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 [...]
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 [...]
Recipes: For Pea Soup and Improvement
I just saw an article that began with the words “Here is a simple recipe for pea soup.”
Normally, that would not have meant much to me, but since I am a coach who is trying to teach others how to coach, the word “simple”really stood out.
Just the other day, I saw a coach who had [...]
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 [...]
Exercising the Problem-Solving Muscle
In the word of sports parenting, here’s how you keep up with the Jones:
Personal coach.
Psychologist.
Nutritionist.
Lawyer.
Lawyer?
Yes, according to this article in The Record of Bergen County, NJ, one father is suing because his daughter did not make the All-County team. He claims this is hurting her college chances.
You can decide whether the father has a point [...]
Choosing Hope
Happy Easter!
It’s about more than colored hard-boiled eggs, pineapple upside-down cake, and Easter baskets.
It’s about rebirth, renewal and hope. No matter what your religious faith, you can relate to these themes.
I recently heard from an old friend who has been on the difficult road of alcoholism. He now attends Alcoholic Anonymous meetings every day. It’s [...]
Predicting Success in the NFL (And Elsewhere)
Consider the challenge that NFL teams face on draft day. They get only a few shots to select just the right player. They must wait their turn as other clubs snap up talent. And then, having made their picks, teams must shell out lots of cash to sign them.
Under these circumstances, no one wants to [...]
Getting What Others Want
Yesterday we talked about the biggest addiction, namely, the addiction to comfort.
There’s no question that comfort feels good. The trouble is that everything you want in terms of skill and achievement lies outside of this zone.
To become better at anything, you must leave the comfort zone. And to become the best at what you do, [...]
The Nine Most Important Words in Leadership
When you look at what Albert Pujols has accomplished in the big leagues — things no player has ever done — you wonder how teams could have passed over him on draft day.
Yet it happened. Through 12 rounds of the 1999 draft, every single franchise looked at Pujols and decided there was someone better to [...]
When Creative Isn’t Right
This quote popped up on a Web site and made me wince. It took me back to practices I’ve run. Bad ones.
It’s from Phyllis Hunter, a Houston-based consultant.
“Teachers do not have a right to do whatever they think best in the classroom. It’s not about teachers or what the teachers need or the rights of [...]
