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MESSAGE #1379 MENTAL BLOCKS

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Mental blocks are common in all sports, at all levels. I have seen beginners and professionals get stuck on the six-inch playing field between their ears. Perhaps they are a baseball player, who, all of a sudden can’t throw the ball to first base. Maybe it’s a diver who can’t do a flip.

Physically, nothing is wrong, but mentally they can’t get out of their head…yet.

Slumps happen when an athlete is thinking about the wrong thing at the wrong time.

During competition, an athlete should focus less on the internal (negative thoughts) and focus more on the external (target, form, etc).

The beauty of focusing on the external is that your brain cannot think about your target/form and negative thougths at the same time.

So the next time you have a mental block, accept it and re-focus on the things you can control (your effort, body language and strategy). I think you will be pleased at the results.

And if it doesn’t help right away, stick with it.

Why?

Because if you don’t quit, you can’t fail.

MESSAGE #1378 MY DOG VISUALIZES

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The other morning, my dog was barking in her sleep. She was moving around and even making chewing motions. She was obviously dreaming. She was visualizing.

Have you ever had a dream so vivid that you woke up and thought that it actually happened?

Did it actually happen?

No, only in your mind.

Your brain cannot distinguish between what you visualize and what you actually do physically.

This means that mental practice is just as good as physical practice.

When I spoke to gold medal skier, Lindsey Vonn, she mentioned that she visualizes before she goes down the slope.

You don’t have to be a skier (or a dog) to visualize.

You can visualize before a presentation at work or school. You can visualize before a test.

When you visualize…

1. Make it as realistic as possible (sounds, smells, temperature, surroundings, etc).
2. Imagine how you want to perform (instead of how you DON’T want to perform).
3. Do it in a relaxed state (just before bed is ideal).

Try it and let me know your thoughts.

MESSAGE #1377 MINDFULNESS EXERCISE

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You hear a lot of people talking about staying in the present moment in sports and life, but when was the last time someone taught you HOW to stay in the present moment?

Here is a mindfulness exercise you can use and practice to help you be more present-minded on and off the court.

1. Notice your posture—are you sitting up, slouching over or leaning back?
2. Notice the area within a five foot radius around you—perhaps there is a desk, pens, paper, your couch, a cup of coffee, etc.
3. Now notice what sounds are present—you may hear people talking, a television, or complete silence.
4. Notice the colors around the room you are in—really notice them.
5. Finally notice your breath—is your breathing deep or shallow? Are you breathing from your stomach or your chest?

How do you feel? If you are like most people, you feel more aware and present. Did you notice that when you were performing that mindfulness exercise there were very little other thoughts going on in your head?

That’s the key to peak performance—focusing on the task at hand. The more you practice being mindful, the more likely you will do it when you need it most.

MESSAGE #1374 HERE’S HOW TO WIN MORE

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It’s all about winning right?

WRONG.

Oftentimes people have the wrong focus—their main goal is to win, i.e., money, trophies, job titles/status.

Would those EXTERNAL “things” really make you happy?

Let’s put it this way, what if you had five million dollars, but on the inside you were a negative and miserable person? What would that make you?

A miserable person with a lot of money.

Being strong, and focusing on the INTERNAL is something that nobody can take away, i.e., money, trophies, job titles/status.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t strive for external riches, but what I am saying is this:

Your INTERNAL riches will make your EXTERNAL riches that much better.

Not the other way around.

MESSAGE #1371 QUITTERS NEVER WIN

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Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team.

Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times when trying to invent the lightbulb.

Derek Jeter started his professional baseball career so poorly that he called home nearly every night crying.

Did Michael Jordan give up?

No.

Did Thomas Edison give up?

No.

Did Derek Jeter give up?

No.

Did Elmer McAllister give up?

You don’t know who Elmer McAllister is?!?

That’s because he gave up.

