Unlocking Inner Excellence: A Guide to Mental Strength for Athletes
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An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence
By: Gary Mack with David Casstevens
I.
Welcome to the inner Game
II.
Living the Dream
III.
Mind-Set for Success
IV.
In the Zone
Ninety percent of the game is half mental-
Yogi Berra
You have to train your mind like you train
your body – Bruce Jenner
How much of your game is mental?
Relax…close your eyes…Recall the sights,
sounds, and feelings of you performing at
your best
In your minds eye, imagine your best day ever
◦
You feel no fear, no anxieties, and no self-doubts
Athletes call this, “Playing in the zone”
NOW…let that image fade…in its place recall
your worst performance
Now leave that image and fast forward to
present
With Yogi’s quote in mind, compare yourself
competing at your best and at your worst
What percentage of the difference in those
performances had to do with your physical skills?
What percentage was mental?
How much time do you spend on the mental
game?
How many books on sports psychology have you
read?
How many lessons have you taken from a head
coach?
Mind is like a VCR
Studies have proven that mental training will
not only enhance performance and improved
productivity but also add to your enjoyment
Remain focus/deal with adversity
Stay motivated during difficult times & avoid
fatal distractions
Learn to follow your dreams and to live your
life on purpose
Achieving inner excellence is a process
Building mental muscle, like building physical
muscle, requires time and effort.
The more you work on the inside, the more it
will show on the outside
First you must make a commitment
What you think affects how you feel and
perform. Training your brain is as important
as training your body
The mind messes up more shots than the
body
Self-conscious and coach-conscious rather
than task-conscious
KEY: learn how to focus on the task and not
let negative thoughts intrude
Mind can focus on thing at a time
◦
Rather than suppress what you don’t want to
happen, you must focus on what you do want or on
some neutral thought
Brain is like a mega computer that controls
the body
Focus on breathing and repeat the word “one”
lowered their blood pressure and heart rate
Actions follow our thoughts
Don’t hang your curve ball; don’t walk this
batter; this ump will not give me a call.
If I don’t get a hit this inning the coach is
going to pull me
Personal keys to success
Performance keys to success
◦
What are you doing when you’re really on your
game?
Or your mind will use you
Actions follow our thoughts and images
Don’t look where you don’t want to go
Power of visualization and mental rehersal
Create your own Mind Gym
◦
Mental practice
◦
Confidence comes from knowing you are mentally
and physically prepared
Studies show that within a group of athletes
of equal ability, those who receive mental
training outperform those who don’t
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A competitor finds a way to win
Take bad breaks and use them to drive
themselves harder
Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to
give up
Every time I play, in my own mind I’m the
favorite
– Tiger Woods
Can do attitude
Belief they can handle whatever comes their
way
Almost never fall victim to self-defeating
thoughts
Successful athletes are able to control their emotions
and behavior
They focus on what they can control and don’t allow
things that are out of their control to affect them
Maintain poise, concentration, and emotional control
under the greatest pressure and the most challenging
situations
Focus time and energy on their goals and
dreams
self directed and highly motivated
know how to stay focused and deal with
adversity
You can expect bad calls in a game, how you
manage your emoti90ns can determine
whether you win or lose
Phoenix Fire Department
◦
Keep your cool when the heat is on
Must be willing to take a risk
◦
that is what peak performers do
Adversity Quotient
◦
by Paul Stoltz
compares success with a mountain
Only climbers get to the top
Campers get part way up and decide to stay where
they are, will never feel as alive or as proud as the
climbers
It takes courage to grow up and achieve your
full potential
Mental tough athletes possess an inner
strength
They often play their best when they’re
feeling their worst
They don’t make excuses
Competition is won or lost on the six-inch
playing field between the ears.
Practice the seven C’s of mental toughness
Learn to love the competition
What has benefited me the most is learning I
can’t control what happens outside of my
pitching – Greg Maddux
Sports psychology doesn’t create talent; it
only can help release it.
Future and success depends upon many
things, but mostly they depend upon you.
You have the responsibility to shape your life.
You are the person who pushes yourself
forward or holds yourself back.
The power to succeed or fail is yours alone.
One of the great powers we have is the power
to choose
It is not the situation but how you respond to
it that makes the difference
INNER EXCELLENCE
◦
Focus on what you can control
◦
Take control of yourself
This ability to conquer oneself is no doubt
the most precious of all things sports
bestows on us. _Olga Korbut
To achieve anything you want in life you must
first start by getting out of your own way
◦
fears
◦
doubts
◦
self-condemning nature
◦
If you don’t feel good abut yourself, you tend not to
perform well.
We act consistent to our self concept…our
self-image
If you don’t see your self successful, than you
chances of succeeding are diminished.
What are your gremlins that prevents you
from performing at your best?
Fear
Anger
Anxiety
Self-consciousness
Perfectionism
stubbornness
lack of motivation
Distractions (conflicting lifestyles)
Persistence (33% rule)
Live your life backwards
Create a future and live into it.
