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MESSAGE #1310 FORGET IT

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Suppose you are playing a tennis match and the score is tied. Your opponent hits you a weak shot and you…hit the ball into the bottom of the net.

How do you react?

If you’re like most people, you will either, let out a sigh of frustration, say something like, “How can you miss that?!?” or perhaps even hit your racquet on the ground.

Do these reactions help you or hurt you?

They hurt you, of course. Plus, you will give your opponent increased confidence to “finish you off.”

Here’s a better response for next time:

1. Transfer the racquet into your opposite hand.
2. Immediately turn away from the net.
3. Walk confidently.
4. Take a long, deep breath.
5. Think about how you can make an adjustment next time.
6. Say an affirmation to yourself like, “That shot is in the past—I can’t control the past. Let it go and focus on this point.”
7. Move your feet like a boxer, and get ready for the next point.
8. Think about your strategy for the next point.
9. Trust your game.
10. Just play.

The greatest athletes in history have something in common, and that is, they are able to let go of past. You can too, it’s a choice.

Thanks for reading.

JUST RELEASED! How to be Unstoppable—A Mental Skills Workbook by Ed Tseng. If you are an athlete, coach, parent or just someone who wants to be more mentally tough at work or in life, pick one up today! In a few weeks, Ed will be introducing the workbook to some Yankee players down in Spring Training. Email for team discounts, otherwise order above under PRODUCTS.

MESSAGE #1309 NEVER USE THESE THREE WORDS

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If you want to become successful (which I know you do because you’re reading this blog), cut these three words out of your vocabulary.

CAN’T

NEVER

IMPOSSIBLE

You CAN’T win if you use the word CAN’T.

You will NEVER succeed if you use the word NEVER.

It will be IMPOSSIBLE to reach your goals if you use the word IMPOSSIBLE.

Homework: Today, use words and phrases that will motivate you, not words and phrases that will de-motivate you.

MESSAGE #1255 HOW TO BE MENTALLY TOUGH…RIGHT NOW!

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1. Act as if it were impossible to fail.
2. Do what needs to be done, whether you feel like it or not.
3. Set goals and do whatever it takes to attain them.
4. Develop a growth mindset.
5. Cultivate gratitude for all that you have in your life.
6. Be a team player.
7. Focus on one thing at a time.
8. Procrastinate procrastination.
9. Make the important thing, the important thing.
10. Go all-out!

MESSAGE #617 NOT AN OLYMPIC SPORT…

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“Just like your physical skills, your mental skills are something you need to practice and work on consistently.”
-ED TSENG

I have a feeling that someone reading this blog entry has been distracted by external forces in their sport, in their job, or in school. You may be affected by the weather, your opponent, the spectators, or co-workers. There will always be distractions, but there are ways to overcome them. I want you to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Below is an exercise you can do. I like to call it trashketball.

Take 20 pieces of used paper, or old newspaper, and crumple them up into balls. Get a trashcan.

Exercise #1 Casually toss a few of the balls, towards the trashcan. Did you make any?

Exercise #2 Now, focus on the center of the trashcan and take some shots. See if your results and focus changed.

Exercise #3 Finally, take some shots, focus on the center of the trashcan again, but this time, have someone stand behind you and try to distract you with random sounds or pokes in the ribs.

You will notice how Exercise #3 is difficult and affects your focus and concentration, but if you perform this exercise several times, you will start to become more comfortable with this uncomfortable situation. I like to call this mental cross-training. If you can perform under this type of pressure playing trashketball, you can overcome any other external distractions or pressures.

Instead of running away from pressure, embrace it.

Leave me any comments…

Thanks for reading.