I recently sent this secret formula to a pitcher on the New York Yankees via Facebook message:
T + T + T + T + T = C
Today + Today + Today + Today + Today = Your Career
The best way to have a Hall of Fame career is to ACT like a Hall of Famer TODAY. Then do it again tomorrow. And the next day and the next day…
Focusing on the past and the future is weak.
Focusing on the present moment is powerful.
Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Julie Martin-Kolb. Happy Belated Birthday to a passionate tennis mom!
I love hitting aces while playing tennis, but there is an ACE I like even more…
ACE—Acting Changes Everything
The other day I was watching some tennis players and when they hit a good shot, they had great body language and looked extremely confident. But when they missed a shot, they had terrible body language and looked extremely negative.
Here’s what Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer know…
You don’t have to act how you feel. You can feel tired, negative or not into it, but you can still ACT like you are energetic, positive and totally into it. The best part is that when you start acting like the player you want to be, you start feeling like the player you want to be.
Most people have it reversed.
Try this exercise:
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.
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Greg Maddux was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.
Maddux once left a game with a 2-1 lead, in the seventh inning. The reliever gave up a run to tie the game, which ruined Maddux’ chances of getting the win; frustration for any pitcher. But when Maddux was asked after the game, “How did it go out there tonight?” his reply was, “Fifty out of seventy-three.”
What does this mean?
It means he threw fifty strikes out of seventy-three pitches.
Maddux knows the secret. The key to being a successful is to focus on your execution, not the results. If you stick with your plan and execute properly, your job is done. The beauty of this is, you will get better results. On the other hand, if you focus on things out of your control, like results, the media, or the approval of others, you will decrease your chances of getting the results you want.
What was Maddux’ mantra?
“One at a time.”
How can you argue with someone who won 355 games in his career?
*BONUS FACT*
Greg Maddux faced 20,421 batters in his career and only 310 of them saw a 3-0 count (approximately one in every three starts).
I have a feeling someone reading this wants to win more. Here’s how you do it…
Look at the letters of “WIN”…
What’s Important Now.
When you are competing, giving a presentation, or taking a test, focus on what is important. Focus on what will help you win. This is not the time to focus on the results. You can’t control results anyway.
So what’s important now?
Your effort, your attitude, and your reactions.
Give a full effort and trust your game.
That’s it.
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.
Last Friday, I went into New York City to visit my good friend, Bob Ryland, the first black professional tennis player. Bob was Arthur Ashe’s hero and used to coach Barbra Streisand, Bill Cosby and the Williams sisters. We had a wonderful lunch and talked about tennis and life. He is one of my heros, and if you want to watch the video we did back in 2009 at his NYC home, click here.
While I was riding the subway, last Friday, I heard some city kids talking about school. I assume they were seniors in high school because one of them mentioned a tip that her teacher gave her about college.
“My teacher told me to hang out with the jocks in college…because they have copies of all the tests.”
Most students just want the “A,” and most athletes just want the “trophy.”
I think much of society has it all wrong.
Assume this student gets all “A’s” by getting all of the tests.
Then what? Will she graduate and then become a great worker that has character?
No, she will either be lost and/or try to “cheat” in her job, as well.
This is a recipe for disaster.
As a coach, and future parent, I have children focus on the love of learning; the love of constant improvement. When you enjoy the process, including the challenges, you have more satisfaction in what you are doing. Not only that, but you will also retain more of your skill.
There is no easy path to success.
Actually, there is…
HARD WORK.
Confidence is one of the keys to success. There are many sources of confidence, such as hard work, body language, past achievements, etc.
Try giving yourself a steady diet of positive thoughts and affirmations, throughout your day, and especially during competition. You get what you focus on, but unfortunately, most people focus on the negative, or what they don’t want to happen.
Here are some sample affirmations:
“I am a confident athlete who goes all-out, whether I feel like it or not, and inspires others to do the same.”
“When the pressure is greatest, I love competition the most.”
Your affirmations:
__________________________________________________________________________
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A fellow coach recently told me a story. When he was younger, he faced a young phenom seven times. Going into his final match, his record was 6-0 against this young player. In their final match, however, this coach was losing 2-5 in the third set. It was then that he approached this young phenom and said, “Listen, I’m telling you right now that I’m going to beat you and this will be the last time we face each other.”
You know what?
He DID come back and win, and it WAS the last time they played each other.
Yes, this coach got into his opponent’s head, but his opponent let him.
Do you want someone else to control your mind, or do you want to control your mind?
Pitchers and catchers have already reported to spring training camp and position players report in a couple of days. Baseball is in the air again, and players are getting ready for their upcoming season. Some are trying to get in shape and others are trying to make an impression.
At the professional level, everyone has the physical skills, but part of what sets the minor league players and the major league players apart, is the mental side.
I know some baseball players in the Yankees organization who will be trying to make an impression down in Tampa this spring. You know who you are, and if you’re reading this, here’s my advice to you:
1. Go all-out—Be the most energetic player on the field. If you hustle on and off the field, not only will the coaches notice, you will actually FEEL more energetic and your performance will increase.
2. Ignore that little voice inside your head—There will be times that your inner voice will speak negatively to you. That’s normal. But you don’t have to believe that voice. Accept it, let it go, and act like the most confident player on the field.
3. Just do it—The great philosopher, Yogi Berra said, “A full mind is an empty bat. You can’t think and hit at the same time.” Trust your game and all the hard work you’ve put in.
4. Visualize—The more you visualize how you want to perform, the more likely you will perform at a high level. Most athletes leave their performance to chance—something YOU don’t want to do.
5. Focus on the process—Don’t worry about results, you can’t control that. Worry, instead about the things you can control, like your effort, your attitude, your energy level and your reactions to situations. When you do this, you will get better results. Oh, and have fun!
That’s it. See you in Tampa on March 9th.