Peak Performance.....

When referring to peak performance, we don't mean just good or really good - we mean "best of your life" good. Athletes who have experienced a "peak performance" have discussed their experiences with sports psychology researchers, and they reported the following: (a) They had a feeling of ease and effortlessness. Things came easy. They didn't feel the need to force anything. (b) They had a feeling of "flow" or "fluidity". (c) The activity they were doing seemed intrinsically enjoyable. They were having fun. (d) They experienced a loss of self-consciousness. They weren't thinking too deeply about anything.

The objective of the "When I'm Unstoppable" exercise was to increase your awareness for what you are thinking and feeling when you play your absolute best. Becoming more aware of what this state of mind feels like will help you "try to get yourself there" more often.

Optional bonus section: Science!
A few of you wanted to know the scientific reasons behind some of the concepts that we have been talking about. If that is you, please read on. Otherwise, this will bore you to tears and you should save yourselves now.... Most sports psychologists think that people experience less neural activation in the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain that is responsible for planning and conscious thought) when they are in a peak performance state. In other words, in sports requiring some element of skill and precision, an fMRI (a brain scan that measures neural activity) will reveal less neural activity in the prefrontal cortex when athletes are at their absolute best than when they are playing average or below average. A few studies exist that support this hypothesis. Here is a link to a PBS special about one golf putting study done at Arizona State that provides some support for the idea that too much "left brain" (i.e. prefrontal cortex) activation can be bad for performance. This is the "most consumable" format for this type of study that I could find for you. If for some reason you want to see actual neuroscience and psychology research articles I can provide them for you....

Recap of Today

Mental toughness is the ability to stick to what you normally do under any circumstance.....

....When mentally tough teams experience difficulty, they are able to collectively refocus, assert themselves, and retake control of the situation immediately. Mentally tough teams are assertive!!!. They take control and "dictate" to the opposition what is going to happen next. What language cue will you use to collectively refocus, assert yourselves, "take control", and "dictate" to the other team what is going to happen next?

....Strive to be the mentally toughest team in the country. Work hard in this area. Make it your goal to never meet another team as mentally tough as you. Knowing you are mentally tougher than the other team is a huge source of confidence. In this video, Tiger's father Earl is explaining how deep Tiger's mental toughness really is.....



.....Rankings and accolades are peripheral, and outside your direct control. Success is a result of the daily actions that are within your direct control. You have taken a successful first step this season precisely because you have done a great job dominating in your circle of control. Continue to do so. Identify what is in your circle of control, and dominate it! Forget the rest. This is very important, and something that you will need to focus on all year. Dominate your circle of control!....

....Your season is short. Achieving your dream this year requires you to get better every day, with urgency. Be urgent about your improvement. There can be no wasted days. Even with school starting, you have to find it within yourself to stay energized and get better every day. Let your dream guide your off-field decisions....

Relevant quote:
"Being a great competitor is two things. The first is the ability to play your best in big situations. The second, and often overlooked, is the ability to consistently bring full focus and intensity every day - even when it's tedious or when you might not feel like it." - Wayne Gretzky

Thought and Emotion

There is a relationship between thought and emotion that is helpful to understand if you are striving to become tougher. The people in the clip are talking about golf, but the prinicple being discussed applies across sports: To control your emotions, you should strive to gain control of your thoughts.

A "close-knit" team

This video featuring the US National Soccer Team is about team unity. Although it's kind of meant as a joke, I'm sure you'll get the point.