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MESSAGE #1003 MIND GAMES

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“After each of us got a drink, I made my way to the baseline. Panic started to expand inside me like poison gas. My legs felt wobbly and my breathing grew rapid. This was too big of an occasion to blow it because of prematch jitters.”
(“I Against I” by James Martin, Tennis Magazine, May 2010)

Does this scenario sound familiar?

These feelings started BEFORE the match even began, but it happens all the time.

These feelings are normal.

I get nervous before every talk I give, but I know that I do not have to act how I feel. I act confident and energetic and then something amazing happens, I start FEELING confident and energetic. Most people act how they feel and then they get results that they don’t like. It doesn’t have to be that way. It’s a choice. When the catcher in baseball gives the pitcher a sign for a fastball, curveball, changeup, etc, the pitcher has the choice to “shake the catcher off” and choose a different sign or pitch. You don’t have to live in your negative feelings. Accept them, and then act how you want to feel.

You can use this principle in any area of life.

And you can start today.

MESSAGE #516 SOURCES OF MOTIVATION…

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In this month’s tennis magazine there is a great article on Rafael Nadal and how he became so successful. His coach, Toni Nadal spoke on Rafa’s sources of motivation…

“These are based on two things: First of all, his mental ability, just the way he is. Second, he has been working very hard since he was a kid. We practiced with some bad balls, bad court, bad bounces. So he learned. When something goes wrong for him, he doesn’t blame the court, the bounce or the strings. He always blame himself for not doing better. So now he’s a very tough person. Tough on himself. It helps him be stronger, mentally.”

If you want to be like the great ones, you need to think like the great ones and do what they do. Your physical skills take a while to develop, but you can instantly improve today by having a winning mindset and giving your all in everything you do.


Thanks for reading.