The less tension and effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.
-BRUCE LEE
If you’re an athlete, go back to a time when you were performing at your peak. Notice how you weren’t exerting that much energy? Weren’t you “just” doing it?
Be loose, clear your mind. But be focused.
When you are practicing, you should think about your technique.
When you are competing, you should be more automatic.
Take a deep breath and trust your game.
You have only one job today.
Take a risk.
Now, don’t take this the wrong way…I’m not saying you should quit your job and sell coconuts on the beach, but you should get out of your comfort zone — in your sport, in your job and in school.
Eleanor Roosevelt said that you should do one thing a day that scares you. She knew that you have to take risks to get results.
One of the biggest risks I took was starting my own business. I was scared to death, but I did it. And I’m glad.
If I had stayed in my comfort zone, I would still just be a tennis pro.
But now, not only am my own boss, I am a speaker, author and authority on mental toughness.
With big risk comes big reward.
One of my biggest risks became one of the best decisions I ever made.
Someone once said, “Go out on a limb, because that’s where the fruit is.”
Never let your fears stand in the way of your dreams.
-author unknown
What do you aspire to be?
What level is your effort?
If your effort is less than your aspirations, the space in between is just HOPE.
Recently, I had a female student who has been progressing nicely. Unfortunately, she goes to a school that has a strong tennis team, so she did not make the team last year.
But she’s not giving up. In fact, she’s working harder.
I recommended that she play some tournaments to get match-tough and experience some pressure situations.
She did. And played well. She lost, but she learned a lot and gained much confidence by just putting herself out there.
I have another student who, when he started playing tournaments, lost in the first two rounds for the first year. But he persisted, and then started winning. He now consistently gets to the finals of tournaments.
Most people don’t like to lose, so they don’t compete. But those are the people who don’t grow.
My students’ efforts are high.
I like that. And I’m proud of them. With a mindset like that, you can’t lose. The results come as a by-product.
Effort = Aspirations = Success
You cannot control your emotions. They go up and down, like a roller coaster.
That’s normal.
However, most people’s actions are congruent with their emotions.
But that’s not what the peak performers do.
The peak performers maintain a high level in their actions, regardless of how they feel.
You can feel tired, negative, or not into it, but it is your choice what kind of attitude you have and what kind of effort you give.
The greatest athletes in the world can do their best when they feel their worst.
And so can you.
*BOOK SIGNING TODAY AT EVERYONE’S RACQUET IN PHILADELPHIA. 3PM. http://www.everyonesracquet.com
A common challenge in athletes is showing anger when performing poorly.
Does getting angry help?
Usually not. When you get angry, your muscles tighten up and your swing is no longer smooth and effortless. Think about some of your best performances. Weren’t you “just” doing it?
When you get angry, you take yourself out of the present moment.
Past Focus = Poor Performance
Future Focus = Poor Performance
Present Focus = Peak Performance
Take a few deep breaths and zoom in on excellence in the moment. This shot. This pitch. This phone call. This test. This conversation.
Nothing else matters right now. Be here. Be great.
A special Happy Birthday to tennis great, Debbie Schaeffer, owner of Mrs. G’s TV and Appliances in Lawrenceville.
Do you have goals?
Do you have specific goals?
Do you have specific, written goals?
Do you have specific, written goals with you right now?
Do you take action every day to ensure that those specific, written goals will be met?
Do you have an accountability partner to help keep you on track?
Just wondering…
Today’s message is especially dedicated to my grandmother, Fung Shee Pan. Happy Belated 104th Birthday!
Whenever I speak to someone trying to reach peak performance at sports, work or school, I always ask them one question.
That question will determine whether they make the big leagues, become CEO or honor student.
And that question also applies to you. Here it is…
Are you going to go all-out or are you going to hold back?
Who do you want to be like?
Are you doing what they’re doing?
Now, don’t get me wrong, if you’re a professional baseball player, it’s a long season. But the secret is, go all out when you are practicing/competing and go all-out when you are resting.
If you want to make the major leagues, you can’t have a minor league approach.
Go all-out today!
Thanks for reading.
Depending on who you ask, Austin Romine is either the #1 or #2 prospect in the New York Yankees organization. He was named Minor League Player of the Year last year and is currently the catcher for the Double-A Trenton Thunder. Last night I caught up with Romine in the locker room before the game.
ET: How do you prepare mentally and physically before games?
AR: I have a set routine and I do it every day. This consistency off the field helps me on the field.
ET: Do you ever feel like not doing your routine?
AR: There’s days where you don’t feel like doing anything, but those are the days that you have to. Those are the days you can’t take a break – you can’t stop. You just have to keep going.
ET: What do you say to yourself when you don’t feel like doing your routine?
AR: Get up (laughs). Just do it. This is a shot in a lifetime. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You don’t get another shot.
ET: You talk about staying in the present moment. Is that your philosophy?
AR: Yes. If you’re living in the moment and you don’t let anything get in your way, then you might have a future. But I think you can learn from the past. Take the good from the past, not the bad.
ET: Who is your favorite player and why?
AR: I had the opportunity to play with Posada (Jorge), the last three years and he is a role model.
ET: What’s the best piece of advice that Posada gave you?
AR: He didn’t tell me anything. It’s from what I saw. Don’t get me wrong, he said a lot of things to me, but what I saw was that this guy is a fifteen year veteran and he’s working harder than the 19, 20, 21 and 22 year old kids every day. That really opened my eyes to how much work it takes once you get there. He doesn’t have to work that hard, but he does.
ET: How did you get to where you are now?
AR: Not making it never crossed my mind. I put in a lot of work and effort to get here and there’s still a lot to go. I remember being 9 years old in the back yard in a hitting cage that my dad made, hitting at 10 o’clock at night with the neighbors banging on the door. It was long nights of grinding. I got here because of hard work. My dad always told me when I didn’t want to hit and wanted to go out with friends, “Someone else is hitting right now.”
ET: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were younger?
AR: In high school, if you threw the rosin bag, I probably would have hit it and I probably would have hit it far. But now you can’t always swing at everything. It’s growing up and getting experience.
ET: You are one of the top 2 Yankee prospects. What are your thoughts on that?
AR: It’s an honor. That helps me; it drives me to remain in that light.
ET: What do you think about when you’re in a slump?
AR: I think about EVERYTHING (laughs). That’s the problem. It’s mental. I don’t feel confident during a slump. I was in a slump this year – 2 for 40-something. And I said, “You know what? Screw it!” Then I went out and hit 3 for 4, and got back on track. I stopped thinking.
ET: How has baseball helped you in other areas of life?
AR: Discipline. It’s taught me that nothing comes easy. If you let it, it (baseball) will roll you over and spit you out. Don’t let it. Life is the same way. Do whatever you can to be on top at all times.
ET: I always say, don’t try your best – do whatever it takes.
AR: I like that. That’s GOOD.
ET: Take it, it’s yours (laughs). Thank you for your time, Austin.
AR: Thank you.