Play With Your Strengths

Kobe Bryant Mental Toughness

2009-01-14T20:12:00.003-05:00

In my last post you saw three high school athletes give their definition of mental toughness.

Now click below to hear what Koby Bryant has to say about being mentally tough.

How Do You Define Mental Toughness?

2009-01-14T20:07:00.003-05:00

Today I had the opportunity to talk to a few high school athletes about mental toughness. Below you will see three out of the five athletes that I interviewed. I will put the other two up tomorrow.

Pay attention to the words used and the emotions the descriptions represent. How do you define mental toughness?

We will discuss this attribute in great detail at the 'How To Play Your Best More Often' workshop!

Checkout www.playwithyourstrengths.com for all of the details!

Is This an Asset or a Liability For You?

2009-01-09T15:11:00.001-05:00

How Do You Handle Pressure?

2009-01-07T15:15:00.001-05:00

During the past few offseasons working with the NFL Carolina Panthers I have had the opportunity to do a little work with punter Jason Baker. His focus, preparation, and hard work are second to none and is evident yet again in an article in today's Charlotte Observer.

Jason's positive outlook is just one of the many factors that attribute to his success on the field!

Enjoy!

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Punter Jason Baker says there's no pressure being the holder on kicks.

Jason Baker punts. That's obvious to Carolina Panthers fans, and he's one of the best in the NFL at his job. But he also holds. When John Kasay attempts a field goal or extra point, Baker is the guy taking the snap and putting the ball upright on the ground, readying it for Kasay's kick. We often talk about the pressure on kickers, particularly following Carolina's past two games, when Kasay first barely missed a field goal that would have beaten the Giants and then made one to salvage the win at New Orleans.

What if Baker had dropped the snap? Does he ever think about the pressure? “Do you think about brushing your teeth?” he replied Wednesday. “Well, I hold a lot more than I brush my teeth. It's just one of those things; do you think about starting your car? You just sit down and start your car.” That doesn't mean that Baker is unaware that things can go wrong. But his attitude is probably the equivalent of a primer for dealing with pressure in sports. “It's common knowledge that the thing you dwell your mind on is the thing you're willing not to happen,” he said.

“If I say, ‘I'm going to drop this ball; I know I'm going to drop this ball,' chances are, I have a higher probability of dropping the ball.” So he simply buries himself in the repetition of the act, letting it become almost automatic. “To be concerned about that thing that has a tenth of a percent of a chance of happening and not be more concerned about the thing that happens 99.9 percent of the time, it's really just kind of a foolish approach, psychologically.”

Often, though, people remember that tenth of a percent. As when Dallas quarterback Tony Romo fumbled a field goal snap, and with it a playoff game against Seattle two seasons ago. Baker understands how that works, too. He bobbled a snap in the home game with Atlanta earlier this season that led to a blocked punt. “There's no one here who's not going to have that happen,” he said.

“That's what I told everybody (then). I can't tell you the last time I did that, and I can't tell you I won't do that on my next punt. “But I'm sure as heck not going to go out there thinking that I might.”

What All Great Athletes Have In Common

2009-01-03T21:39:00.003-05:00

What this event will not be!

2009-01-03T21:39:00.001-05:00

Michael Jordan's Mental Preparation

2009-01-02T16:24:00.001-05:00

Check out this short video clip on MJ's mental preparation! This will be just one of many topics that will be discussed at the 'How To Play Your Best More Often' Event!

The Video that EVERY Young Athlete should watch NOW!

2008-12-31T15:20:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately the story of this athlete is actually not all that uncommon. There have been many young athletes who continue to put in hours and hours of hard work only to please their parents.

Remember....you need to play the sport because YOU WANT TO!!

Here is the formula:

If the potential for who you can become in your sport PLUS your passion for playing the sport doesn't go together than you are destined for burnout!

Just wait until you see the exercise I will take you through on January 31, 2008!

See you there!

Don't Miss THIS Live Event

2008-12-17T22:47:00.003-05:00

This blog is specifically for the 'How to Play Your Best More Often' Live Workshop to be held on January 31, 2009! For specific details visit http://www.playwithyourstrengths.com/.

Be sure and check back here often as I will be constantly adding new content that will not want to miss!