I have a feeling that there is a reader out there who knows exactly what they need to do to succeed.
In fact, MOST of you know exactly what you need to do to succeed.
Practice more.
Study more.
Make sales calls more.
So what is the difference between most people and the peak performers?
ACTION.
If you know what to do, but you don’t do what you know, it’s like going to a restaurant, reading the menu and leaving.
Think about that.
Going into the Mercer County Tournament, my Princeton Day School girls tennis team was not the favorite. We weren’t even the second or third favorite. But we were still optimistic.
So how did we win the championship?
1. We went all-out.
2. We focused on the process, not the outcome.
3. We supported each other.
4. We never gave up.
5. We stayed positive.
We were tied with Princeton High School going into the final day and this is what I told my team:
“Day 1 was great, but it’s now in the past. Somebody’s gotta win this, why not us? It’s not the best team that wins, it’s the team that plays best. Play to win, not to ‘not lose.’ ”
And we are now the 2011 Mercer County Champions.
David Goggins is a Navy SEAL.
David Goggins is an ultramarathon runner.
David Goggins ran the Badwater 135 miler through Death Valley.
David Goggins is considered the toughest athlete on the planet.
This is where the story gets good…
“Here’s the thing. I don’t like doing this. I don’t like to run, but it’s one of the ways I can find out who I am in life. I can’t find out who David Goggins is by watching Sunday Night Football. I need to set the bar high and then try to meet it. The only way I can do that is to do ridiculous things at the most ridiculous times. When I’m really tired and want to sleep, that’s when I go out there and do it.”
-David Goggins
Wow.
Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count on no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth.
-Jean Paul Satra
The ten most powerful two-letter words…
If it is to be, it is up to me.
When I go out on the ice, I just think about my skating. I forget it is a competition.
-Katarina Witt, figure skater
Peak performance is focusing on the process, not the results.
What are YOU focusing on?
I took the above photograph of Yankee prospect, Austin Romine next to the Yankee Double-A affiliate, Trenton Thunder clubhouse last year. This week, Romine got called up to the big club, caught Mariano Rivera’s 599th career save, started his first Major League game and collected his first major league hit.
Not bad for someone who thought his season was over. Romine was walking out of a Wal-mart in Kentucky when Yankee manager, Joe Girardi called, telling him the news.
4:30am the next morning, Romine began is trip to join the Yankees in Anaheim, ten minutes from his home town.
A couple dozen family members were present and Romine’s brother, Andrew was in the opposing dugout, playing for the Angels.
After traveling from Kentucky, Romine was thrown right into the mix, looking at photos, videos, scouting reports, etc.
“I just took a deep breath and treated it like spring training. I’d caught all these guys before and I’d played (at Angel Stadium) before, so the comfort level was higher than I thought it was going to be. I just took a deep breath and didn’t think.”
Romine knows the secret, don’t think.
His deep breath, relaxed him a bit and kept him in the present moment.
Not thinking helped him avoid paralysis by analysis.
Even though Austin Romine is a rookie, he has a veteran approach.
If you missed my exclusive interview with him, you can watch it HERE.
Make sure you checkout my new FREE video on my top five peak performance secrets. Register and enjoy!
Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077
The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless or their chosen field.
-Vince Lombardi
Recently, I was talking with my good friend, Ted. Ted and I are former baseball teammates and current tennis hitting partners. Ted is also a writer.
Earlier this week, Ted attended a writing workshop in New York City. A key point that he learned was about writer’s block.
His instructor said that when you have writer’s block, find an accountability partner and just write for three minutes. It doesn’t matter what you write, as long as you write…even if it’s the same word over and over.
I know what you are thinking, “How does this relate to me?”
If you don’t feel like writing, just write.
If you don’t feel like working out, just workout.
If you don’t feel like making sales calls, just make the calls.
It’s the start that stops most people.
I know many marathon runners and I often ask them what the most challenging aspect of running is. Their answer is…putting on my shoes.
I don’t care about your feelings, I care about your actions.
All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, “There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.”
-Ted Williams
Ted Williams certainly was one of the greatest hitter to ever play the game of baseball. I recently heard a great anecdote about Williams.
Ted Williams once said that when he wakes up in the morning, he thinks about his hitting.
When he goes to bed at night, he thinks about his hitting.
When he eats, he thinks about his hitting.
As a matter of fact, the only time Ted Williams didn’t think about his hitting was…when he was hitting.
Another way to put it:
You can’t think and hit at the same time. A full mind is an empty bat.
-Yogi Berra
Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077
Learn to control your emotions, or your emotions will control you.
Are you a thermometer, or a thermostat?
Do you read what’s going on outside (around you), or can you control your internal temperature?
We can’t really control our thoughts and feelings, but we can shift our focus when we are negative or angry.
How?
1. Take a deep breath.
2. Think about your ideal reaction.
3. Do what you need to do, whether you feel like it or not.
Be a thermostat today.
Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077