BE PHENOMINAL

SELF TALK -- "THINK GOLD"

We are a big believer in the concept of continual positive self-talk.  Here are some great thoughts from "The Champion's Mind" by Jim Afremow:

To perform at a champion’s level, you must have a winning off-field game plan that includes specific strategies-for instance, well placed environmental cues that you can use to achieve excellence and to remind yourself that you are working to win. Tape a note that says, “Think gold and never settle for silver” somewhere noticeable and make it the desktop background on your computer to motivate to start and continue your day with a winning mind-set.

Schedule automatic, electronic “think gold” or “personal best” reminders throughout the day; for example, set the reminder function on your cell phone to chime at certain times and display “Champion.”

GREAT THOUGHTS FROM NBA GREATS

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TALENT AND SKILL

SUCCESS IS NEVER AN ACCIDENT

A short but powerful video and message from Alan Stein:

WHAT IF EVERY DAY WAS A TRYOUT

Check out the slogan on the back wall of the video room at the University of Michigan.  How good could you be if this were your attitude?  What if everyday you went to practice you felt you had to play hard enough, execute well enough, show the right type of attitude, and display a measure of mental toughness just to make the team?

CHAMPIONS BELIEVE YOU LEARN AND GROW FROM ADVERSITY

"If it weren't for the dark days, we wouldn't

know what it is to walk in the light."

-Earl Campbell

Champions believe if you remove the adversity, you remove the victory.  As a result, they tend to view adversity as a challenge through which learning and growing occurs.  Their world view is evident in the way they describe the adversities they face. While average people choose the path of least resistance, world-class performers operate at a higher level of awareness.  They understand that stress and struggle are the key factors in becoming mentally tough.  While average people watch television and hang out at happy hour, the great ones continue to push themselves mentally and physically to the point of exhaustion.  Only then will you see them in rest and recovery situations.  Adversity to average people equals pain.  Adversity to world-class performers is their mental training ground.  It's how they become mentally tough.  Average people scorn adversity.  Those who are world class don't welcome adversity; yet they see it as the ultimate catalyst for mental growth, as well as the contrast needed to recognize the beauty of life.

From "177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class" by Steve Siebold

MICHAEL STRAHAN'S MOTIVATION

"My greatest motivation was the fear of failure. I knew the team was depending on me, and the very last

thing I wanted to do was let my teammates down."

 

-Michael Strahan

I AM HABIT

I am your constant companion.  I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.  I will push you upward or drag you down to failure.  I am completely at your command.  Half of the things you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.  I am easily managed -- you must merely be firm with me.  Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men, and alas, of all failures as well.  Those who are great, I have made great.  Those who are failures, I have made failures.  I am not a machine, although I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of man.  You may run me for profit or run me for ruin -- it makes no difference to me.  Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet.  Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I am HABIT


From "Thinking for a Change" by John Maxwell

WHAT'S YOUR "WHY"

Big thanks to my friend Coach Brian Hargroder for passing this on to me.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

“Some people say I have attitude - maybe I do.

But I think you have to. You have to believe in

yourself when no one else does -

that makes you a winner right there.”

 -Venus Williams-

IT'S "WHAT CAN BE" THAT MEASURES WORTH

The following is a poem written by Dan Clark for Anthony Robles.  It comes from Roble's book "Unstoppable."  Want to learn more about Robles? Check out one of our previous blog posts: http://goo.gl/mwgVC.

Every soul who comes to earth
With a leg -- or two -- at birth
Must wrestle his opponents knowing
It's not what it is, it's what can be that measures worth.
Make it hard, just make it possible
And through pain I'll not complain,
My spirit is unconquerable
Fearless I will face each foe, for I know
I am capable, I don't care what's probable
Through blood, sweat and tears
I am unstoppable.

UNCOMFORTABLE VS. EXHAUSTION

I OWE HIM MY BEST

"There is always some kid who

may be seeing me for the first or

last time -- I owe him my best."

-Joe Dimaggio

THE MOTIVATION OF JERRY RICE

"Today I will do what others won't,

so tomorrow I can accomplish

what others can't."

- Jerry Rice



HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU?

"Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way."

~Les Brown

BE THE BEST EACH TIME OUT

Herb Adderley, the Packers’ All-Pro cornerback, recalls Vince Lombardi talking to him after a game against that Chicago Bears. “You just played the best game I’ve ever seen a cornerback play,” said Lombardi. “This game was on national television. I’m sure the people who saw the game feel the same way. Keep this in mind, that each time you go out on the field you say to yourself, ‘I want these people, when they leave here, to say to themselves that they saw the best cornerback they have ever seen.’”

From "What It Takes To Be #1" by Vince Lombardi, Jr.

WANTING TO WIN

         "I'm not a very skilled player. I'm not

         that talented.  For me, it's about wanting

         to win more than the other person.

         That's what makes me different."

         -Joakin Noah

(Thanks to Coach Eric Musselman for passing this on to us)

GREAT THOUGHT FROM A GREAT PLAYER

“A truly great player makes the worst player on the team good.”

-Oscar Robertson

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A SELF-STARTER

“It’s the self-starter in each of us that’s really important. I don’t think you can count on somebody else to motivate you to do something. You have to want to do it personally, and you have to provide that energy. It’s unrealistic and unfair to expect someone else to push you in a positive direction. So you better pick out something you really like to do, because you will have to be your own driving force.”

-Bill Belichick