Great Catch — Baseball Training
Please comment below on whether you think this is real or not.
What kind of baseball training do you do for that?
[Editor's note: Turns out it's a Gatorade commercial. Nicely done.]
How to Play Like Tiger Today
I’m so inspired by the golf tournament yesterday I’m going to have a one day “Tiger and Rocco” sale to enable anyone else inspired by these two great warriors to elevate their game.
(see below for details)
In case you missed it, Tiger Woods made a 12 foot put on the last hole yesterday to tie Rocco Mediate in the U.S.
Open.
Today they play 18 holes against each other to determine the champion.
The two have very different styles.
Tiger is big, focused, dramatic, thrilling, calm, confident.
He is a tiger.
(although part of the thrill with him is that sometimes he doesn’t come through. We expect him to be a machine, but if you’ve watch him for a while there is just enough doubt from past failures that you aren’t quite certain he’s going to come through.)
(In psychology this gives us fans “intermittent reinforcement,” the most powerful addictor.)
Rocco also has a tough sounding first name, but he’s been laughing his way around the course, and after each round talking about how much fun he’s having.
He’s small, unassuming, light.
He’s never contended for a major tournament win like this, while Tiger wins them routinely.
To me their different styles underlines the importance of being yourself.
If Rocco tried to be like Tiger he wouldn’t be playing today.
If Tiger tried to be like Rocco he wouldn’t be playing today.
Both have discovered their strengths and expanded on them through practice and training.
This is one of the top challenges of executives I coach that ascend to new heights running companies: to be themselves.
Expanded, bigger versions of themselves, but themselves none the less, with their own personalities and leadership styles.
So as Tiger and Rocco tee it up today we’ll see different personal styles and different golfing styles.
(Perhaps Rocco hopes his jokes and levity round off Tiger’s mental edge.)
But certain performance fundamentals will be there, like focus, trust, patience, persistence and routine (at least they’ll be there for the winner).
So those of us trying to excel in our own areas can choose the qualities from each we’d like to expand in ourselves.
Action Item: Notice the quality or qualities of the two that stand out to you most. The qualities that stand out to you most stand out to you most for a reason — you have that quality yourself.
Play with expanding that quality in whatever form your 18 hole play-off takes today.
Sincerely,
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
www.HeadsUpPerformance.com
www.HansonsGym.com
p.s. For the one day sale, here you go:
Enter the coupon code when you check out with these
programs:
1. $25 off my “Confidence Conditioning” program. Perfect for business and sales people and certainly leaders of any type — and golfers. http://www.ConfidenceConditioning.com;
Coupon Code: Open
2. $25 off my “Coaching the Mental Game of Baseball” (for coaches of 13+ year olds) http://www.BaseballConfidence.com/baseball_coaching.html
Coupon Code: Open
3. $20 off my “Winning the Mental Game of Youth Baseball/Softball” program http://www.BaseballConfidence.com/youth.html;
Coupon Code: Tiger
Baseball Training Gratification: I Get My Bell Rung
I got my bell rung twice yesterday.
When I was playing rugby that was a bad thing.
But in this case by bell ringing I mean a very gratifying moment, and I’m hoping these two short stories will help the bell be tolled for you soon.
First was a military man who called and told me his 11-year-old son had watched one of my programs and gone from having a major anger problem on the field to actually coaching a struggling teammate on focusing on what he can control.
Instead of throwing tantrums, the kid now focuses on doing his routine and on the aspects of the game that he can control and has much less of an issue with anger.
Ding.
And it’s a big ding because what that kid is getting goes way beyond baseball. It will help him in all areas of his life.
“Focusing on what you can control” is a fundamental performance and happiness principle.
Plus, having gone through the program together, he and his dad now have a common language and a common set of principles and a common experience to guide their discussions before and after games and practices.
A second bell ringing was from Coach Tom Saunches, who wrote the following (used with his permission):
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“I do want to tell you that, once again, your philosophies about the mental part of the game have made me a better coach and especially made me a more pleasant coach to be around.
