Friday, June 21, 2013

A.C.T Backward




A – Stands for accept your current state. Understand your strengths and weaknesses. 

C – Stands for create your desired state. Whats your dream? Close your eyes and see yourself exactly the way you want to look. Write down what this desired state would look like.

T – Stands for take action steps to get you there. Success is a journey of one step at a time. And the longest journey begins with the first step. 




From "Mind Gym" by Gary Mack and David Casstevens 

Commitment



“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determinations, 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. Once a man has made a commitment, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. Its something we call heart power. Once a made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.” 




– Vince Lombardi 



Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Goal Setting




Dick Hannula, one of the most successful high school swimming coaches in the country said, “Motivation depends in a very large part on goal setting. The coach must have goals. The team must have goals. Each individual swimmer must have goals – real, vivid, living goals. Goals keep everyone on target. Goals must be high enough to excite you, yet no so high that you cannot vividly imagine them. Most must be attainable, but just out of reach for now.”

Goal setting is a way of bringing the future into the present so you can take action now. Goals improve performance. Goals improve the quality of practices. They clarify expectations and help increase self-confidence by seeing yourself get better. Goals also increase the motivation to achieve. 

Professional golfer Greg Norman said, “Setting goals for your game is an art. The trick is in setting them at the right level, neither to low nor too high. A good goals should be lofty enough to inspire hard work, yet realistic enough to provide solid hope of attainment.” 

An acronym for setting goals is S.M.A.R.T 
·       Specific
·       Measurable
·       Achievable
·       Realistic
·       Time-Bound



From "Mind Gym" by Gary Mack and David Casstevens 

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Seven C's of Mental Toughness


  • Competitive
    • A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up. – Nancy Lopez
  • Confident
    • Mentally tough athletes have a can-do attitude, a belief they can handle whatever comes their way.
  • Control
    • The hallmark of mentally tough athletes is the ability to maintain poise, concentration, and emotional control under the greatest pressure and most challenging situations.
  • Committed
    • Mentally tough athletes focus their time and energy on their goals and dreams.
  • Composure
    • Mentally tough athletes know how to stay focused and deal with adversity
    • A mentally tough player will say to himself, “Ok, if Ive got to beat the other guy and the referee, then fine – Ill do that.”
  •  Courage
    • A mentally tough athlete must be willing to take a risk
  • Consistency
    • Mentally tough athletes possess an inner strength


From "Mind Gym" by Gary Mack and David Casstevens 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Personal Accountability



Accountable people look for solutions, not scapegoats. They blame no one – not even themselves. If a “self-critique” is warranted, they ask QBQ’s like “What could I have done differently?” and “How can I learn from this experience?”

True personal accountability is about each of us holding ourselves accountable for our own thinking and behaviors and the results they produce.

Personal accountability isn’t about hiding behind the team and making excuses. And it certainly is not about changing others. Its about making a difference by changing ourselves. 

Personal Accountability Questions:

·     How can I adapt to the changing world?
·      What can I do to become a more effective listener?
·      How can I better understand others?
·      What can I do to find the information I need to make a decision?
·      How can I excel in my work right now?
·      How can I achieve with the resources I already have?
·      How can I apply what I’m hearing? – even if I’ve heard it before.
·      What can I do right now to make a difference?
·      How can I appreciate people’s gifts and strengths just as they are?
·      How can I set a better example?




From "QBQ! The Question Behind The Question" by John G. Miller