MESSAGE #1369 THE EASTER BUNNY AND THE ENERGIZER BUNNY

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Children and families love the Easter bunny because it brings colored eggs, candy and toys.

I love the Energizer bunny because it brings motivation and inspiration.

The pink Energizer bunny, used in commercials for Energizer batteries is known for its ability to “keep going and going and going.”

You don’t have to have Energizer batteries in you to persist, to do what you need to do. You just have to choose to keep going and going and going.

Is it easy?

Not always, but the pain of persisting goes away and you will always have the pride of accomplishment.

Muhammad Ali said, “Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

Let me put it another way…

If you persist in sports, sales and school, you will be one of the few left standing after everyone else gives up.

See you at the top, and Happy Easter to everybody celebrating.

MESSAGE #1368

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My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.
-HANK AARON

Think this message is only about baseball?

Think again.

MESSAGE #1362 ARE YOU A THERMOMETER?

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Nick DiPillo, former WNBA assistant coach of the New York Liberty.

I had a meeting of the minds today with Nick DiPillo. We were talking about mental toughness in basketball…and life.

I asked him what the biggest challenges were for basketball players.

One common challenge was that some players lacked focus. They were thinking about the wrong things at the wrong time.

Many young basketball think about homework, other sports or other external factors when practicing or competing.

The pro basketball players think about the commercial they need to shoot or other commitments they may need to tend to after practice or the game.

The specific distraction may be different for young and pro basketball players, but the challenge is the same—they have the wrong focus.

The average or below average players are thermometers—they focus on what’s happening on the outside, other than basketball.

The great basketball players are thermostats—they can change their internal temperature, re-focus and kick butt on the task at hand.

Mental Toughness Tip: Before practice or competition, make a list of specific issues that may be concerning you. Write them down. Keep them in your locker and forget about them until the end of your session. Stay focused on the present moment, that’s where the power is.

MESSAGE #1361 PLEASE FAIL

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Recently, I was speaking with a club manager and he mentioned that many parents today are too protective of their children. Parents want their children to be perfect—they don’t want them to fail.

Is this really helpful to the child?

Is this the mindset we want our children to have?

First of all, there’s no such thing as perfect. In fact, successful people fail the most.

If you’re not failing, you’re not taking risks. You’re not working hard enough.

Remember Zeke Bonura back in Message #1268? If not, click here.

Zeke Bonura had one of the highest fielding percentages in pro baseball, but that was because he didn’t try for any balls that he might miss.

Is this how we want to live?

There is a reason why you didn’t recognize the name Zeke Bonura.

Henry Ford went bankrupt five times while trying to develop businesses…eventually the Ford Motor Company was built.

Soichiro Honda applied for a job as an engineer for Toyota Motor Corporation but did not get the job and was unemployed for quite some time…eventually he began making scooters out of his home and started his own company.

Bill Gates failed out of college, and his first business, Traf-O-Data failed as well…eventually he started Microsoft.

Ever heard of the name Walt Disney?…he was fired by a newspaper editor because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”

So all of you parents, future parents, coaches and athletes…

Embrace failure, for it is where we learn the most. In fact, don’t even call it failure, call it feedback.

I hope you fail today.

MESSAGE #1359 IT’S NOT TOO LATE

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Well here I am back in good ole New Jersey, and as wonderful a time I had on my honeymoon in Hawaii, it’s great to be back. I love traveling, but there’s something I love even more—real life.

Most people “live” for their vacations.

Most people “can’t wait” until the weekend.

Why is that?

1. Many people don’t do what they love.
2. Many people don’t cultivate gratitude for what they already have.
3. Many people don’t think success in sports and life is possible.

Some say that I am successful.

I don’t look at myself that way. I look at myself who is doing what he is passionate about, truly wants to make a difference in the world, and believes that anything is possible.

Did you know I failed out of college—twice?!?

Anything is possible if you believe you can achieve. All you have to do is start taking the correct action.

TODAY.

It’s not too late to be what you might have been.