The #1 singles player on my PDS Girls Tennis Team, Samantha Asch recently won the Mercer County Tournament in straight sets.
In fact, she dropped only two games in the entire tournament.
Her opponents were focusing on the wrong thing.
They weren’t focused on beating her, they were focused on not embarassing themselves.
The players that are lucky enough to get a game against her are happy just doing that.
When you are able to get your opponents to focus on the wrong thing, the match is yours.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2011-09-24 23:16:112011-09-24 23:16:11MESSAGE #1522 WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON?
Recently, I was talking sports psychology with yoga guru, the great Naime Jezzeny. He mentioned that many marathon runners focus on one thing…the next step.
A marathon is 26.2 miles (approximately 55,335 steps).
If you think about running 26.2 miles, it could be quite intimidating. But if you focus on just taking one step, you will be fine. Then, do it 55,334 more times.
Let me put it another way. If you are driving at night, your car headlights can only help you see about 160 feet in front of you. Even though you are only driving 160 feet at a time, you can still drive through the night.
In sports, sales and school, set goals, but then “chunk it down,” or break the goal into smaller parts. Tackle one goal at at time and before you know it, you will attain your larger goal.
The journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.
-Buddha
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2011-07-31 23:47:252011-07-31 23:47:25MESSAGE #1467 ONE STEP AT A TIME
It’s not about hocus-pocus, it’s all about focus-focus.
I may not know you, but I know something about you—you want to be great at something. How do I know this? Because you’re reading this blog. It doesn’t matter what you want to be great at, it could be sports, business, school, a musical instrument, or cooking. The strategy is the same.
Most people think success has to do with magic. They think that “one day” success will come to them. But the truth is, it’s not hocus-pocus, it’s focus-focus.
What are you focusing on?
You might have a great idea, but a great idea is nothing if you don’t take action.
Here’s a secret formula: K – A = 0 (Knowledge minus Action equals Nothing).
You probably know what to do, but you are not doing what you know.
1. Take a piece of paper, an index card, post-it note, anything to write on.
2. Write down one goal you would like to attain today, e.g. practice, workout, make 10 sales calls, send your best client a free gift.
3. Then write down exactly where, when and how you are going to do it.
4. Just do it.
5. Remember, motivation is not a feeling, it’s an action.
Thanks for reading.
Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077
In the image above, Derek Jeter is keeping his eye on the ball.
In your life, whether in sports, sales or school, you need to keep your eye on the ball. Stay focused on what you are doing, and do one thing at a time. When you are eating…eat. When you are practicing…practice. When you are studying…study.
Let me tell you a story…
A young boy traveled across Japan to the school of a famous martial arts master.
“What do you wish from me?” the master asked.
“I wish to be your student and become the finest karateka in the land,” the boy replied.
“How long must I study?”
“Ten years at least,” the master answered.
“Ten years is a long time,” said the boy.
“What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?”
“Twenty years,” replied the master.
“Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?”
“Thirty years,” was the master’s reply.
“How is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?” the boy asked.
“The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way.”
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Jeter_resize2.jpg320480adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2011-03-13 23:43:412011-03-13 23:43:41MESSAGE #1327 KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL
1. Find three red things in the room you are in.
2. Close your eyes and quickly think of something green in the room.
If you are like most people, it was difficult to think of something green. This is because you were focused on the red items in the room. How does this affect you?
You get what you focus on.
During peak performances, athletes focus on the right things: their target, strategy or game plan.
During poor performances, athletes focus on the wrong things: results, bad calls, bad conditions, spectators or the score.
Focus is important, but make sure you focus on the right things.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2011-03-05 22:53:292011-03-05 22:53:29MESSAGE #1319 MORE ON FOCUS
”Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.” -LAO TZU
It was very well-received, but what does it mean?
As an athlete, we have many potential external distractions. Common ones include: spectators, coaches, parents, friends, weather, fans, media, etc.
If we care what everyone thinks, we will be their prisoner and will not be able to perform to our potential.
