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MESSAGE #1173 THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to all the great coaches that attended the MSC Coaches Clinic featuring basketball coaches from Rutgers, Villanova, St. Joe’s, Robert Morris and Temple.

Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.

-GEORGE HALAS

Have you ever heard anyone say…

“I wish I would have partied more.”

“I wish I would have held back.”

“I wish I would have slacked off more.”

Of course not. You see, in sports and life, it is better to go all out than it is to hold back.

So the next time you don’t “feel like” doing what you need to do, whether it’s practicing, studying or cleaning the house, just do it anyway. And do it well. If you do, you’re better than most everyone else.

And guess what type of results you will get?

MESSAGE #1172 A PERFECT DAY

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Fifty-four years ago today, Don Larsen threw the first and only perfect game in World Series history.

Larsen didn’t even know he was going to start the game until he arrived at the ballpark.

Yankees manager, Frank Crosetti put a baseball in Larsen’s shoe, which meant that he was pitching.

Larsen gulped and said to himself, “Don’t mess this up.”

He was nervous, but he went out there and pitched the game of his life, 27 up, 27 down, to catcher Yogi Berra.

During his career, Larsen was only about average, but on this day in 1956, he was perfect.

Larsen says, “If you work hard enough, I believe everybody’s entitled to one good day.”

Work hard everybody.

MESSAGE #1171 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE PRESSURE’S ON?

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Well, the Yankees were losing 3-0 in Game 1 of the ALDS versus the Minnesota Twins last night and they came back to win 6-4.

“The switch kind of turns on when the postseason rolls around over here,” says Yankee Nick Swisher.

That’s a winning mindset.

Most people fold when the pressure is on.

But the great ones get turned on by the pressure.

It’s a choice.

What will you choose?

MESSAGE #1170 SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

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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 #1168 WHEN TO GET SERIOUS

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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 #1166

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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 #1161 MENTAL WEAKNESS

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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.”

MESSAGE #1160 NERVES

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I have a feeling someone reading this has been nervous before a competition, test, lecture or asking someone out on a date.

Most people feel that being nervous is bad.

Being nervous is good. It means you are about to do something important.

Winners and losers feel the same feelings.

The greatest athletes in the world get nervous, so it’s okay if you do.

The difference is, you don’t have to ACT nervous.

I have spent time with many professional athletes and I always ask them if they get nervous.

They all say yes.

So what do they do?

They take a deep breath, tell themselves that they’ve been in this situation before and then go and kick butt.

I work one-on-one with athletes, musicians, business professionals and students and I have them do the same thing.

Why?

Because it works.

MESSAGE #1159 MO

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This is the last year of Mariano Rivera’s contract with the Yankees. Asked if he was worried about what would happen after this year and Rivera said, “Why should I worry about something that I can’t control?”

Many times we worry about winning and losing, the economy, the weather, our opponents, but we can’t control those things. So why worry about them? That’s wasted energy.

Be like Mariano and focus on the things you can control like your effort, attitude, energy and reactions.

You might not be the best closer in major league history, but you can have the same attitude and mindset as him.