values Archives - Building a Winning Mindset

Mental Management – Start Training Your Brain

I just listened to a couple great podcasts about Mental Management (here are the links… Trail Runner Nation podcast and Brandon Webb’s podcast). Mental Management is a way to train your brain for high performance developed by Olympic Gold Medalist Lanny Bassham and if you have not read it yet you might want to read this previous post which includes an excerpt on Mental Management from Brandon Webb’s book “Red Circle”.

This is what I picked up
about Mental Management
from the podcasts…

There are three parts to our mental processes. They are the conscious, subconscious and the often overlooked self-image. The conscious is where we “think our thoughts”. The subconscious is where our skills are embedded (and much of our programming such as our values and beliefs are stored). The Self Image, according to Lanny Bassham, is often missed or overlooked.

A champion has a strong self image which means that they have confidence in their ability to perform at a high level during competition.

How do I build a strong self image?

At any moment, your self image is either becoming stronger or weaker based on the inputs that are received. Inputs might come from your conscious mind (the thoughts you think) or they may come from external sources such as family / friends / coaches or media. These inputs might say “You aren’t good enough.” or “You can do it.” but the key is which inputs are ACCEPTED! We have the ability to program our self image based on the thoughts that we accept and which ones we challenge.

Mental Management by Lanny Bassham

How Lanny lost the gold medal…

“Imagine the pressure that must be on him. Everyone expects him to win the gold medal. The only thing he can do is lose it.” This, or something similar, is what Lanny overheard from other competitors on the bus during his first olympics when he was coming in favored to win the gold medal.

What happened?

The conversation got “into his head” and Lanny had one of his worst performances in competition. He ended up winning the silver medal, but it was a major disappointment for Lanny.

After those olympics in Munich Germany, Lanny spoke to psychologists to find out what went wrong. The response from psychologists of that time (1970’s) was that they felt they could definitely help him… learn to accept that winning the silver was good enough. Lanny wasn’t ready to accept silver so he reached out to gold medalists to find out how their thought processes worked so they could achieve at the highest levels.

With Winning In Mind What he found out was what he turned into his Mental Management system and used to win the gold medal in the next Olympic games.

“The Mental Game isn’t just on Game Day. It is every day.” – Wendell Cherry, Hall of Fame Marksman

Building the Self Image of a Champion

Your Self Image keeps you in your Comfort Zone. You need to re-program your self image through the things you say to yourself and the things that other people say which you accept as true. Don’t defeat yourself.

You train your Self Image.

Affirmations for Athletes

Afffirmations 4 Athletes by Coach Wheeler Affirmations are a powerful way for you, as an athlete, to overcome ways of thinking that are holding you back from becoming your best. Society has programmed many “limiting beliefs” into your mind over your lifetime. If you have read my post about Mental Management, you will notice that affirmations are one way that you can use your Conscious Mind to program your Subconscious Mind and improve your Self Image.

You will also find that doing affirmations on a regular basis will improve your focus on positive outcomes or goals while pushing out thoughts about the obstacles / limiting factors / fear of the unknown you might be experiencing.

This article will define affirmations, show you how to build effective ones as well as provide some samples that you can use or adapt to your own situation.

What are affirmations?

Affirmations are statements that you write down and say on a regular basis, ideally every day, multiple times a day. Repetition is key. The more often you say the affirmation, the more likely it is to come true.

Don’t believe me?

It is good to be skeptical, especially when we are talking about changing how your brain is programmed. On the other hand, if there is something that will make your life better, don’t you deserve to learn about it? Here is the link to an article by the creator of the comic strip Dilbert, Scott Adams, that talks about why he thinks affirmations work. He also talks extensively about his experiences using affirmations in his book, “How to fail at almost everything and still win big“. Let’s assume that between what Coach Wheeler and Scott Adams have said, you want to learn more about how to use affirmations to improve your life.

How do I create effective affirmations?

The key to making affirmations that work is three-fold…

(1) Affirmations must be in the present tense. They might start with “I am…” They are built on the assumption that the goal or state of being that you desire is already happening. This is important since your mind will begin to believe whatever you say, especially if it is repeated enough. I am sure you have seen this happen to someone, maybe even yourself, where sticking to their story for so long that you believe it is true. Even if the person is delusional (i.e. disconnected from reality), their decision making is based on the “future reality” that they desire and believe. Because of this, their actions fall in line with that reality. The result? You create the reality that you believe.

(2) Don’t use negatives. Replace negative statements with something positive that overcomes the negative. For example, if you want to reduce the number of turnovers you commit in games, don’t use “I won’t turn over the ball.” Instead, focus on the positive condition that removes the negative, such as “I am an excellent passer.”

