Three Words...

Why? When? How?

Three powerful questions which allow you to create a path for yourself you never knew existed. Write your short and long term goals down, with "Why? When? How?" next to each ... watch what happens to your focus towards those goals!

You'll immediately go from wanting to needing to achieve them. There's huge difference between desire and absolute knowing it WILL happen.

Dare to see possibility where, in the past, impossibility was your reality!

He Has Separated...

Feel his emotion when he talks about making a choice ... deciding!

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.

You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so

but, sadly it's true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.

You can get all hung up

in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch

with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then,

that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...

or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,

for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused

and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

... for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a plane to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or waiting around for a Yes or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil, or a Better Break

or a string or pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

NO!

That's not for you!

-Dr. Seuss

                                 

Impossible?

What did you say was impossible?

If Not Now ... When?

When will it be your time?

Imaginary Fog

You're at the free throw line with :05 left on the clock, down 1. You have a 7' par putt to win your first tournament at the next level. It's match point on the tennis court and you're serving.

Are these Pressure moments or Defining moments? You choose. Is there fog clouding your decision making process, with your heart rate pumping out of control, or do you feel acceptance and peace for all possible outcomes?

These moments are why I played and why I hope you compete and continue to work on improvement. When you read the above scenarios, doesn't each one pump you up, making you think about your own specific challenges? Do they make you feel empowered, as you attempt to answer fog vs. clarity? If so, why then, do so many still continue to view these opportunities as moments to fail, rather than a time to create greatness and separation from the pack?

This "fog" can only be lifted when you realize it's YOU who have the power, not an external force, such as a coach, book, or device. Someone may be needed to help guide you to this realization, but greatness already lives inside. This power will be unveiled when you make a committed decision to allow it to overtake you as a person and athlete.

It's on you. Last second shot, one putt left, or a second serve that will determine your next moment ... what's it doing to be? 

1% Do More...

Are you SURE you're working hard enough?

Mental Toughness

Mental toughness isn't something we do ... it's what we think, how we live, and choose to never settle for less. It's not something we do on the playing field, it's the committed decisions we make outside the athletic arena.

If we commit to the awareness of our self-talk, fear levels, and thinking every minute of the day, we'll automatically bring this mindset to our sport. Mental toughness isn't about being "tough" during competition, as most believe. It's about knowing you WILL succeed, no matter the situation or statistic that explains how difficult it is. If you know there's nothing that can stop you, you'll forever be present and excited during those defining moments.

Mental toughness is about uncovering and realizing. You're already good enough, mentally ... you may just need help clearing the fog that isn't allowing you to see that truth. Instead of becoming mentally tough, focus on living it!

Do Or Don't ... Your Choice

There's nothing better for me than talking with someone who's totally committed and passionate about his future. The only thing that can top that is when the same player tells me that no one thinks he can do it, and it only motivates him more.

THIS is the 1% Mindset!

Today, I was fortunate enough to meet another one of those players. I can't tell you how lucky and blessed I am to be able to learn from all of my students. Each one brings a unique quality and sense of himself / herself to the table. Being a coach means some teaching ... but also means a ton of learning and looking for ways to push each other past our comfort zones.

After talking today with a player who's struggled in the past with confidence and coaches telling him he'd never amount to anything, I hung up the phone knowing he was going to make it! Instead of quitting, as 99% of players would have, he chose to use his naysayers' criticism as fuel. He made a committed decision to seek out a top swing coach, accumulate the correct information, and figure out how to be the best.

He repeated more than once that he wanted me to push him past his comfort zone -- he enjoyed feeling uncomfortable. This fact, alone, is enough reason to believe in is future. Anyone who is comfortable with being uncomfortable will succeed at the elite level. All we have along the way are moments of uncomfortable, sprinkled with comfort here and there.

Will you wake up earlier than your opposition, knowing that while they only dream of success, you're out there sweating for it? Will you push muscles and belief systems past the point of exhaustion, knowing that fatigue is an illusion, created by the 99%?

Look at yourself and ask the tough questions ... what are your answers?

Make It A Habit

1% is all about creating habits! Day after day, repeat over and over. "Want" isn't enough. Desire, alone, won't get you there. Massive action, day after tiring day. Make it a habit!