Welcome to the Positive Focus Blog (PFB). PFB is dedicated and committed to helping anyone who may be interested in developing Mental Toughness Skills.
According to coaches from the old school of sports, mental toughness skills cannot be taught. These coaches feel that “IT” just comes from within us. Maybe in the earlier days of sports when there were no athletic trainers, no strength and conditioning coaches and very little water breaks, just blood and sweat were the only factors in developing a true champion.
Well, it’s the 21stcentury and today’s athletes are faster, stronger and smarter than most of their sports heroes of the past. They also have better equipment
to help them maximize their physical abilities in their particular sport. And
with the advancement of technology, today’s athlete has much more information to help them prepare for their opponents and competition.
According to coaches from the old school of sports, mental toughness skills cannot be taught. These coaches feel that “IT” just comes from within us. Maybe in the earlier days of sports when there were no athletic trainers, no strength and conditioning coaches and very little water breaks, just blood and sweat were the only factors in developing a true champion.
Well, it’s the 21stcentury and today’s athletes are faster, stronger and smarter than most of their sports heroes of the past. They also have better equipment
to help them maximize their physical abilities in their particular sport. And
with the advancement of technology, today’s athlete has much more information to help them prepare for their opponents and competition.
That being said let me help you develop the strongest muscle in your body. The one that controls all the other muscles. Let’s go to the Mind Gym.
But before we get started, let's focus on how you can benefit from this Mental Toughness Blog. Listed below are the Top 10 Performance Myths according to Bill Cole. If you can learn to avoid these ten peak performance myths you will immediately see your performances soar. Here are the myths and ten tips to help you become a better peak
performer:
1. MYTH -- An All-Out Performance and Total Effort Is Required.
Some folks think that if 100% effort is good, then 110% effort must be far better. Peak performers know that there is an optimal level of effort for every activity in a given performance.
Mental Tip -- Through practice, find your optimal levels of effort and avoid trying too hard. Be efficient by targeting just the perfect level of effort and motivation in
your performances.
2. MYTH -- You Can Make a Top Performance Happen on Command.
In watching a top athlete or musician perform, does it look like they can force a good performance to occur, even if they are having an off day? Sometimes a bad day can be saved by extra focus, preparation or mental strategies, but rarely does forcing a performance work.
Mental Tip -- Allow your best performances to emerge from superior preparation, from focusing rituals built into your performances and from trusting yourself to do
what you know how to do.
3. MYTH -- Only Many Years of Training Will Lead to Peak Performances.
Anyone can achieve a peak performance following the laws of performance psychology. But the more experience you have, the easier it is to bring forth your best efforts.
Mental Tip -- Have faith in yourself, while still preparing solidly, and you will be able to muster your best under pressure.
4. MYTH -- A Peak Performance Is Just a State of Hypnosis.
A specific, non-ordinary mental state is achieved when you are performing. Call it self-hypnosis if you want, but there is nothing mysterious about it.
Mental Tip -- Get into the zone for your best performances. You are in the zone when you have a calm mental state, pure focus, relaxation, your mind is in the here and now and you are allowing things to happen. That is like the hypnotic state.
5. MYTH -- Peak Performances Can Only be Achieved by People With Special Mental Powers.
Anyone can turn in a peak performance, and anyone can develop the mental powers needed to do so consistently. You can learn what you need to know to perform your best.
Mental Tip -- Study top performers in your field and see what makes them tick. Ask them what it was they did to develop those powers.
6. MYTH -- A Peak Performance in Sport is Different Than One in Business.
Once you achieve a peak performance in anything, you have experienced the zone. The zone is a state of mind and body that ignites your ability to perform to your potential. You can use your zone skills in any performance arena.
Mental Tip -- Learn from every discipline you can, to transfer those performance skills across all performance venues.
7. MYTH -- Once In The Zone, You Can Sustain a Peak Performance by Sheer Will Power.
It seems like good performing is all about having strong will power, but it's not. That
can be part of it, when you have solid mental discipline, but that's not all of it.
Mental Tip -- Use your will power for self-discipline in your
training and for controlling your mind in a performance. Then learn to let go
once in the performance so you can attract the powers of the zone, and allow
them to take over.
8. MYTH -- A Peak Performance Can Happen Only to Top Performers.
It is true that top performers are able to bring forth peak performances more often than the rest of us. But if you cultivate the skills of trust, naturalness and calmness, you can bring forth your best, even if your skills are not highly tuned.
Mental Tip -- Develop your ability to envision yourself succeeding and then to trust that vision.
9. MYTH -- You Are Either Born a Peak Performer or You Are Not.
It seems like some people were born to perform, but if you ask them, or learn their background, you will find that what they make look so easy is a result of years of dedicated practice and discipline.
