MESSAGE #1333 ARE YOU JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS?

Cory Arbiso, New York Yankees, Spring Training 2011, Tampa, Florida

Are you just going through the motions in your sport and life?

Do you mindlessly go through practice and wonder why you are not improving?

Do you mindlessly drive your car and find yourself ending up someplace else?

Do you mindlessly speak with people and forget what they say?

This happens all the time.

Recently, I was in Tampa, Florida for Spring Training for the Yankees. I spent some time with pitcher, Cory Arbiso. Cory and I talked about how he mentally prepares for competition.

During pitching drills, instead of just going through the motions, Arbiso uses visualization. Most pitchers just rush through the drills, but Arbiso takes his time and makes the session as realistic as possible. He varies the timing on his delivery and even checks imaginary runners. In his mind, Arbiso imagines the type of pitch he is going to throw and the location, even if there is no ball in his hand.

The more realistic and mindfully you practice, the more you will be able to deliver in competition.

At the professional level, everyone is an elite athlete, but the ones that make it are the ones who slow the game down and master the game between the ears.