Play With Perspective

"The first thing is perspective. I frame things in a positive way and stay reflective...By creating a different perspective on the same situation, then technically things went a lot better. I thought better, my defense was better, and I had more success." (interview with Randy Couture)      Sam Sheridan - The Fighter's Mind: Inside The Mental Game

Randy Couture, an all-state high school wrestler, NCAA All American and college coach, was considered by many to be the first "Great American" MMA fighter. In his interview with Sheridan, Couture talked about the importance of putting a "positive frame" on things. Not only did he think it was advantageous to focus on what you control but to concentrate on what you want to achieve with positive statements. "...you have to be careful with saying 'don't get taken down' because that's a negative statement. I was coaching this kid who was winning by one point with thirty seconds left in the match. All he has to to is not get taken down so I'm screaming 'don't get taken down!' And whaddya think happens? What did I put in his head?...Instead of giving him positive things to do - get an underhook, tie him up, stay in his face, the things that got him to this point of winning - I give him something negative and he gets tentative." 

"Jeter? He knew how to recover. One time he struck out with the bases loaded and came back to the dugout and declared, 'That guy just showed me everything he's got. He'll never get me out again."     Ian O'Connor - The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter

Elite athletes can elevate their game and excel because they have the right perspective. They understand how to play with perspective to reach their mental peak. Remember, perspective is not only what you see but how you choose to see what you see. 

There are different mental skills tools that can help you play with perspective and reach your mental peak. If you want to learn how to focus on what you want, build on your strengths, reframe a negative experience or ask the right questions, drop me an email at risson1954@gmail.com.  

Winning The Mental Game

"If your head is not in the game before it begins, 

then you are already behind when the whistle blows."

Anthony B. Lanzillo

Every time that you step on the field or court for a game, there are actually two games going on. The one being played out between you, your teammates and the opposing team. The other being played in between your ears. If you want to win the game out there, then you must win the game in your head: the mental game.   

Winning The Mental Game is for athletes who want to elevate their performance and find more enjoyment in playing. This clinic will show athletes how to strengthen their concentration, composure and confidence, and thereby become more competitive and successful. It's all about being mentally stronger and sharper to not only survive but thrive in sports.

Winning The Mental Game is a clinic for athletes who want to concentrate on what they control, learn from their mistakes, tune out distractions, anchor their emotions, play in the present moment, visualize how they want to perform, take more initiative and become internally driven, avoid the mental landmines, and produce their highlights film.

Mondays - January 19 and 26, 2015 - 7:00 to 8:00 pm - Sports4All - 108 Haddon Avenue, Haddon Township, New Jersey - $15 per session

 "Anthony has the fortitude to see the end result before it actually happens when helping an athlete. His teachings on the subject of mental toughness is on the leading edge and he is a master at capturing the needs and desires of the athlete."   Coach Wayne Nye - Ultimate Hockey Source, Canada

"Anthony captures the essential ideas and illustrates them with rich information and resources in mental skills training. Any athlete who needs and wants to build his mental muscle; it is all here. The best performance will be provided."      Makoto Kajino (boxing coach) - Takusboku University, Japan

"This is great and can be used by many athletes around the world."   Danny Acosta (baseball coach) - Acosta Sports Management, South Carolina

"...began following Anthony's blog online about mental toughness and reaching your optimal performance level...I then contacted Anthony and explained my situation. He immediately took an interest in helping me and sent me many personal exercises that I was able to do while going through my rehab. These exercises allowed me to return to the field sooner than expected and with more confidence and mental toughness."   Jonathan Viscosi (professional soccer goalie) - Carlton FC, United Kingdom

"Want to thank you for the quality material you provide coaches and athletes. As a coach for high school football and lacrosse, I spend so much time on preparation and strategy, and therefore overlook the mental part of the game. Your references give me and my athletes the motivation and mental drive needed to succeed in the overly competitive field of high school athletics. I appreciate what you do and always look forward to reading what you have to offer." Tony Grandinetti - Haddon Township High School, New Jersey

Look UP, Step UP, Play UP

"...become a person with unlimited power because you have the capability of achieving a level of thinking that pushes you beyond your circumstances to a higher level of being." 
Todd Duncan - The Power To Be Your Best

"One of the great powers we have is the power to choose. How you choose to look at an event is going to affect how you feel and how you perform."          
Gary Mack - Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide To Inner Excellence 

There are twenty-four hours in a day. And in that one day, how much time do you spend working on your mental game? So, think about this. How much could you elevate your performance, and find more enjoyment in playing, if you invested the time and energy in developing your mental skills?

