I am a big baseball fan and the Atlanta Braves are my favorite team. As I write this, Chipper Jones is mired in terrible slump. It seems that the times he hits the ball well, it is right at someone, or when he gets a good pitch to hit he pops it up or hits a weak grounder.
We can get into slumps in our life. All the breaks seem to go against us. It seems that the harder we try, the worse the results. If you are in sales, it means rejection after rejection. The deal that seemed to be a sure thing, fell apart at the last minute. Or maybe you are working on a project, then everything that seemingly could go wrong has gone wrong. You are hopelessly behind schedule and over budget.
Our thoughts and behaviors can lead to slumps. We can lose focus. We can lose sight of our goals or fail to act in a way that is consistent with our goals. Sometimes it takes getting back to basics to get out of a slump. Maybe bad habits have crept into our routine that are causing inconsistency in our actions.
We can lose our ambition. The fire goes out. We lose the drive towards our goals. We become tentative and hesitant to take action.
We can lose our belief in ourselves. We let setbacks turn us into pessimists. Negative thoughts tend to create all the reasons why we can't do something.
Or we can let fears overcome us. The more that we are afraid of striking out, the more likely we are to strike out. Fear of failure is a strong enabler for slumps.
When you look at these sources of slumps, one powerful way to overcome these is through affirmations. Affirmations are positive thoughts that we put into our mind through repeating them regularly to ourselves. If you are in a slump, write down a few positive statements and read them out loud to your self several times a day.
Golf Lesson
Golfers have slumps. Most slumps are caused by the mental part of the game rather than the physical part. One of my favorite movies is Tin Cup. There is a scene in the movie where Roy McAvoy, the character played by Kevin Costner, is on the practice range and develops what every golfer dreads, a case of the shanks. For you non-golfers, a shank is about the worst mis-hit of a golf ball you can make. The ball doesn't hit on the club face, but rather hits on the hosel where the club face meets the shaft. The ball goes weakly to the right.
In the movie, Roy's caddie says he has a solution to the shanks. He then brings out this elaborate contraption that he tells Roy to wear. It looks absolutely ridiculous but it works. The reason it worked is that it took Roy's mind totally off the shanks because trying to hit a golf ball with this contraption on required his focus.
A few days ago I was playing and was one over par going the 8th hole. I hit a big drive and had a short wedge into the green. Then it happened, I shanked the wedge. Now I have a 5o yard shot over a sand trap, and guess what, I shanked that shot too. I ended up making a double bogey. On the next hole, I hit a fair drive, but had a long iron into the green. You guessed it - another shank and I ended up with a bogey.
Now I am facing the back nine with the shanks. A sure slump in the making. Then I got a good break. I hit a poor drive into some deep rough. To get the ball out of the rough, I had to really concentrate on just making contact with the ball and not worrying about where it went. Well, I hit the ball solid, it got on the green, and I made par. I went on to shoot even par of the back nine. Slump over. Sometimes taking your mind off the causes of the slump and focusing on something else overcomes the slump.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Unconscious Competence
In my work with leaders, our goal is always to develop unconscious competence in those key skills and behaviors that lead to both personal and organizational success. Unconscious competence simply means doing the things that make us most effective and productive in a natural, automatic, and subconscious manner.
Most of what we do each day is actually done subconsciously, out of habit and routine. Habits are they way that our body and mind conserves energy. Imagine a day where you had to think and make a conscious decision about everything that you did. You would be totally exhausted by the end of the day.
Each of us has habits that are probably negatively impacting the success we want to achieve. It takes introspection and a lot of self examination to identify these habits and eliminate them. There are also habits we need to have that are not natural right now. Habits are formed through repetition - doing the right thing in the right way over and over again until it becomes natural.
For example, a large percentage of the population does not have written personal goals. This first time that I take someone through a personal goal setting process, it is very awkward and uncomfortable. Only by doing it repeatedly over time, will it become natural and comfortable.
Take a look at yourself. What habits to yo have that are holding you back? What habits do you need to create to become more effective?