Visualization
Begin with the “End in Mind”
◦
“7 Habits of Highly Effective People”
◦
Stephen Covey
A
◦
Accept your present state
◦
Understand your strength and weaknesses
C
◦
Create your desired state
◦
What’s your dream?
◦
See yourself exactly the way you want to be!
◦
Write down what this desired state would look like
T
◦
Take action steps to get you there
◦
Success is a journey of one step at a time, and the
journey begins with the first step
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-bound
◦
Accompishment date
Talent is never enough. With few exceptions
the best players are the hardest workers
-Magic Johnson
The harder you work the harder it is to
surrender
-Vince Lombardi
In sports, as in life, there is no substitute for
commitment
If you believe in yourself and have the
courage, the determination, the dedication,
the competitive drive, and
If you are willing to sacrifice the little things
in life and pay the price for the things that
are worthwhile
IT CAN BE DONE
Rod Carew
Tony Gwynn
Andre Agassi
Rob Evans
Bjorn Borg
◦
“I remember how I used to take the train to
Stockholm every day after school to play, coming
home late, studying, getting up to go to school,
getting on the train again, all those years. But even
if it hadn’t, even if I wasn’t able to become a
champion, I would still know that I gave it my best
shot. I tried. I got on the train and I tried.”
Are you on track?
If not, what are you waiting for?
It takes years of hard work to become an
overnight success. Are you willing to make
the commitment and pay the price?
Obstacles are what you see when you take
your eyes off your goal
-Jim Lefebvre
In spite of all the distractions, remain focused
on the job
-
Reggie Jackson
Notah Begay
◦
DUI arrest
drugs, pregnancy, commission of crimes
Set your goals
◦
focus time and energy if you want to become successful
and realize your dreams
Native American story
◦
poisonous snake
Carl Lewis (6 time gold medalists)
◦
“This first is that if you take drugs, you’ll never know
your full potential. Second, there is the obvious health
risk. and third, if you do drugs , you’re quitting on
yourself.”
Follow your goals and not the crowd – Janet
Evans
◦
“Sometimes I feel envious when my friends do to
parties, and I have to go to bed. But my friends
always tell me that the parties really aren't that
much fun anyway. Whatever I’ve missed, I’ve mad
up for. Most kids don’t get to go to the Olympics
and win three gold medals. Its’ definitely been
worth it.”
Parties won’t take me where I want to go –
Kevin Johnson
Associate with people who will make you
better
Sometimes you have to let of old friendships
in order to stay on track to reach your goals
You don’t want to be big enough to handle
trouble, but someone who is big enough to
walk away from it.
Take responsibility for your life and your
actions
◦
Too many successful athletes don’t think the rules
of society apply to them
What you find depends upon where you look.
Stay focused on your goals and avoid the
FATAL DISTRACTIONS
.
Say yes to your dreams and no to drugs
Discover the secrets to achieving inner excellence in sports through mental training and focus. This guide emphasizes the importance of mental fortitude and provides techniques to enhance performance, stay motivated, and overcome challenges. Learn how training your mind is just as crucial as training your body for success on and off the field.
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Presentation Transcript
An Athletes Guide to Inner Excellence By: Gary Mack with David Casstevens
Welcome to the inner Game Living the Dream I. II. III. Mind-Set for Success IV. In the Zone
Ninety percent of the game is half mental- Yogi Berra You have to train your mind like you train your body Bruce Jenner How much of your game is mental?
Relaxclose your eyesRecall the sights, sounds, and feelings of you performing at your best In your minds eye, imagine your best day ever You feel no fear, no anxieties, and no self-doubts Athletes call this, Playing in the zone NOW let that image fade in its place recall your worst performance Now leave that image and fast forward to present
With Yogis quote in mind, compare yourself competing at your best and at your worst What percentage of the difference in those performances had to do with your physical skills? What percentage was mental? How much time do you spend on the mental game? How many books on sports psychology have you read? How many lessons have you taken from a head coach?
Mind is like a VCR Studies have proven that mental training will not only enhance performance and improved productivity but also add to your enjoyment Remain focus/deal with adversity Stay motivated during difficult times & avoid fatal distractions Learn to follow your dreams and to live your life on purpose
Achieving inner excellence is a process Building mental muscle, like building physical muscle, requires time and effort. The more you work on the inside, the more it will show on the outside First you must make a commitment What you think affects how you feel and perform. Training your brain is as important as training your body
The mind messes up more shots than the body Self-conscious and coach-conscious rather than task-conscious KEY: learn how to focus on the task and not let negative thoughts intrude Mind can focus on thing at a time Rather than suppress what you don t want to happen, you must focus on what you do want or on some neutral thought
Brain is like a mega computer that controls the body Focus on breathing and repeat the word one lowered their blood pressure and heart rate
Actions follow our thoughts Don t hang your curve ball; don t walk this batter; this ump will not give me a call. If I don t get a hit this inning the coach is going to pull me Personal keys to success Performance keys to success What are you doing when you re really on your game?
