Deliberate Practice
Practice and Mindfulness
Martina Navratilova, perhaps the best female tennis player who ever lived, once said, “I just try to concentrate on concentrating.”
Her phrase comes to mind as I digest a recent post on Larry O’Connor’s blog, Run4yr life. Larry is a marathoner preparing for Boston in April. From the sound of this post, he has reached a [...]
Wayne Gretzky and Practice
On Wayne Gretzky’s birthday — he turns 51 today — I always think of practice and of Gretzky’s father, Walter.
One day, when Wayne Gretzky was already the greatest hockey player in the world, he was practicing with his team, the Edmonton Oilers. Walter watched from the stands.
Afterwards, the two drove home together.
“You just wasted two [...]
How the 49ers Turned It Around
In his first year as coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Coach Jim Harbaugh led the team to its first playoff berth since 2002. On Saturday the 49ers host the New Orleans Saints, another franchise that has prospered after decades of futility.
How? How do turnaround artists show people how to win?
Harbaugh said something that really [...]
What Do Field-Goal Kickers Think About?
You can say with confidence that at least one of this weekend’s NFL playoff games will be decided by a field goal attempt that either is made or missed.
For instance, the Denver Broncos, who play the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, would not even be in the playoffs were it not for Matt Prater. He kicked field [...]
Competition in Practice
Three factors — the NHL’s recent Winter Classic, the cold wave in the Northeast, and a conversation with mental toughness guru Craig Sigl — made me think of the Canadian game of shinny.
Shinny is a simple variation of ice hockey in which one player tries to keep the puck, and all the others try to [...]
Work Hard, Work Smart
In giving his excellent team-building sessions, my friend and fellow author Gary Pritchard always says that there are three things you can control: your effort, your attitude and your response to failure. He calls it EAR.
Now billionaire sports owner Mark Cuban is echoing Pritchard. In this article from Business Insider, Cuban, owner of the NBA [...]
How to Create a Great 2012
What can you do to make 2012 your best year yet?
It all begins in the few precious hours before Dick Clark comes on TV and the ball comes down in Times Square. With one fun exercise you can create a year to remember.
Just use the Banquet Technique. It comes in three steps.
First, imagine that this [...]
What Steve Jobs Can Teach Everyone
Steve Jobs famously wore the same outfit every day because he didn’t want to devote any brain power to the choice of clothing.
His reason was simple. Thinking about clothes was simply not important to him. In no way was it a priority.
No matter what your wardrobe looks like, you can use Jobs’ example in your [...]
Communication Traps
We are all salespeople. For example, coaches are trying to sell a system, or new habits, or principles to their team. They’re trying to motivate, teach, reinforce, you name it.
Whatever you’re selling, take a look at this article and see if any of these traps are holding you back.
Remember, communication is a skill like any [...]
Lesson on Teamwork
Here’s a case of a coach thinking outside the box.
Temple basketball coach Fran Dunphy underlined the need for teamwork by taking his team for a workout with the crew squad. His players got a first-hand look at chemistry.
Give this coach high marks for understanding that the game goes well beyond X’s and O’s It’s [...]
