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MESSAGE #1385 TWO WORDS

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Over the winter, I envisioned the image above in my mind. Last week, I took that image at the Trenton Thunder game of top Yankee prospects, Manny Banuelos and Austin Romine. And tonight, I stopped by the ball park to show it to them. They were impressed with the image and were kind enough to sign it for me.

I spoke with Austin several times last season on baseball and mental toughness (see our video interview HERE), but last night was the first time I spoke to Manny. I asked him if he had anything to say to my blog readers. He said two words:

WORK HARD.

Simple, yet powerful. See, most people want to be successful, but they don’t want to put in the work. People want to be more fit but don’t want to eat healthy. People want to make more sales but they don’t want to make phone calls.

Everybody knows what to do, but nobody does what they know.

How hard are YOU working today?

MESSAGE #1329 HOW TO BE UNSTOPPABLE

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Manny Banuelos, New York Yankees, Spring Training 2011

Have you ever been nervous before a big game?

Have you ever tightened up at a crucial point in a game?

Have you ever doubted yourself?

Of course you have, you’re human.

One thing I have unearthed by talking to some of the greatest athletes in the world is that the world champions and the weekend warriors feel the same feelings. They think the same thoughts. So what sets them apart?

Their perception of the situation.

The actions that they take.

Yankee pitcher, Manny Banuelos just turned 20 years old on Sunday. And on Monday, he was slated to pitch on ESPN versus the Boston Red Sox. The biggest game of his life.

What did he do?

He pitched 2 and 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits, 3 walks and striking out 2.

Pretty impressive for someone who was a teenager just two days before.

What’s more impressive is how Man-Ban reacted to the pressure.

His perception was excitement, not pressure.

Banuelos admits he gets nervous, but it doesn’t last long.

In the second inning, Banuelos got into a jam, having the bases loaded and only one out. He stepped it up and forced the next two hitters to ground out.

Then, on his last pitch, the pressure was on again with a 3-2 count. He threw a change-up to Kevin Youkllis and struck him out.

Wow.

The bottom line is that you can either let pressure hurt you or you can let it help you. It’s your choice how you react, and if you are able to do your best when it means the most.

It is then that you will be unstoppable.

Speaking of being unstoppable, I shared my new mental skills workbook, “How to be Unstoppable” with some of the Yankees players when I was down at Spring Training last week. You can pick up your own copy by clicking HERE.

MESSAGE #1325 DAY 3 IN TAMPA

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Manny Banuelos is the talk of Yankee Spring Training. Many are calling him the best Yankee pitching prospect ever. And he doesn’t even turn 20 years old until Sunday.

Banuelos has no fear. Why?

Because he doesn’t like there’s pressure. He has the confidence that his skills are as good as anyone else’s, and instead of trying to be perfect, Banuelos is aggressive and goes all-out.

It’s better to go all-out and lose than it is to hold back and win. When you hold back and win, you are training yourself to hold back.

No successful athlete ever said, I made it to the Hall of Fame by holding back.

Go all-out today!