(3) True or Not? A successful affirmation should represent what you want to be true, not necessarily what is already true. Some people have trouble imagining a different life where they enjoy an upgraded existence, especially if they are in the middle of some sort of crisis. When things are not going your way, that is exactly when you need to develop a vision for a better tomorrow. The easiest way to make that “better tomorrow” happen is to imagine how it will feel and consistently program your mind to believe it will happen. Affirmations are the perfect tool to use the power of words to start thinking differently about your situation. Once you think different, you will act different and things will change.

Sample Affirmations for Athletes:

Below are some examples that you can use or adapt to fit your own situation. These sample affirmations are geared toward somethings that athletes may find helpful. If you have additional ideas, please be sure to leave a comment below!

I make every open shot.
I control the game.
I make my team mates better.
I deliver the ball so my team mates can easily score.
I am in amazing shape and better conditioned than my competitors.
I am mentally tough. Nothing can stop me from achieving my goals.
I am a winner.
I constantly learn, grow and improve my game.
I perform well under pressure.
I am a good team mate.
I work hard and produce results. *
I can be trusted and never let down my team. *

* These last couple affirmations are more “character-related” (versus skill-related or outcome-oriented). For a downloadable Character Assessment Worksheet based on the work by Brett Ledbetter from “What Drives Winning”, check out the link to this article. [link coming soon]

Bottom Line:

Warning… Don’t compare your affirmations with what other people are doing. Your affirmations are specifically for YOU and YOU can be great! Don’t let anyone tell you that your aspirations and goals are “unrealistic”. Greatness, by definition, requires you go beyond ordinary to achieve the “extraordinary” !

This is what will happen as you start doing affirmations. You will begin to notice when you are in situations like the ones in your affirmations. This recognition along with the memory of what you have stated in your affirmation will move you toward achieving your affirmation. Will it happen immediately? Not likely… but it could. You might realize that you were closer to your affirmation than you imagined. If not now, when? In other words, how sure are you that it will it happen eventually? 100%. The sooner you start your affirmations, the sooner you will see results.

Building your inner / outer Warrior

No one is born a warrior.

You become a warrior. You train yourself. You learn from people you admire and respect.

You challenge yourself. You set a standard for your actions that is above average. “Good enough” is not good enough for you.

You focus on what is important. You are not distracted by unimportant things. You spend time with others who share your goals. You help them get better just as they help you improve.

You stand for your values. Your actions reflect a respect for the value of competition.

You are constantly learning and improving. You are open to new ideas and find ways to adopt the best ones.

You recognize that there is always room for improvement. You know that success is enjoying the journey toward achievement, not the achievement itself.

You never quit. No matter how tough it gets, you are tougher. You find a way to your goal or you make a new way.

You control your mind and emotions. You choose your reaction to circumstances. You are not at the mercy of your situation.

You take action on your top priorities. You don’t need external motivation. You are in charge of your life.

You know how your mind works and can find all the motivation you will ever need.

You are strong and getting stronger. You protect the weak. You challenge oppression.

You strive to be better than your past. You bounce back from mistakes and learn from each one so they are not repeated.

You see the best in others. You recognize the worst as an opportunity for growth.

You are an example for others. You are a beacon of possibility.

You are a warrior. You never give up on your dreams.

Warriors WIN.

– by Coach Dave Wheeler

Swish-Warriors Win

Tools to Train Your Brain – Pattern Interrupt

What is a “Pattern Interrupt” and how can I use it to control my mind?

A Pattern interrupt is a technique to change a particular thought, behavior or situation. Behavioral psychology and neuro linguistic programming use this technique to interrupt and change thought patterns and behaviors. It can be as simple as initiating a handshake or as definitive as seizing the moment to travel or fulfill your bucket list.

Humans have an average of up to 50,000 thoughts per day. Amazingly up to 95 percent are the same thoughts, repeated every day (according to the National Science Foundation). That’s a lot of repetition. And very little space for new thinking. [Helen Roe, HuffintonPost.com]

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We all have patterns in our behavior. Some are simple habits while others are ways of thinking that are deeply embedded in our subconscious mind. Usually these patterns help us simplify our lives by not having to think about everything that we encounter. There are also patterns that cause us to do things that are not in our best interest or just make us feel bad.

As an example of a simple (mostly helpful) pattern, let’s say you are packing up books into your backpack. Do you think about how they go into the backpack? Unless there is a book that is unusually large, you probably don’t think too much about the activity. You just do it. What else do you do without thinking? Probably more than you might think. These are the patterns that often help us by keeping our life simplified… but sometimes don’t help.

Patterns in Sports

Let’s say that every time you try to do a drill in practice you are frustrated because you are not getting the results you want. Every time you start the drill, the emotions start coming out. You have built a pattern that ties together a particular drill with the bad feelings of frustration. Intellectually you know that it takes time to learn a new skill but you are still frustrated.