Golf Lesson
Excelling in golf is about repetition. Good golfers are simply more consistent than poor golfers. I am always amazed when I play with someone who says they only play a few times a year, then get upset at all of the bad shots they hit.
If you watch a professional golfer, they all have what is called a pre-shot routine. The purpose of this is to take as much of the conscious mind out of a golf shot as possible, and let the unconscious competence take over. They develop good swing habits by practicing the same thing over and over again.
Most amateur golfers make the mistake of thinking too much while on the course. The place to think and tinker with a swing is on the practice range. And even this should be kept to a minimum, Most teaching pros recommend spending about 10% practice time making conscious thoughts about your swing, the other 90% just hitting the ball.
Most of what we do each day is actually done subconsciously, out of habit and routine. Habits are they way that our body and mind conserves energy. Imagine a day where you had to think and make a conscious decision about everything that you did. You would be totally exhausted by the end of the day.
Each of us has habits that are probably negatively impacting the success we want to achieve. It takes introspection and a lot of self examination to identify these habits and eliminate them. There are also habits we need to have that are not natural right now. Habits are formed through repetition - doing the right thing in the right way over and over again until it becomes natural.
For example, a large percentage of the population does not have written personal goals. This first time that I take someone through a personal goal setting process, it is very awkward and uncomfortable. Only by doing it repeatedly over time, will it become natural and comfortable.
Take a look at yourself. What habits to yo have that are holding you back? What habits do you need to create to become more effective?
Golf Lesson
Excelling in golf is about repetition. Good golfers are simply more consistent than poor golfers. I am always amazed when I play with someone who says they only play a few times a year, then get upset at all of the bad shots they hit.
If you watch a professional golfer, they all have what is called a pre-shot routine. The purpose of this is to take as much of the conscious mind out of a golf shot as possible, and let the unconscious competence take over. They develop good swing habits by practicing the same thing over and over again.
Most amateur golfers make the mistake of thinking too much while on the course. The place to think and tinker with a swing is on the practice range. And even this should be kept to a minimum, Most teaching pros recommend spending about 10% practice time making conscious thoughts about your swing, the other 90% just hitting the ball.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Distractions Keep Us From Our Goals
Henry Ford said, "Obstacles are those things which we see when we take our eye off the goal". Our natural human tendency is to focus on the negative rather than the positive. For every good reason to do something, we can always come up with 100 reasons why we can't.
Even though the human brain it a complex organ, it can still only process one thought at a time. If our focus is on those things which stand in the way of our goals, then we cannot simultaneously see the goal. The more negative thoughts we have, the less time we have for positive thoughts.
Here is a simple way to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind. Simply write them down and look at them several times during the day. I have found that constantly reminding myself of what I want to accomplish keeps me going forward and overcoming obstacles.
Golf Lesson
The 17th hole at the TPC Sawgrass golf course in Ponte Vedra, Florida is one of the most famous golf holes in the world. It is more commonly known as "The Island Green". The hole is relatively short and most pros hit pitching wedges to the hole. A professional golfer will hit 99 out 100 shots with a pitching wedge within a 25 foot circle on the practice range. The island green measures 80 feet long by 45 feet wide, so if this same area were outlined on the practice range , you would expect pros to land inside the area almost every time.
The record for number of balls into the water for one round of the tournament is 50 in 2007. With 144 players in playing that day, that says one out of three went into the water. What makes this hole so difficult are the obstacles and distractions that confront the golfer. There is obviously water surrounding the hole. There is a bunker in front of the green. Wind can also be a factor.
Sports psychologists will argue that the reason so many balls go into the water, is that many players focus more on the water, than on the green. They subconsciously let all of the potential obstacles distract them. Instead of visualizing the ball landing safely on the green, they see the ball landing in the water.
So if you find yourself stuck and not achieving what you want to achieve, are you visualizing success or are you visualizing failure?
