Mental Toughness: Staying In Control
Interview w/ Rod Gaspar, a lifelong competitor (and member of the World Series '69 N.Y. Mets)
Rod Gaspar is a former standout college, minor league and professional baseball player. He has a World Series ring to prove it. Rod is a lifelong competitor and was raised with a tough view of the game--whatever game it happens to be. He is currently a nationally highly-ranked handball player.
Q: How did you prepare physically for your United States Handball Association Four-Wall Tournament matches?
RG: I did 30-60 minute sessions of intense cardio on an elliptical machine, and played handball 2-3 times a week leading up to the tournament.
Q: How do you prepare mentally?
RG: By the time the tournament starts, I go into it thinking I can beat anyone.
Q: Are these the same psyching techniques you used as a pro baseball player?
RG: Similar. But handball is such a physically demanding game, so it has a different type of mental challenge. The game of handball is relentless mentally and physically. Baseball allows for breaks to gather yourself.
Q: They are long tournaments. At 60 years old how do you deal with the physical and mental fatigue?
RG: If I think I'm tired I'm tired. Sometimes mentally no matter how hard I try to push past the fatigue my body says "no." I had to learn to accept that. Sometimes my competitor wins.
Q: What percentage of your game is physical and what percent is mental?
RG: I couldn't say. I do know this: all things being equal, whoever is mentally tougher is going to win--most of the time.
Q: How do you stay focused?
RG: It can be difficult in a long ballgame or handball tournament to maintain concentration. My style has always been to take the competition head-on and try to get it over as quickly as possible.
Q: How do you usually react if you make a mistake during a game?
RG: If you're smart, you'll learn from it and move on.
Q: As a serious competitor, do you always compete to be the best?
RG: I just love to compete. It's a fun process. But it's important to realize that you're not going to be the best at everything--in life or athletics.
Q: Where do you get your drive?
RG: I have a very intense nature.
Q: Where does that "nature" come from and where does it go during the game?
RG: It has a lot to do with how I was raised. Growing up in the 50's and 60's, my parents were blue collar, hard-nosed loving people. By being small for my age (at 16 I was 5'2", 105lbs.) I was competing against bigger boys. I could hang in there with them, but I wasn't an exceptional talent, until 19-20 years old. By then my confidence in my baseball abilities had skyrocketed.
After I signed my first professional baseball contract the confidence level increased even more as I progressed through the New York Mets system. That confidence and my athletic ability has helped me tremendously in handball. Competing at the major league level has helped give me the confidence to know that I can compete with the best in handball as well.
My attitude is I am going to win and most of the time that happens.
Q: What mental game techniques do you use to control your competitiveness?
RG: Practice your skills until they become automatic. I use Relaxed Concentration, a technique that helps relax my breathing and intensify my focus.
email: athletewhisperer@gmail.com
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
4 NEW GOALS
A local cutting-edge magazine wanted me to analyze the Resolutions of four people. The goals were expresed as these:
1) Pass the Bar examine
2) Learn Italian
3) Refuse to make one because I don't want to fail
4) Graduate college
Some people call them "New Year's Resolutions." Let's look at them as typical new goals. Break them down this way: Goal/Motive/Plan.
Pass the Bar after investing $100,000 and three years........With this type of "advancement" goal you have to visualize the big picture. See it. Feel it. Make it your movie. Taste the success. Smell the $$$. Ask yourself "How will passing the Bar benefit me and others? Be honest. Write down how you will contribute. Find out how you learn best. Are you tactile (flash cards around your room), visual (a class) or auditory (CDs in your car). Study using your strongest modality.
Learn Italian so I'll be ready when I go someday........Too broad of a goal. The "someday" weakens the purpose. The chances of accomplishing this goal have already been diminished. If we do not have many reasons to act on something, the action can break down over time. Reframe this way: Learn Italian because it can lead to learning other languages and more international travel, which I love.
Graduate college because I don't want to be here forever..........Better to reframe into a positive statement by just dropping the second part. To accomplish this type of goal don't overload your classes or assignments because of outside pressures. Keep in mind why you want to accomplish this goal--For the grand party after? Because your big sister didn't? To feel proud of yourself? You're ready to start the career you've always dreamed of? Put your reasons on wall and look at them everyday. Lose outside distractions and maintain focus. Be a "student," one who is an attentive observer.
Don't want to make one so I don't fail again..........Nothing happens without action. And, we are the sum of our actions. Not acting for fear of failure is a safe, secure limiting belief. Do you know what "security" is? Security is the person who guards the corndogs at 2am at the Quickie Mart. Pick something you can accomplish NOW; ONE HOUR FROM NOW; NEXT WEEK. Do these things, that's your resolution! Good job! That's the path to success.
Email: athletewhisperer@gmail.com
1) Pass the Bar examine
2) Learn Italian
3) Refuse to make one because I don't want to fail
4) Graduate college
Some people call them "New Year's Resolutions." Let's look at them as typical new goals. Break them down this way: Goal/Motive/Plan.
Pass the Bar after investing $100,000 and three years........With this type of "advancement" goal you have to visualize the big picture. See it. Feel it. Make it your movie. Taste the success. Smell the $$$. Ask yourself "How will passing the Bar benefit me and others? Be honest. Write down how you will contribute. Find out how you learn best. Are you tactile (flash cards around your room), visual (a class) or auditory (CDs in your car). Study using your strongest modality.
Learn Italian so I'll be ready when I go someday........Too broad of a goal. The "someday" weakens the purpose. The chances of accomplishing this goal have already been diminished. If we do not have many reasons to act on something, the action can break down over time. Reframe this way: Learn Italian because it can lead to learning other languages and more international travel, which I love.
Graduate college because I don't want to be here forever..........Better to reframe into a positive statement by just dropping the second part. To accomplish this type of goal don't overload your classes or assignments because of outside pressures. Keep in mind why you want to accomplish this goal--For the grand party after? Because your big sister didn't? To feel proud of yourself? You're ready to start the career you've always dreamed of? Put your reasons on wall and look at them everyday. Lose outside distractions and maintain focus. Be a "student," one who is an attentive observer.
Don't want to make one so I don't fail again..........Nothing happens without action. And, we are the sum of our actions. Not acting for fear of failure is a safe, secure limiting belief. Do you know what "security" is? Security is the person who guards the corndogs at 2am at the Quickie Mart. Pick something you can accomplish NOW; ONE HOUR FROM NOW; NEXT WEEK. Do these things, that's your resolution! Good job! That's the path to success.
Email: athletewhisperer@gmail.com
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