Are You Committed?

The level of commitment you possess and display as an athlete is directly related to your amount of success. All athletes like to think of themselves as committed, dedicated, and willing to do what it takes to succeed. The fact is, however, most athletes are not as committed as they would like to believe. In this article, is it your job to honestly assess whether you are truly showing commitment when it comes to your sport.

"Committed" athletes are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful despite the obstacles. They are dedicated to success above all else and are not deterred in the face of adversity. You may think this is you, but keep reading...Another type of athlete is the "committed until" athlete. They usually do not go to all lengths to be successful, especially where their ego is involved. These athletes show intense dedication, but back down when things do not go their way. They are committed "until" they do not getting the starting position; committed "until" they do not get the minutes they think they deserve; committed "until" one of their teammates calls them out; committed "until" their role on the team is not what they want. Get the picture?

Now that you know the difference, right now, are you a "committed" athlete or "committed until" athlete? It is critical to be honest. Without honesty you will not improve.

It is hard to be a "committed" athlete and we all fall short at times, but you can take the first step today to make the commitment to be committed. This is difficult in the same way that marriage is difficult - you pledge "commitment" no matter what you might face. Unfortunately, many marriages fail because individuals are "committed until" people - committed "until" the pain is too great; committed "until" their partner is not who they thought; committed "until" their partner does not make enough money; committed "until" their partner is not as neat as they want. The list of "untils" goes on and on. 

To be successful, make the commitment to be committed. End of story. To help you remember what commitment looks like, here is a breakdown of what to look for:

Committed Athlete

Dedicated at all costs

Commit to team mission

Commit even when ego bruised

Commit despite pain

Committed Until

Dedicated until not getting what they want

Committed to self over team

Commit only on their terms

Commit only when convenient

Play Smart, Play Hard, Play Well!

What is Your Athletic Vision?

Successful athletes and coaches have a clear vision. This statement is probably not surprising. However, there is a special distinction in the vision of the most elite performers - their vision is not only clear, but they take ownership of it. Anyone can have a dream, but most are afraid to own it because there is a real risk involved in doing so. In owning your goal, you are declaring and acting in a manner in which you are accepting responsibility for the outcome of your goal - for better or worse. You are willing to make mistakes and look the fool, and yes, even in the end, not achieve your vision. But it is inevitable that if you do not take ownership of your vision, you will never accomplish it.
Now is that time of year when many coaches and athletes begin think hard about their goals, and it is now that you have the opportunity to ensure you are not one of those individuals, who, at this time next year sits in regret thinking of what you did not do. So get off your butt and make it happen! Here are some important keys to remember:

1. Find and prioritize your vision - reflect and decide the vision most important to you, the dream or goal that makes your heart beat.

2. Take ownership of your vision - make it clear and vivid. Write it down and share it with important others. If you vision is like a 55-inch High Definition Plasma TV, then you got it. If not, get back to the drawing board and make it clear.

3. Address self-doubts or fears about your vision. Do not run from fear and doubts - bring them into the light and embrace them.

4. Act and behave in ways required to achieve your vision. There are certain things you must do even though they involve risk.

5. Enjoy the ride!

Play Smart, Play Hard, Play Well!

Sports at Christmas Time Can Hurt Family Connections

    The holiday season is supposed to be a time of joy, love and family closeness, but that is not always the case as many of us realize. Families at this time of year can be a blessing and a curse. It is a time of getting together, eating, drinking and being merry. But it can also be a time where togetherness brings up resentments and past hurts. And then add sports into the mix – they can be a cause for celebration, but also a way to avoid communication, maintain emotional distance, and reduce opportunities for love and openness.
   
    Sports are a part of the daily world. I should know – I am a sport psychologist. I do sports for a living. At this time, however, I am left with the question of how sports can be a detriment for families during the holidays. Professional sports are on television during the two "big" days of this holiday season. Many times, instead of talking and sharing with people you have not seen or just spending quality time with people you see regularly, the world of sports takes center stage on the 55 inch flat panel television. Even youth athletics get into the picture with many parents traveling to their child's sporting events on Christmas Day.
   
