“I think self-awareness is
probably the most important thing towards being a champion”
~ Billie Jean King
“It’s not the will to win that
matters…everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”
~ Paul
“Bear” Bryant
• Motivated
• Confident
in abilities, training, preparation
• Manages
pressure well
• Uses
well-drilled techniques to prepare
1. Motivation
“Motivation will almost always beat
mere talent” ~Norman Ralph Augustine
• Goals
define an athlete
• Goals
setting (SMART PRINCIPLE)
Specific: Define
your goal in exact language. This is where
you turn a dream into reality. This is
the mental space that you begin to populate with the tangible stuff, “I will
score a touchdown every game”… “I will score a goal every game”…”I will lose 1
Ib. per week”.
Measurable: Set
forth your goals and their intermediate benchmarks in a way that can be
actually measured, both at the end and at every step of the way. The measurement could be increased speed,
increased bench press, or increased muscle mass.
Achievable: Is
it possible to reach your goal within the set period, given the resources that
you will need? Don’t hope that something will show up…make
sure you have the resources, or at least access to the resources to make the
goal achievable. An unachievable goal will only lead to
frustration…that will turn you off on the whole goal-setting process.
Realistic: Is
your goal based on reality, or is it a fantasy? An unrealistic goal is unlikely to be met and
can only lead to your disappointment. If it’s realistic, you can form a mental
picture of your goal. Once you have that
mental picture, a picture you can really be a part of, your goal will have a
real life. A week after starting your
program, I don’t suggest that your goal setting include “I will increase my
bench by 20 pounds the first week”…or… “Im going to lose 30 lbs. in the first
month”.
Timed: It is
crucial to place a time limit for achieving a goal… otherwise, it remains a
dream. Timed goals lend themselves to personal journals and recorded
performance records. Think of hospital
fundraising campaigns, which are often accompanied by a big bar chart right by
the entrance. Every week or month, or
whatever period is appropriate, you can gauge the progress.
2. Self-confidence origins:
“Self Confidence is the strength of
the belief in your abilities to execute”
• Global (your abilities and team)
• Task
specific (ability, footwork, hit the
goal)
• Experience
(building on practice and past games)
• Modelling
“Blueprint” (model a player…a role model)
3. Anxiety Management
“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of
its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength”
~Charles Spurgeon
Anxiety can undermine
all performance. (In business, athletics,
and personal goals)
- Relaxation techniques:
- Breathing
- Stretching
- Music
- Meditation
4. Self – Talk:
“Whether you think you can, or whether
you think you can’t, you’re right”
Observation….
• Imagery…. (Visualize, Focus, Important cues)
• Self
talk…. (Motivational ….”come on, you can
do this”)
• Relaxation
(ex. Calm, breath, relax)
Conclusion:
The Mind of
Champion is developed.
When things
go badly for you (as they will),
remember, you have a choice! You can shut down if you want...or… you can rise
above with your newly acquired visualization techniques. By changing the old paradigm of doubt,
negativity, and lack of confidence…. into the motivated, focused, confident
mindset that refuses to fail…creates the pathway to think and perform like a
champion!
“There's always the motivation of
wanting to win. Everybody has that. But a champion needs, in his attitude, a
motivation above and beyond winning”
~Pat Riley
