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August 21, 2019
Under the leadership of Vince Lombardi, the Green Bay Packers were the top American football team of the 1960s, winning five world championships over a 7-year span. Lombardi told his players, “We are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence.” Now, that’s the way to conduct your athletic career!
Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant is a five-time NBA champion. In his book Kobe Bryant: Hard to the Hoop, Mark Stewart shares Bryant’s thoughts about pushing for perfection: “I’m chasing perfection . . . and if I don’t get it, I’m going to
Adhere to the seven Ps: Proper Practice and Preparation Promotes Personal Peak Performance!
Evaluate the mental, technical, and tactical aspects. Specifically, ask yourself three questions: 1) What did I do that was good? 2) What needs to get better? 3) What changes should I make to become my best? This process will allow you to think broadly about each area of your game and then drill down to the details. Make this your Champion Journal.
What did I do that was good? • On deck, I visualized getting my pitch and driving it into the left-center or right-center gap. • I had quality at-bats by following my routine and making adjustments. • I focused on breathing evenly and deeply to stay free and loose. What needs to get better? • Refocus faster after making an error in the field. What changes should I make to become my best? • After making an error, tell myself to snap back to the present moment. Focus forward. • Write “Snap back!” on my glove for use as a positive reminder. • Want the ball. Think, “Hit it to me.”
Verstegen’s website www.coreperformance.com for the latest essential information about proactive wellness. Receive expert tips, tracking and reports, a nutrition plan, and personalized training. Many athletes at
Michael Boyle is another great fitness resource. He is one of the foremost experts in the fields of strength and conditioning, performance enhancement, and general fitness. He has served as the head strength and
a 2012 interview for my Psychology Today blog (Trust the Talent), Boyle shared several noteworthy insights into winning using mind and muscle for athletic success. Specifically, he described an intelligent approach for achieving one’s fitness goals, expressing his personal views on burnout prevention and much more. For Boyle, one major area of emphasis is learning how to make slow, steady progress over the long haul. As he explained: I think the most common misconception is that it is so hard. It goes back to the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race. By slow and steady I don’t
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Achieve victory through variety. Exercise variety keeps your body running smoothly and your motivation level high. How can you keep your workouts fun and fresh? Experiment with mixed martial arts (MMA) training, kettlebell exercises, hurdle or chute drills, medicine ball situps, and so on. A diversity of exercises will ensure effective and enjoyable workout results.
Ann Trason, an American ultramarathon runner who has set twenty world records during her career, said, “It hurts up to a point and then it doesn’t get any worse.”
In his memoir, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, bestselling Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami argues that talent is nothing without focus and endurance. He also shares the extreme mantra he successfully used during a 62-mile ultramarathon: “I’m not human. I’m a piece of machinery. I don’t need to feel a thing. Just forge on ahead.”
Embrace the suck. This is a U.S. military training stance that you can adopt. It means accept the discomfort that comes from working hard and pushing past perceived limits. Accept the challenge. Enjoy the struggle.
