In command of an airliner disabled shortly after taking off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Sullenberger put the craft safely into the Hudson River, saving all 155 people on board. It was a peak performance to remember.

His comments afterward are a monument to the attitude and mental game that all coaches would love their players to take into practice.

“For 42 years, I’ve been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience: education and training,” Sullenberger said. “And on January 15 the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal.”

*** *** *** ***

TotalGamePlan offers Winner’s Workshops for schools, sports teams and businesses. The emphasis is on motivation, skill-building and teamwork. To bring a  Winner’s Workshop to your group, just email coachtully@totalgameplan.com or call (973) 800-5836. To order a copy of “Ten Things Great Coaches Know,” click here.

No one, either in sports or out, put on a performance to rival the one given by Chesley Sullenberger back in January. He safely crash-landed a disabled airliner in the Hudson River, allowing every single person on the plane to walk away.

Hours of training went into the split-second decisions he had to make that day. As the researchers say, it takes 10,000 hours of practice to gain mastery in a field. Sullenberger’s passengers and crew can give thanks that his were well-spent.

The captain was a master of focus. He concentrated on the task, not on the stakes. If he had paused to think about all the lives that depended on his success, he could have been paralyzed by fear. Instead, he simply concentrated on flying the plane.

It’s wonderful message for all athletes and coaches. You can’t concentrate on the outcome. You must focus on the process.

Sullenberger was able to do that, and he brought his long hours of practice to the task. For that, he is the TotalGamePlan Mind-Body Peak Performer of the Year.