 

Many athletes simply don't get it. Some will spend hours in the weight room, running on the track and building up their bodies. And then they will show up for the game, and "hoot and holler" as they run out on the field or court. These athletes feel pumped up and ready to play. Yet, they simply aren't mentally prepared or conditioned to give their best performance.  

If you want to elevate your game, then you must empower your mind. To empower your mind is to make a serious commitment to building your mental muscle. No matter how big your physical muscles are, if you don't work on the mental muscle then you aren't ready to play your best game.

If you are worried about looking bad or making mistakes, then you are looking down. If you spend more time thinking about what is wrong with your abilities and opportunities, then you are looking down. When you focus on how to get better, then you are looking up. When you acknowledge and build upon your strengths, then you are looking up.

If you show up late for practice, and can't wait for it to end, then you are stepping down. If you stop playing when you team is behind on the scoreboard, then you are stepping down. When you show up early for practice, and you have a goal for practice, then you are stepping up. When you tell yourself and your teammates not to give up but give more of themselves in a challenging game, then you are stepping up.

If you are only worried about your own success and statistics, then you are playing down. If you make mistakes and keep beating yourself up, then you are playing down. If you get upset about things out of your control, then you are playing down. When you think about how you can contribute to the success of your teammates, then you are playing up. When you stayed focused on the few things that you have direct control over (like your attitude), then you are playing up. When you go out of your way to encourage and support one teammate, then you are playing up. 

If you want to look up, step up and play up, and elevate your play and performance, let me know.

Anthony Lanzillo
risson1954@gmail.com

The Mental Muscle

"...mental training will not only enhance performance and improve productivity but also add to your enjoyment."

"Achieving inner excellence is a process. Building mental muscle, like building physical muscle, requires time and effort."

Gary Mack - Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence


How much time do you dedicate each day to your mental training? What are you doing today to build your mental muscle? When do you plan to develop your visualization skills or identify your goals for the coming week?

If you need some ideas on how to start your mental training or begin building your mental muscle, let me know. It can start with one simple mental skills tool or exercise.

Anthony Lanzillo
risson1954@gmail.com

"Take Five"

Here are the five affirmations or declarations that you take to each practice:

"I am (state two or three personal strengths or qualities)."

"I want (state your long-term and daily goals)."

"I see (visualize how you want to perform and compete)."

"I bring (think about past highlights and empowering experiences)."

"I control (state all the things that you have direct control over)." 

By reviewing and reciting these affirmations or declarations everyday at practice, you are developing a stronger and sharper mindset that can only build your confidence and self-esteem.  

Are You Combat Ready? 

"Mastery of fundamental skills leads to lethal projection of combat power."
 Robert W. Cone
 Battle Focused Training

"Given the importance of the moral dimension in war, the readiness of soldiers and units must include psychological preparation for combat....Soldiers must be prepared to make rapidly a psychological transition from peace to conflict, potentially without forewarning or indepth knowledge of the situation."
 Robert W. Madden
 Living on the Edge: Building Cohesion and the Will to Win by Robert W. Madden

 Both quotes are from Leadership: The Warrior's Art by Christopher Kolenda, Editor


The one group of fundamental skills that are overlooked by many teams and coaches are the mental skills. And if these fundamental skills are not introduced or practiced on a regular basis, then how can a team or its players be "combat ready" for any game? How many times have we seen teams that appeared to be physically or athletically superior and yet still lose their games? 

Look Good Or Play Better?

In his book, The Goldmine Effect, Rasmus Ankersen talks about his travels around the world looking for what he calls the "secrets" of high performance in sports. From the female golfers of South Korea to the sprinters of Jamaica, Ankersen is searching for what makes these athletes so successful. There was one question that he asked which really got me thinking about how athletes mentally approach their participation in a sport: "...do I want to look good, or do I want to get better?"

 

Think about it. If I am an athlete, and I am more concerned about looking good, then how will I approach my practices and games? First, I will probably hold back from trying anything new because I don't want to make a mistake. Next, I will experience more anxiety and stress because of this internal pressure that I am putting on myself. Third, I will be concerned and worried about things that I have no control over, like what the coaches and other players are seeing and thinking. And, maybe more importantly, I will definitely not be enjoying myself or having fun. So, actually, being more concerned about how I look is the recipe for disaster.

 

Focus on how you want to get better. Begin to set short-term goals for how you want to improve your physical conditioning, develop your athletic skills or elevate your mental preparation. Being more concerned about getting better puts you in a more productive and proactive state of mind.  You will understand that learning something new to improve your game will involve making mistakes and mistakes are simply part of the learning process. Things outside of your control will not bother or frustrate you. Essentially, you will practice and play with more energy and enthusiasm.