    Can we give sports a break for even one day? Maybe your family truly enjoys sports during these times and is healthier in functioning, but for numerous people, televised sports is a barrier to healthy family connection and communication (television creates this same block every single day of the year for families, but when is there a good time to communicate and connect if not during this time of year?). I myself will be with family during this time of year and sports will be on the television, but it will be in the background and not center stage. This needs to be a time of connection, not disconnection. I am not suggesting having family therapy, just spending time truly together. I know this can be difficult as television helps to avoid the "pink elephant in the room," but think about connecting – it is closeness with others that is continuously the number one thing that makes people happiest – not money, fame, power or sports.

Sports and Christmas – To Consider

1. Use this time to connect with family, not avoid or block. Sports are easy distractions, but they are on television every single day of the year. Think about giving them a break altogether.

2. Plan games and activities where eye contact and communication are more likely. It may be best to even turn off the television all together.

3. Balance – it is okay to watch sports during these days, but keep your time in check – balance your sports watching with CLOSE human interaction.

4. Step out of your comfort zone – connecting with family can be challenging, but anything valuable usually requires some hard work.

5. Reward – making a positive emotional connection with someone is far more rewarding that any sporting event could ever be.

Sidestepping Common Goal-Setting Mistakes - "Sports Psychology for Dummies" #4

In the last Sports Psychology for Dummies post, (#3), goal setting was discussed. This is an important aspect of increasing mental toughness and athletic performance. However, many individuals encounter problems when setting goals, and four problems in particular seem to be the most common. In order to set effective goals, as previously mentioned, these tips are especially helpful in sidestepping common goal-setting mistakes;

• Setting too many goals: When you set too many goals, in usually results in an inability to accomplish any of them. All of these goals may motivate you and make sense, but too many goals at one time confuses the brain and diffuses energy. Opt to choose the goals that are most important and/or relevant for you and tackle them each in turn. Master one, move on to the next. Avoid trying to accomplish four or five goals at once.

• Failing to set process goals: Setting outcome goals like winning the championship or achieving a certain number of assists is fun, but process goals are the way we make our outcome goals a reality. Process goals, the goals that give us the best chance of reaching our outcome goals, should be the primary focus. If they aren't the desired outcomes simply won't happen.

• Leaving your goals in a drawer: While loads of athletes take the time to set good process and outcome goals, if they fade in to the background once the season begins, they are useless. When you lose focus on the set goals, the chances of accomplishing them are seriously slim. Goals must be a living, breathing part of the individual and team mission. They must be tended to, monitored, adjusted as needed, and revisited at least once a week. Don't lose sight of what you are working so hard for.

• Focusing too much on ego and not enough on mastery: Focusing on ego goals, like the outcome goal of winning, takes vital time away from focusing on mastery goals, or those goals that are all about improving skill and performance, regardless of the outcome. When you focus on mastery goals, you get continually better, even if it doesn't result in a win. These improvements are quantifiable and with this sort of success, the wins are bound to follow! 

For more information on this topic, see chapter three of the book Sports Psychology for Dummies or call me at The Athletic Mind Institute, http://www.athleticmindinstitute.com/.

So What's In It For Me? - "Sports Psychology for Dummies" #3

Achieving and maintaining peak performance through mental toughness is not an easy or short-term goal. This fact was discussed in the last post, which outlined the need for a firm commitment from anyone wishing to obtain such abilities. Many times though, individuals find that high level goals--such as mental toughness--can be intimidating, difficult to achieve, and frustratingly unclear, almost mystic. "Sure," you may think,  "mental toughness sounds great, but what's in it for me and how do I start down this road? And how will I know when I am making progress? How is this measured anyway?" All of these questions are typical and are addressed in sports psychology. What's in it for you is the ability to:

• Manage performance anxiety
• Use visualization and imagery to improve your performance
• Increase and maintain your confidence
• Improve and maintain your level of motivation
• Relax under pressure
• Set and achieve goals
• Manage your energy levels
• Use routines to be consistent in your performance
• Bounce back from injuries and setbacks
• Manage and address conflicts with coaches and teammates
• Focus in critical moments and extend the duration of your concentration 

