Developing Positive Practice Habits
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
This quote is profound and is particularly true for athletes.
Yet so many athletes engage in bad practice habits.
In baseball, many hitters will not run out ground balls…
In gymnastics, many gymnasts will stop their routine in practice after a fall…
In swimming, many swimmers will glide into the finish during long sets…
In tennis, some players will not go hard to get to a wide ball if it requires extra effort…
In golf, some golfers will not perform their pre-shot routine prior to every shot…
When you repeat a bad habit, you are reinforcing that habit.
Regrettably, many athletes say things such as, “I never do that in competition,” or, “It’s only practice.”
The unfortunate reality is that athletes fall back on their habits when they are tired, under more pressure or during critical moments of competition.
The only way to overcome bad habits is to replace those behaviors with more positive productive habits.
Second-year quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, Dak Prescott, understands the importance of positive competitive habits.
One characteristic of successful quarterbacks is taking care of the football and Prescott threw a mere four interceptions in 459 pass attempts.
In an interview, Prescott revealed that his success as quarterback has everything to do with habits, something he learned from his mother after a bad practice when he was younger.
PRESCOTT: “I just remember coming home from practice one day, and I wasn’t too happy, and told her that I didn’t have a good day, that I threw a couple of interceptions. She was like, ‘Well why are we practicing interceptions? Those aren’t good habits.’ That’s something that I’ll never forget, but it’s true. Don’t practice bad habits. I don’t give the ball to a defensive player. Teammates ask me for the ball all the time, and I’ll set it on the ground and let them pick it up, but I won’t throw it to them, and I won’t give it to them.”
Prescott has taken forging habits to a new level and there is no denying of his results.
If you want to achieve more in your sport, perform more consistently or shine when the pressure is on, try focusing on developing strong, effective, positive habits that are in line with your athletic goals.
For a volleyball player, that may mean jump up high to block shots…
For a soccer player, that may mean aggressively go after loose balls…
For a basketball player, it may mean committing to a preshot routine prior to each foul shot in practice…
In order for you to be successful in your sport, you must first have successful habits.
How to Develop Positive Competitive Habits:
Identify 1-2 habits that are critical for success in your sport and make you stand out among your peers.
Determine how and when you will work on these new habits in training.
Prior to each repetition or drill, say to yourself, “repetition builds habits,” to remind yourself to focus on the new behavior.
You are what you repeatedly do!
Start today by developing the habit of refocusing when you are distracted using the strategies in The Focused Athlete:
Improve Concentration in Sports!
If you’re an athlete who is frequently distracted, loses focus in competition, or wants to learn more about how to focus better under pressure, The Focused Athlete is for you!
Concentration and the ability to focus under adversity is what championship athletes do best.
It only takes one distraction to enter your mind for you to lose a critical point, miss a putt, or lose a second off your lap time. You cannot afford to let distractions run wild in your mind and cause you to make errors at critical times in the game!
The Focused Athlete is a complete system to teach you how to focus like a champion and harness the power of a zone focus every tie you step on the playing field, court, track or course in practice and games!
This workbook and CD program consists of 2 audio CDs that include 14 days of focus boosting exercises and a simple to follow workbook that guides you through each of the 14 days, helps you apply strategies, and customizes the exercises to your personal focus challenges.
Discover:
- How to quickly identify distractions that sabotage your concentration and how to quickly refocus after distractions.
- How to use pregame routines to help you harness the power of zone concentration before competition.
- How to use preshot routines before shots or serves to help you be more task-focused instead of worrying about results.
Learn more about one of our most popular CD programs in The Confident Athlete Series…
The Focused Athlete: A 14-Day Plan For Superior Concentration
What are customers saying about our mental game programs?
“I enjoyed ‘The Confident Athlete Series’ very much. I particularly liked the format, the ease of the program, and the 2 CDs that accompanied the workbook – 10-20 minutes a day was simple to adhere to and put in my busy schedule. I love the part about confidence with grace, and what I want to portray and feel the minute I step foot into Los Angeles for nationals. I love the affirmations, the relaxation techniques, and just the entire perspective of the program.”
~Sarah, US National Aerobic Gymnastics Team
“I just finished ‘The Confident Athlete Program‘. Improving confidence is a never ending process. I think that confidence boosting is an awesome area. Having a daily mental plan for mental “work outs” can turbo charge anyone’s confidence level…. Studying almost all of Dr. Cohn’s mental game materials gives me a real EDGE over my competitions and most importantly – a boost in my daily life.”
~Radek Sefcik, peaksports.com member
“I can see that ‘The Confident Athlete Series‘ program is really sort of a lifestyle change. Just as weight loss involves a change in eating habits, confidence involves a change in thinking habits. I recently participated in a registered Skeet tournament and shot the best doubles score I’ve shot in four years. I attribute that score to your program!”
~Kevin Lutgen, Shooter
Boost Your Self-Confidence And Focus With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
If you’re a top performer during practice but find yourself under-performing in competition, the most likely culprit holding you back is your mental game.
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with one-on-one personal mental game coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental game coaching students, parents and coaches saying?
“I felt the time spent in your seminar was very well organized. The topics were great and you had the coaches communicating in an open atmosphere. Thanks again for your time and effort and I look forward to talking with you in the future.”*
~Coach Dave Wannstedt, Miami Dolphins
“After going through a week of practice using your pre-kick routine, I was perfect on three field goals on a muddy field and a windy day in my final college game. Now I am entertaining the idea of trying to enter the professional ranks. Thank you for your help!”*
~Nate Littlefield, Collegiate Kicker
“I am a Brazilian coach in Tempe, AZ. I am the vice-president of the Arizona State Brazillian Jiujitsue Federation, long story short, I would like to say that you have a great program; you have been able to help me and my competitors. My fiancee, Kristina Barlaan, who just won two medals at the 2012 World Championship has also mentioned your program as a big help.”*
~Gustavo Dantas, Coach
“After your session, Mason had a game. He had the best game so far! He hustled, shot, no goals but two assists but he was cool with it because his focus was on shooting and not scoring (finally), defended well with his hands – finally put it all together. It was fun to watch and you could tell he felt really good about it.”*
~Kelly, Lacrosse mom