Even though the human brain it a complex organ, it can still only process one thought at a time. If our focus is on those things which stand in the way of our goals, then we cannot simultaneously see the goal. The more negative thoughts we have, the less time we have for positive thoughts.
Here is a simple way to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind. Simply write them down and look at them several times during the day. I have found that constantly reminding myself of what I want to accomplish keeps me going forward and overcoming obstacles.
Golf Lesson
The 17th hole at the TPC Sawgrass golf course in Ponte Vedra, Florida is one of the most famous golf holes in the world. It is more commonly known as "The Island Green". The hole is relatively short and most pros hit pitching wedges to the hole. A professional golfer will hit 99 out 100 shots with a pitching wedge within a 25 foot circle on the practice range. The island green measures 80 feet long by 45 feet wide, so if this same area were outlined on the practice range , you would expect pros to land inside the area almost every time.
The record for number of balls into the water for one round of the tournament is 50 in 2007. With 144 players in playing that day, that says one out of three went into the water. What makes this hole so difficult are the obstacles and distractions that confront the golfer. There is obviously water surrounding the hole. There is a bunker in front of the green. Wind can also be a factor.
Sports psychologists will argue that the reason so many balls go into the water, is that many players focus more on the water, than on the green. They subconsciously let all of the potential obstacles distract them. Instead of visualizing the ball landing safely on the green, they see the ball landing in the water.
So if you find yourself stuck and not achieving what you want to achieve, are you visualizing success or are you visualizing failure?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Look Forward, Not Backward
There are two ways to look at the end of each day. One is to worry about everything that you didn't get done that you wanted to. The other is to reflect on all the things you did get accomplished.
A great little book that I use for closing thoughts in my work with clients is called Don't Sweat The Small Stuff ... and it's all small stuff. The title of one vignette is "Remember That When You Die Your In Basket Will Still be Full." We all could improve our outlook on life if we keep this in mind. A busy and productive person will always have more to do, so fretting about that which is undone in counterproductive and potential harmful to your emotional and physical health.
To reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed, spend time at the end of each reflecting on what you achieved and then look forward to what you want to accomplish the next day. Force yourself not to a look back at what was undone. It doesn't accomplish anything because the time is past and you can't do anything about it. Living in the past is a sure way to neglect the future. Spend your time on those things which you can do something about.
Golf Lesson
Golf is one of my passions as you will notice in my blog writings. While difficult sometimes, this whole idea of looking forward, not backward is key in playing golf well. I know I have ruined many a good round by getting upset about a bad shot or bad break. I play my best golf when I focus on each shot as I am ready to hit it, not worrying about the poor shot I just hit, or thinking ahead to the great score I'll shoot if I keep playing like I am.
The same is true in the game of work. Concentrate on what you are doing right now and do it to the best of your ability. Don't worry about past mistakes, or get caught looking too far ahead. Stay in the present.
A great little book that I use for closing thoughts in my work with clients is called Don't Sweat The Small Stuff ... and it's all small stuff. The title of one vignette is "Remember That When You Die Your In Basket Will Still be Full." We all could improve our outlook on life if we keep this in mind. A busy and productive person will always have more to do, so fretting about that which is undone in counterproductive and potential harmful to your emotional and physical health.
To reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed, spend time at the end of each reflecting on what you achieved and then look forward to what you want to accomplish the next day. Force yourself not to a look back at what was undone. It doesn't accomplish anything because the time is past and you can't do anything about it. Living in the past is a sure way to neglect the future. Spend your time on those things which you can do something about.
Golf Lesson
Golf is one of my passions as you will notice in my blog writings. While difficult sometimes, this whole idea of looking forward, not backward is key in playing golf well. I know I have ruined many a good round by getting upset about a bad shot or bad break. I play my best golf when I focus on each shot as I am ready to hit it, not worrying about the poor shot I just hit, or thinking ahead to the great score I'll shoot if I keep playing like I am.
The same is true in the game of work. Concentrate on what you are doing right now and do it to the best of your ability. Don't worry about past mistakes, or get caught looking too far ahead. Stay in the present.
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