GAME PRESSURE

When I was a teenager, a classmate of mine who was a cheerleader and had a lot going for her--pretty, great personality, nice family--asked me how I was so confident. I remember her asking so earnestly, "Where do you get it from?" I didn't have to think about the answer, it just came out, "Here take mine, I'll get more."
Contrary to her outward appearance she had fear, the opposite of confidence. Fear boils, the pressure creates steam and perspiration, which are forms of hot air looking for an escape. Fear is just a lot of hot air. It doesn't exist unless we create it and give it form.

PRESSURE
We create pressure by forming anxieties about the future and recalling failures from the past. We create pressure by attaching our worth to results. We create pressure by not practicing enough. We create pressure by not breathing correctly. We create pressure by making comparisons. We create pressure by feeling accountable to others. We create pressure by selfishly hoarding our successes. We create pressure with stagnation. We create pressure with perfectionism. IT'S COMING AT US FROM ALL ANGLES AND WE JUST CAN'T TAKE IT!

"DON'T CHOKE"
You're not alone. Everyone feels pressure. Everyone has fears, loses confidence, loses site of the original goals, loses focus, and gets emotional during a contest. Even Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, and Marion Jones have choked. As International Mental Game Coaching Association founder Bill Cole says, It's who chokes least that wins.

HOW TO MEASURE SUCCESS
Baseball batters are happy getting an on-base hit 30% of their at bats. Boxers usually win in the distance if they hit their opponent with 20-30% of punches. Skilled hockey players make millions of dollars putting the puck in the net 10% of their shots.
Picture your boss storming into your office and demanding, "Do you have that cost analysis report for me?" and you say "Nope." So he leaves your office but applies the pressure eight more times during the day with the exact same demand. Finally, after the tenth time you hand it over. Is that success?
What are your odds of sinking a ten foot putt? How many foul shots can you make out of ten? How many first serves do you get in during a typical match? Do you measure your successes and failures? Don't. It's an endgame you'll lose 95% of the time. Which means you allow yourself to be satisfied only five percent of the time. Talk about pressure!

ANTI-STRESS TECHNIQUES
Here are some suggestions that you can also give form:
> Learn to belly-breath
> Don't try so hard
> State your moment-to-moment goals
> Correct your posture
> Talk to your fears
> Monitor your emotions
> Remind yourself with Power Word cues
> Play like your hero

If you are hardly ever satisfied with your performance you need to become familiar with all these anti-stressors. They will give you back your confidence.
Take them. . . I have more.

email: athletewhisperer@gmail.com