An Athletes Guide to Inner Excellence By: Gary Mack with David Casstevens

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Welcome to the inner Game Living the Dream Mind-Set for Success In the Zone

Ninety percent of the game is half mentalYogi 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 NOWlet that image fadein 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 dont 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 Dont hang your curve ball; dont walk this batter; this ump will not give me a call. If I dont 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 youre really on your game?

Or your mind will use you Actions follow our thoughts and images Dont look where you dont 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 dont

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 dont 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 theyre feeling their worst They dont make excuses

Competition is won or lost on the six-inch playing field between the ears. Practice the seven Cs of mental toughness Learn to love the competition

What has benefited me the most is learning I cant control what happens outside of my pitching Greg Maddux Sports psychology doesnt 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 dont feel good abut yourself, you tend not to perform well.

We act consistent to our self conceptour self-image If you dont 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

Accept your present state Understand your strength and weaknesses Create your desired state Whats your dream? See yourself exactly the way you want to be! Write down what this desired state would look like

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 hadnt, even if I wasnt 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
In spite of all the distractions, remain focused on the job
- Reggie Jackson
-Jim Lefebvre

Notah Begay
drugs, pregnancy, commission of crimes Set your goals Native American story
poisonous snake DUI arrest

focus time and energy if you want to become successful and realize your dreams

Carl Lewis (6 time gold medalists)

This first is that if you take drugs, youll never know your full potential. Second, there is the obvious health risk. and third, if you do drugs , youre 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 Ive missed, Ive mad up for. Most kids dont get to go to the Olympics and win three gold medals. Its definitely been worth it.

Parties wont 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 dont 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 dont 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