great basketball players are thermostats—they can change their internal temperature, re-focus and kick butt on the task at hand.

Mental Toughness Tip: Before practice or competition, make a list of specific issues that may be concerning you. Write them down. Keep them in your locker and forget about them until the end of your session. Stay focused on the present moment, that’s where the power is.

MESSAGE #1359 IT’S NOT TOO LATE

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Well here I am back in good ole New Jersey, and as wonderful a time I had on my honeymoon in Hawaii, it’s great to be back. I love traveling, but there’s something I love even more—real life.

Most people “live” for their vacations.

Most people “can’t wait” until the weekend.

Why is that?

1. Many people don’t do what they love.
2. Many people don’t cultivate gratitude for what they already have.
3. Many people don’t think success in sports and life is possible.

Some say that I am successful.

I don’t look at myself that way. I look at myself who is doing what he is passionate about, truly wants to make a difference in the world, and believes that anything is possible.

Did you know I failed out of college—twice?!?

Anything is possible if you believe you can achieve. All you have to do is start taking the correct action.

TODAY.

It’s not too late to be what you might have been.