“There ain’t much fun in medicine, but there’s a heck of a lot of medicine in fun.”
-JOSH BILLINGS
Take a break and have some fun.
Google jokes or comedians.
Take a walk in nature.
Cultivate gratitude for all the big and little things in your life.
Smile for one minute.
Call/text your loved one just to say you were thinking about them.
Too busy to have some fun?
Then you’re TOO BUSY…
It doesn’t matter what you do, or who you are…you’re going to encounter obstacles. On the field, in the classroom, in the boardroom and at home.
Someone once said that life was a series of problem-solving events. We can’t avoid challenges or adversity.
What we can do is change our reactions to them.
I believe that in every challenge, there is a lesson to be learned. You can use adversity to your advantage. Instead of being frustrated, be fascinated. Enjoy the pressure; enjoy the challenge.
That’s what winners do.
Act like a winner today!
Brad Gilbert once said that you can win with 60% of your game and 100% of your brain, but if you have 60% of your brain and 100% of your game, you won’t win.
What does this mean?
Physical skills are important, but mental skills are more important.
I received an email recently from a top tennis player in Idaho that read:
“I was in the final of the Men’s 50’s Idaho Senior Games, down 0-5 and getting frustrated. I took a break on the changeover, cleared my head of all thought except for the plan I formed–Serve into the body, groundstrokes deep to the corners followed by short angles to the open court. Instead of questioning why things were happening, I set out to focus on the things I could control…attitude, effort, strategy, cutting down on errors. I won the first set 7-6, and the next 6-2. It wasn’t pretty…but I won the Gold Medal and qualified for the US National Games next year in Houston. I keep a copy of your ‘Top 10 things Champions Do’ list in my bag. Thanks for the list, Ed…that gold is as much yours as mine!”
When was the last time you worked on your mental game?
Here’s a secret…
It’s easier to do something every day than it is to do once in a while.
This is important, so let me repeat it…
It’s easier to do something every day than it is to do once in a while.
It’s easier to workout every day.
It’s easier to eat healthy every day.
It’s easier to give all-out effort every day.
It’s easier to practice the violin every day.
Why does this work?
Because when you do something every day, it becomes a habit.
You can’t NOT do it.
When you do something once in a while, you have to motivate yourself to do it.
What are you going to start to do every day?
Leave your comments below.
Every tennis match is a puzzle.
And there is no “one way” to solve it.
There are many options, but if you think there is only one, you will probably be disappointed.
The greatest athletes in the world never lose, they just run out of time.
Every competition is different, every opponent is different.
I think as coaches and as players, we need to understand that sports (and life) are not in a vacuum. There are so many factors and the more we stay in the moment and analyze the present situation, the better we will become, and the better we will do.
Enjoy the puzzle.
I often see athletes get angry after they strike out, or after they miss a shot. This happens all the time, at all levels, from beginner to professional.
But does this help them?
No.
Why would you do something that won’t help you?
What is anger, anyway?
It’s a choice, isn’t it?
Anger is merely your reaction to a certain situation.
Can you control it?
Yes.
Is it easy?
Not necessarily.
But it’s like anything else, with practice, it becomes easier.
So the next time you feel like getting angry, take a deep breath instead, and think about if you want to get angry, or if you want to stay focused and get back on track.
“That little voice inside my head keeps telling me that I’m no good.”
“I’m just a negative person.”
“I always lose when I have a lead.”
These are common thoughts. And they lead to common results.
You have to expect things of yourself before you can achieve them.
-MICHAEL JORDAN