That’s where a pattern interrupt could help you take control of your [pattern of] emotions. It can be difficult to interrupt your own patterns since many of them are so deeply embedded and automatic that we might not recognize them as just patterns. This is where it helps to have a coach or a friend you trust that understands when you need a pattern interrupt.

What might be a pattern interrupt for this example?

By definition, the interrupt must be unexpected and not part of the pattern. If the coach sees that you are getting frustrated by the drill, he or she might walk by and poke you in the shoulder or make a silly sound. Maybe the coach shakes your hand. Whatever they do, as long as it is unexpected, your pattern would be interrupted. After that, you both might smile because you realize there is no reason to get upset over a drill that you are learning. The coach might then explain how you could take control of your emotions and even enjoy the challenge of the drill.

Other applications of a Pattern Interrupt in Sports

Patterns are not limited to reactions to external situations. You might have a pattern of thinking when you encounter stressful or pressure-filled situations. Do you say to yourself “I am not good at this.” or “I can’t do this.”? These are patterns that can hurt your chances of performing successfully in games and as soon as you recognize them, be sure to interrupt the pattern. Replace those thoughts with empowering thoughts and you will get a boost of confidence.

Imagine the pattern…

Since you probably are not asked to make a game-winning shot every day, it can be helpful to imagine or visualize the situation. It has been proven that your brain doesn’t care if it is a real experience or a vividly imagined one. By “putting yourself into the situation” via visualization you can evaluate your thought patterns and interrupt the ones that are not supporting your success.

How do I use a Pattern Interrupt in [non-sport] situations?

The first step is to recognize a pattern you want to change. It might be an emotional response that you have… or it might be a pattern you recognize in your friend’s response.

The next step is to INTERRUPT THE PATTERN. Did you see what I did there? I typed in ALL CAPS to interrupt the flow of your eyes as you read this paragraph. Yeah, it was probably not much of an interrupt but it gives you an idea of how you want to “take a sudden left turn” to break out of the pattern.

The final step is what you do after the pattern is interrupted. It does very little good to go around doing crazy stuff to break people out of unproductive patterns if you don’t help them move in a better direction.

Depending on your relationship with the person whose pattern is being interrupted, it may be as simple as asking them a question or two so you can find out why they have been repeating the pattern. Usually it made sense when it started but it could also be a result of years of built up history so be sure to let them know you are there to help.

Bottom Line…

If you want to break out of old (unproductive) habits, you need to recognize and then interrupt the patterns. This will give you the opportunity to do something different (and hopefully better).

Pattern Interrupts are a valuable tool that anyone can use to train your brain. We are all creatures of habit based on years of history. We have patterns that help us and others that don’t. You now have a tool to start changing those habits or patterns into something that better supports your goals.

Please leave a comment below to tell us how you used a pattern interrupt. What did a pattern interrupt do for you or someone in your life?

Pure Sweat podcast interview with Coach Burt

I rarely endorse or encourage my readers to listen to a podcast interview … unless it includes valuable information for basketball coaches or players. The link below to a recent Pure Sweat podcast interview with “Super Coach” Michael Burt definitely falls into the category of good information. Coach Burt has some excellent ideas that will help you build a winning mindset within your program.

Pure Sweat: Coach Michael Burt (Part 1)

Check it out and see if you don’t agree that Coach Burt brings some great ideas for ways to build a winning mindset both in athletics and for life. (Also available on iTunes.)

Let’s build a winning mindset

Let me start off by telling you…

I don’t have all the answers. I have some answers and I ask questions of some very smart and experienced people so that I can find out some clues to the answers, but I am a work-in-process and you should apply your own common sense before you try anything that I might suggest. (Or anything other people suggest.)

What’s so important about “building a winning mindset”?

If you have found this blog, I suspect that you already have an appreciation for the fact that winning starts in your head. Your mindset is made up of many components… values, beliefs, theories, hunches and much more (that I will explore on this blog). Having said that, we are usually our own worst enemy when it comes to achieving our goals, either in life or on the basketball court. Often we know what needs to be done but we don’t do it. Or we could figure out a solution if we would just recognize the problem.

Why is Coach Wheeler writing this blog?

Over the years, I have learned quite a bit about performance psychology and how the mind can be trained to improve your performance. As a basketball coach, I teach my players how they can control their mind to improve their skills as basketball players and, hopefully, they can apply those same lessons beyond the basketball court. If you are reading this blog, my hope is that you can use the basketball stories as examples and then apply the lessons to your own life as well.

Why are there questions before every paragraph?

I find that it makes the articles easier to read … and it helps me organize my thoughts. Does it bother you? Or does it make it easier for you to read the articles? Let me know in the comments section.

Do you have a question that you would like to ask… add that in the comment section too !

What if you have a question that you don’t want to make public? Use the “Contact Form” on my InviteOnlyBasketball.com site or on this site to send me a message.

This is what I picked up about Mental Management from the podcasts…