TEAM COMPETITIVE FOCUS

After a 2 year hiatus from my Blog Site, I once again begin to record my thoughts as they relate to sports and ultimately, LIFE. I see sports as a vehicle to take us to places in our lives that we never dreamed possible. So here I go, launching this Blog site and hoping to continue to let you know what I am thinking about.

So, the major shift that I recommend for my high performing teams is this: I ask them to consider going from "LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO BEAT OUR OPPONENT" to "LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO COMPETE LIKE CRAZY WITH OUR FREEGIN' HAIR ON FIRE DOING THE FREEGIN' STUFF WE LOOOOVE TO DO".  The main difference between the two thoughts is this: The former you can not control and this makes you tight tense and tentative. The latter you CAN control and this makes you calm, relaxed, focused and confident. This is where REAL CONFIDENCE comes from.

All of my 36 National Championship teams get this difference and commit to simply competing without concern for outcomes or results. Let those be the mere outcome of controlling what you can and let the scoreboard take care of itself.

That's it, everyone... come back for more as I am ready to keep this train rolling

As always, much love and chi,
DocJ

MINDFUL MOVEMENT

In his work, The Hero's Journey, scholar and mythologist Joseph Campbell recalls the period of his life as a world class athlete while at Columbia university: "That was a beautiful, beautiful period. I think that meant more to me than anything else. I learned more about living from that time than any other time in my life." 

Working with athletes for over 40 years, I would agree with him. I intentionally teach these great spirits that their sport experience is a valuable classroom for learning the deeper lessons of life. Personally, all that I am, what I do and how I live is a direct reflection of the impact of my physical life, years of running and biking, on my well being. 

What has your physical life taught you about the game of life? I refer to this as Mindful Movement and the spiritual supplements for your athletic soul (or is it sole?)

HEAR DR.JERRY DICUSS A SERIES OF PROFOUND QUESTIONS ON PERFORMANCE, LEADERSHIP, BEING PRESENT, LOSS AND GAIN AND MINDFULNESS AS WE NAVIGATE THESE UNCHARTERED AND OFTEN TURBULENT WATERS IN OUR LIVES.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-lesson-studios-podcast/id1051396863?mt=2

BE FLEXIBLE

"Those who are firm and inflexible are in harmony with dying; Those who are yielding and flexible are aligned with living"  Tao Te Ching #76.  

Inflexible teeth crack, soft tongues are pliable. Hard pasta thrown against the wall breaks, cooked noodles stick in one piece. 

To live more vibrantly, be flexible, notice the flow of life and blend with it. Soft is, indeed, strong.

FROM GR8FUL 2 GR8

Grateful people are happy people. Before you jump out of bed in the morning to take on another day, think of 5 things you are grateful for today including being alive. Your health, your friends, family, work. 

Get the feeling of being grateful and breathe it into your heart and hold the breath for 4 seconds and do it three times. Then in this relaxed state go about the rest of the day and make it a reflection of all you have been given. 

When we are happy we will have a good day and perform well.  FROM GR8FUL 2 GR8.

THERE IS A WAY

We are incarcerated in our minds with society’s shallow beliefs about what we can and can't do. Most of us focus on disabilities rather than the possibilities. 

“Our beliefs are real limits that need to be examined and then transcended”, in the words of the brilliant dolphin researcher, John Lilly. I see examples everyday of people and groups and athletic teams doing the "impossible."

There is the story of a 93 year old who hikes 25 miles each day. When asked how she could do that, she responded, "No one ever told me I couldn't." 

I recently was told by my then agent after 9 rejections of my proposal for my next book that publishers are not looking for this type of book. I didn't believe her but I believed in the material and that it was relevant to these times. So, I did what my heart told me to do... I fired her and hired someone who believed in it. Within 2 weeks, we had three publishers wanting the book. I just signed a beautiful, lucrative contract with a terrific publisher and now I get to make a difference in the lives of others, helping them to question similar occurrences in their lives. 

I live by the adage, "THERE IS A WAY."  When you follow your heart, there will be doors that open where there weren't even doors before, so says Joseph Campbell. In his classic book, “The Alchemist”, Pablo Coelho reminds us that on the journey across the vast desert, caravans will cross our path in opposite directions and they will have just what we need at that moment to continue on our path. 

Onward!

COMMITMENT

COMMITMENT: The German philosopher, Goethe once wrote: "until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. There is one element of truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans and that is: the moment one commits, providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help you that never would have occurred...incidents,meetings and assistance which no one could have dreamed would come his way". It's OK to not be committed. It is probably a sign that it is time to move on to something else. It may not be important to you. One of the ways I can sense a lack of commitment on my part for an activity is how my performance with it consistently falls below my potential. Just a thought. 

WU SHI... The Warrior Spirit in Chinese

Wu Shi... The Warrior Spirit in Chinese. The symbol Wu shows a spear at rest, the warrior who does not need to battle to be a hero. Shi represents the civilized person of limitless potential. Taking these symbols and applying them to modern day warriors in sport they indicate one's willingness to push past your breaking point, have no regrets, and work hard even when others are not looking. You must accept responsibility, remain accountable, and strive to win BUT you do not need to win to be successful. Opponents are accepted as partners and you understand that soft is strong and less is more as you think outside the box. As a warrior you become comfortable with being uncomfortable, you are willing to sacrifice and suffer and accept failure, loss and setbacks as your greatest teachers of all time. YOU ENJOY THE JOURNEY and let the outcomes be the by-product of your efforts and preparation. This is WARRIORSHIP, a creative "heart-mind set " for all of life through sports.