Mental Tip -- Pay your dues and you will make the difficult look simple.
10. MYTH -- Peak Performers Know Exactly How They Do It.
I was always amazed in tennis, when I competed against world-class athletes, how little they knew about the zone, and, oddly, how little they wanted to know about it. Their theme was, "I can do it just fine--don't fill me with information that can rock the boat".
Mental Tip -- Those that can do, don't necessarily know how they do. Learn all you
can about the zone so you can create the conditions of excellence the zone demands.
If you would like to view Myths 11 - 20, let me know and I can send you that information.
Your questions or comments on this topic is more than welcomed.
Have a Positive Focus Day!
But before we get started, let's focus on how you can benefit from this Mental Toughness Blog. Listed below are the Top 10 Performance Myths according to Bill Cole. If you can learn to avoid these ten peak performance myths you will immediately see your performances soar. Here are the myths and ten tips to help you become a better peak
performer:
1. MYTH -- An All-Out Performance and Total Effort Is Required.
Some folks think that if 100% effort is good, then 110% effort must be far better. Peak performers know that there is an optimal level of effort for every activity in a given performance.
Mental Tip -- Through practice, find your optimal levels of effort and avoid trying too hard. Be efficient by targeting just the perfect level of effort and motivation in
your performances.
2. MYTH -- You Can Make a Top Performance Happen on Command.
In watching a top athlete or musician perform, does it look like they can force a good performance to occur, even if they are having an off day? Sometimes a bad day can be saved by extra focus, preparation or mental strategies, but rarely does forcing a performance work.
Mental Tip -- Allow your best performances to emerge from superior preparation, from focusing rituals built into your performances and from trusting yourself to do
what you know how to do.
3. MYTH -- Only Many Years of Training Will Lead to Peak Performances.
Anyone can achieve a peak performance following the laws of performance psychology. But the more experience you have, the easier it is to bring forth your best efforts.
Mental Tip -- Have faith in yourself, while still preparing solidly, and you will be able to muster your best under pressure.
4. MYTH -- A Peak Performance Is Just a State of Hypnosis.
A specific, non-ordinary mental state is achieved when you are performing. Call it self-hypnosis if you want, but there is nothing mysterious about it.
Mental Tip -- Get into the zone for your best performances. You are in the zone when you have a calm mental state, pure focus, relaxation, your mind is in the here and now and you are allowing things to happen. That is like the hypnotic state.
5. MYTH -- Peak Performances Can Only be Achieved by People With Special Mental Powers.
Anyone can turn in a peak performance, and anyone can develop the mental powers needed to do so consistently. You can learn what you need to know to perform your best.
Mental Tip -- Study top performers in your field and see what makes them tick. Ask them what it was they did to develop those powers.
6. MYTH -- A Peak Performance in Sport is Different Than One in Business.
Once you achieve a peak performance in anything, you have experienced the zone. The zone is a state of mind and body that ignites your ability to perform to your potential. You can use your zone skills in any performance arena.
Mental Tip -- Learn from every discipline you can, to transfer those performance skills across all performance venues.
7. MYTH -- Once In The Zone, You Can Sustain a Peak Performance by Sheer Will Power.
It seems like good performing is all about having strong will power, but it's not. That
can be part of it, when you have solid mental discipline, but that's not all of it.
Mental Tip -- Use your will power for self-discipline in your
training and for controlling your mind in a performance. Then learn to let go
once in the performance so you can attract the powers of the zone, and allow
them to take over.
8. MYTH -- A Peak Performance Can Happen Only to Top Performers.
It is true that top performers are able to bring forth peak performances more often than the rest of us. But if you cultivate the skills of trust, naturalness and calmness, you can bring forth your best, even if your skills are not highly tuned.
Mental Tip -- Develop your ability to envision yourself succeeding and then to trust that vision.
9. MYTH -- You Are Either Born a Peak Performer or You Are Not.
It seems like some people were born to perform, but if you ask them, or learn their background, you will find that what they make look so easy is a result of years of dedicated practice and discipline.
Mental Tip -- Pay your dues and you will make the difficult look simple.
10. MYTH -- Peak Performers Know Exactly How They Do It.
I was always amazed in tennis, when I competed against world-class athletes, how little they knew about the zone, and, oddly, how little they wanted to know about it. Their theme was, "I can do it just fine--don't fill me with information that can rock the boat".
Mental Tip -- Those that can do, don't necessarily know how they do. Learn all you
can about the zone so you can create the conditions of excellence the zone demands.
If you would like to view Myths 11 - 20, let me know and I can send you that information.
Your questions or comments on this topic is more than welcomed.
Have a Positive Focus Day!
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