These external distractions are out of our control.
We should not worry about things that are out of our control.
Instead, we need to focus on the things we can control, and all of those things are within us. That is where the true power is.
Inside.
Control yourself and you can control your destiny.
Let others control you and your destiny is in their hands.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2011-02-12 22:42:112011-02-12 22:42:11MESSAGE #1298 CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL
If you play the game like that-one pitch, one hitter, one inning at a time-the next thing you know you look up and you’ve won.
-RICK DEMPSEY, major league catcher
Present-moment focus is the key to peak performance on and off the field.
Like Rick Dempsey says, when you focus on one pitch, one hitter or one inning at a time, you are focusing on the “process” and as a result, you will get a better “product” which is winning.
Today I did a demonstration with a tennis pro. I had him hold one hand up, then said, “Catch!” I proceeded to throw two balls to him simultaneously and he only caught one.
It was a set-up. Nobody can catch two balls at one time.
What does this mean?
Nobody can perform well when they are thinking about the last pitch they missed, or in tennis, the last shot they missed. Many athletes are playing several points at a time and that never works.
Let go of the last pitch or the last point. You can’t change it. Focus on the current pitch or point and that will give you your best chance at winning.
In sales, give your full, undivided attention to your conference call, instead of checking your email or organizing your office.
I think you get the point.
Now go out and do it.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2011-01-29 21:27:512011-01-29 21:27:51MESSAGE #1285 "ONE THING" YOU NEED TO KNOW
The other day, I was teaching a private lesson to two ladies, who happen to be good friends. We began our normal warmup at the service line and for some reason, they were extremely chatty this particular morning. I gave them some tips, but my voice seemed to get drowned out by their voices. For a moment I was frustrated. They are not competitive players…should I just let them talk and have fun?
I gave them about a minute to chat and then I brought them up to the net and said:
“Okay, here’s what we are going to do. (Puts a target on the court). For the next few minutes, I want you to focus on aiming for this target.”
The chatting instantly stopped and I saw focus in their eyes. They even began hitting better.
Then, I said, “Now you have a new focus, aim high over the net.”
They did it quite successfullly and the focus remained.
After that, I told them to focus on exhaling at contact.
Same great result.
These two ladies ended up having a great session.
So what’s the moral of the story?
It’s not the student. It’s the teacher.
It’s not the customer. It’s the salesperson.
I think you get the point.
If you are not getting the results, change your approach. Focus is not good enough, you need to focus on the right things.
It’s not whether you can focus or not, it’s whether you CHOOSE to or not.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2011-01-08 23:47:012011-01-08 23:47:01MESSAGE #1264 IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME
Focus is one of the keys to mental toughness. Take this Thanksgiving quiz and see how good your focus is…
1. What always comes at the end of Thanksgiving?
2. Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
3. If twenty Thanksgiving turkeys told terrible tales, how many “t’s” should there be in all?
4. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
5. What two letters describe your belly before you eat Thanksgiving dinner?
6. About how many feathers do turkeys have?
7. Which state raises the most turkeys?
8. What do you call cranberries that come out of a can?
ANSWERS:
1. “G”
2. The outside
3. None, there are no “t’s” in ALL
4. Pilgrims
5. M, T
6. About 3,500
7. North Carolina, about 45 million
8. Can berries
How did you do?
Thank you to Grandma Laura for sharing this great quiz!
A safe and Happy Thanksgiving to all!
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-11-25 09:59:512010-11-25 09:59:51MESSAGE #1220 A THANKSGIVING DAY QUIZ
I once had a student who hated being embarrassed. During lessons and during competition, he would just drive himself crazy thinking about what people thought about how he was playing, and what they would think if he lost, or missed a shot.
Guess how he played?
Poorly!
The reason why this type of focus hurts your performance is because when you focus on external factors, you are not focusing on what is going to help you play your best game.
The way to play your best game is to focus on your strategy, your effort, your attitude. If your strategy isn’t working, make an adjustment.
The key is to NOT let anything external have any influence over you.