Or your mind will use you Actions follow our thoughts and images Don t look where you don t want to go Power of visualization and mental rehersal Create your own Mind Gym Mental practice Confidence comes from knowing you are mentally and physically prepared Studies show that within a group of athletes of equal ability, those who receive mental training outperform those who don t
Under pressure you can perform fifteen percent better or worse Scott Hamilton When you have fun, it changes all the pressure into pleasure. Ken Griffey Sr.
A competitor finds a way to win Take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves harder Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up
Every time I play, in my own mind Im the favorite Tiger Woods Can do attitude Belief they can handle whatever comes their way Almost never fall victim to self-defeating thoughts
Successful athletes are able to control their emotions and behavior They focus on what they can control and don t allow things that are out of their control to affect them Maintain poise, concentration, and emotional control under the greatest pressure and the most challenging situations
Focus time and energy on their goals and dreams self directed and highly motivated
know how to stay focused and deal with adversity You can expect bad calls in a game, how you manage your emoti90ns can determine whether you win or lose Phoenix Fire Department Keep your cool when the heat is on
Must be willing to take a risk that is what peak performers do Adversity Quotient by Paul Stoltz compares success with a mountain Only climbers get to the top Campers get part way up and decide to stay where they are, will never feel as alive or as proud as the climbers It takes courage to grow up and achieve your full potential
Mental tough athletes possess an inner strength They often play their best when they re feeling their worst They don t make excuses
Competition is won or lost on the six-inch playing field between the ears. Practice the seven C s of mental toughness Learn to love the competition
What has benefited me the most is learning I can t control what happens outside of my pitching Greg Maddux Sports psychology doesn t create talent; it only can help release it. Future and success depends upon many things, but mostly they depend upon you. You have the responsibility to shape your life. You are the person who pushes yourself forward or holds yourself back. The power to succeed or fail is yours alone.
One of the great powers we have is the power to choose It is not the situation but how you respond to it that makes the difference INNER EXCELLENCE Focus on what you can control Take control of yourself
This ability to conquer oneself is no doubt the most precious of all things sports bestows on us. _Olga Korbut To achieve anything you want in life you must first start by getting out of your own way fears doubts self-condemning nature If you don t feel good abut yourself, you tend not to perform well.
We act consistent to our self conceptour self-image If you don t see your self successful, than you chances of succeeding are diminished. What are your gremlins that prevents you from performing at your best?
Fear Anger Anxiety Self-consciousness Perfectionism stubbornness lack of motivation Distractions (conflicting lifestyles) Persistence (33% rule)
Live your life backwards Create a future and live into it. Visualization Begin with the End in Mind 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey
A Accept your present state Understand your strength and weaknesses C Create your desired state What s your dream? See yourself exactly the way you want to be! Write down what this desired state would look like T Take action steps to get you there Success is a journey of one step at a time, and the journey begins with the first step
Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-bound Accompishment date
Talent is never enough. With few exceptions the best players are the hardest workers -Magic Johnson The harder you work the harder it is to surrender -Vince Lombardi
In sports, as in life, there is no substitute for commitment If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and If you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile IT CAN BE DONE
Rod Carew Tony Gwynn Andre Agassi Rob Evans Bjorn Borg I remember how I used to take the train to Stockholm every day after school to play, coming home late, studying, getting up to go to school, getting on the train again, all those years. But even if it hadn t, even if I wasn t able to become a champion, I would still know that I gave it my best shot. I tried. I got on the train and I tried.
Are you on track? If not, what are you waiting for? It takes years of hard work to become an overnight success. Are you willing to make the commitment and pay the price?
Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off your goal -Jim Lefebvre In spite of all the distractions, remain focused on the job - Reggie Jackson
Notah Begay DUI arrest drugs, pregnancy, commission of crimes Set your goals focus time and energy if you want to become successful and realize your dreams Native American story poisonous snake Carl Lewis (6 time gold medalists) This first is that if you take drugs, you ll never know your full potential. Second, there is the obvious health risk. and third, if you do drugs , you re quitting on yourself.
Follow your goals and not the crowd Janet Evans Sometimes I feel envious when my friends do to parties, and I have to go to bed. But my friends always tell me that the parties really aren't that much fun anyway. Whatever I ve missed, I ve mad up for. Most kids don t get to go to the Olympics and win three gold medals. Its definitely been worth it. Parties won t take me where I want to go Kevin Johnson
Associate with people who will make you better Sometimes you have to let of old friendships in order to stay on track to reach your goals You don t want to be big enough to handle trouble, but someone who is big enough to walk away from it. Take responsibility for your life and your actions Too many successful athletes don t think the rules of society apply to them
What you find depends upon where you look. Stay focused on your goals and avoid the FATAL DISTRACTIONS. Say yes to your dreams and no to drugs