Sounds great, right? The benefits of using sport psychology to increase mental toughness are many and now that they have been clarified, the next step involves getting started. An important piece of getting started involves setting goals. This may sound quite simple, after all, we all set goals frequently. But the goals to set to increase performance and mental toughness need to be particularly effective, specific, and measurable. Not the "trial and error" approach we see every day, effective goals have certain things in common. Some tips to set effective goals include the following:

• Begin with the end in mind. Figure out what you want to accomplish, and work your way backward.
• Set deadlines and timeframes to keep yourself motivated.
• After setting your goals, make sure you focus on your processes (how you intend to accomplish those goals).
• Make sure your goals are measurable. For example, instead of saying you want to "get faster," say that you want to "improve my 40-yard dash time by 0.3 seconds."
• Set both long-term and short-term goals. Your short-term goals should lead you to your long-term goals.
• Make your goals public. The more people who are aware of your goals, the more people who will be there to support you and hold you accountable along the way.

These types of goals will help keep you motivated, help you know when you are making progress, and help you measure that progress. Effective goal setting is not only a great way to start down the path towards increased athletic performance and mental toughness through sports psychology, but also a great way to demystify the process of achieving it!

For more information on this topic, see chapter one of the book Sports Psychology for Dummies or call me at The Athletic Mind Institute, http://www.athleticmindinstitute.com/.

Africentric Staff have a ball, learn about teamwork at SportsOhio

Dr. Kays and the administration of Africentric Early College collaborated recently to offer a staff retreat held at SportsOhio. Participants learned about increasing their effectiveness and achieving peak performance in the classroom and beyond, as well as taking part in exercises designed to foster maximum teamwork between staff members, administration, and teachers. Dr. Kays continues to consult with the school, aiding their pursuit of all-around excellence.

http://www.sportsohio.org/

Making the Commitment -"Sports Psychology for Dummies" #2

With a clear definition of mental toughness and a desire to enhance it, making the commitment to putting in the work needed to increase it is a vital step. Having seen what mental toughness looks like in action, (see "The Definition of Tough - 'Sports Psychology for Dummies' #1") assessing current levels of mental toughness and making a real commitment to "strengthening what's under the helmet" is necessary if one truly wishes to achieve peak performance. This type of commitment is not, however, a mere statement of intent. Rather, it is a dedication to improving oneself that is repeatedly demonstrated through personal action. Excellence isn't easy, so think of it as a gradual and long-term project. Opportunities to improve mental toughness present themselves many times a day, and it is in capitalizing on these opportunities consistently that long-term gains are achieved.
Also, plan to improve mental toughness in all areas, not just in regards to athletics. This will increase the frequency of opportunities to develop and practice mental toughness, and will create a "spill-over" effect, where mental toughness in relationships, school, and work will spill over into mental toughness in athletics, and increased mental toughness in athletics will spill over into the other areas of your life. Making a list of these kinds of opportunities is a great way to train yourself to recognize and capitalize on them. Here are some examples:

In athletics:

• Battling through an injury to make it back in the lineup
• Holding your teammates accountable to a high standard of excellence and performance
• Not giving up when you don't get a starting position
• Getting better despite not getting the minutes in games you would like to be getting

In school:

• Battling back to raise your grades after a low mark on a test
• Getting it done in the classroom and in athletics at the same time
• Standing firm to your personal beliefs, such as not using drugs and alcohol in the face of peer pressure
• Seeking academic help when you need it

In relationships:

• Saying something that's hard for another person to hear, but saying it with consideration and compassion
• Talking through your anger instead of ignoring it or repressing it
• Putting others first instead of being selfish
• Expressing your hurt or anger assertively and respectfully to your friend about what he/she did or said

These options are but a few of the possibilities that might be seen regularly to increase mental toughness. Making, keeping, and updating a personal list of opportunities is extremely helpful in keeping focused and committed to working at it every day. Achieving mental toughness takes time and dedication. Are you ready to make the commitment?

For more information on this topic, see chapter two of the book Sports Psychology for Dummies or call me at The Athletic Mind Institute, http://www.athleticmindinstitute.com/.