Playing From The Inside Out 

"If you want to be truly successful, you can't be content with 'pretty good'. You need to find an extra gear."   Tim S. Grover -  Relentless
 

Exceptional athletes play from the inside out. They know that how they play and perform comes from their state of mind, and the time and effort that they put into their mental preparation. They are willing to take the initiative to develop their mental skills. These athletes are internally driven and directed to play at a very competitive level. They have learned how to mentally shift into three different gears which makes them mentally stronger and sharper.

You must use all of these gears throughout all of your training, practice and workout sessions in order to play and perform at a higher level at game time.

1st Gear - "Inquisitive"
An athlete must take the initiative to keep asking questions that focus on his or her development and progress. These questions are asked everyday and should be especially addressed when you are practicing or working out. Keep asking yourself..."What can I do today to become a better player?...How can I develop or improve a particular skill that I use in the game?...Where can I use my strengths and skills to help the team succeed?...What can I learn from watching the game films?"

2nd Gear - "Intentional"
An athlete needs to know what he or she is doing at any given moment of a practice or in a game. You want to know the purpose of the different drills and exercises in practice, as well as having a goal for the overall practice on any given day. It's important that you know where you are going whether it's for one practice or the whole season. You can set goals for training or practice that focus on the development and use of specific skills. 

3rd Gear - "Inspired"
An athlete needs to take ownership and responsibility for figuring out or finding what inspires and motivates himself or herself. Maybe, it's a quote, piece or music, moment in a film,  or playing for another person or athlete. Identify what inspires you and incorporate it into every training and practice session.


Tone Lanzillo
Mental Skills Coach
risson1954@gmail.com