Last year we reached the final 8 in our state playoffs and I publicly stated that you were a major part of our tournament run.
We made the final 16 this year and, again, I’m convinced that you played a major part in our success. Thanks!
I just returned from a shopping trip where I met a parent from a rival school who asked how we can compete year after year despite being about half the size of many of our opponents.
I replied I’d share my passion for the “mental part of the game” and Tom Hanson’s beliefs if he really wanted to know.
I told him how my passion for discovering the process of the mental part of the game had transformed me as a coach.
In a nutshell, I told him I coach the techniques of the game much less and spend more and more time each year talking about things like having a routine and visualizing the traffic light.
He laughed and said, “so that’s what you were doing when you encouraged your pitcher with the comment,” let your routine work, now.” By the end of the conversation, he was asking me if I would be willing to speak to a group about my/your ideas.
Is that legal? I certainly don’t want to do anything illegal.
I’m just so passionate about spreading the word I don’t care if they are rivals or not. Your philosophies have permeated my whole life. Just the other day I read in a novel a character say that we spend most of our time in our own heads.
Instantly, I connected that to playing one pitch at a time!
Can I legally talk about theses things? I’m curious. Would it be a problem if I referred to you? Heck, I’m retiring from teaching in two years and I have a feeling I could make a decent supplemental living talking to teacher’s groups. Thanks for listening.”
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Think of all the kids lives this guy is changing and will change soon.
Ding.
I’ll occasionally get a note from someone saying I’m a bit over the top in my emails or marketing.
But I feel when there are results like the above happening all the time it would be unethical of me to NOT share them and put the ideas and energy out there.
(If you’ve got something good I’d want you to share it with
me.)
So in these two stories people have changed their lives for the better; an 11-year-old is having more fun playing and will have more fun living;
An old coach learned some new tricks and is setting the world on fire.
May you not need to ask for whom the next bell tolls…Make it toll for thee.
Sincerely,
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
www.HansonsGym.com
P.S. If you’re thinking “I’ll have what they’re having,”
check out the whole line up of options you have at
www.BaseballConfidence.com/Products.html
Please pass this email to anyone that crosses your mind.
The Next Level of Success: How to “Save the Princess”
Here’s a really great question I got recently.
It’s great for a number of reasons (including it comes from a highly satisfied customer), but I’m going to highlight that it is a “next level” question.
That is, a player (and as you’ll read, a parent) were highly successful implementing mental training during the regular season — and now are struggling with the next level of challenge.
The mental game is like a typical video game in that there are different “levels” you need to clear to get to “save the princess” or whatever the ultimate goal is.
Each level requires the same basic skills, but offers new, greater challenges, requiring the player (and parent) to expand and strengthen.
More on that below…
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Tom,
My son has had a great season! Jay and I have had a new found relationship thanks to our new mental approach!
Jay has developed one of the greatest routines at the plate and because of that focus on the routine the results have come he is hitting .555 and has been on base .777.
I am not a stats guy but unfortunately many of the coaches are. Jay is not aware of his stats we just talk about having a good approach and I show him how proud I am of him for the approach and the fun he is having.
This has changed the way we get along and communicate, thus it has been a wonderful time.
He is 14 in a 13 and 14 league and during the season what we have been doing has had him playing every game and has helped him make the All Star team.
So here is where I need the help.
All Stars becomes a pressure situation to earn your position. Not a problem: “Son stay with your good approach and worry about the things you can control”.
How am I doing so far?
So he does that and doesn’t make it into the lineup.
Now the pressing starts because “I have to make it happen so I can get in the game”.
I hate those words “have to” so in the case when you find yourself as a bench player what is the best way to keep from tensing up and falling into the trap of that pressure to have to perform?
I know that with all we have been working on learning that we have all the tools at our finger tips. I just need a little help putting it together for this situation.
Thanks,
Kevin Deben [at "Kevin's" request I've changed their names.]
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TH RESPONSE…
First off, way to go, Kevin. I’m thrilled that the two of you have had such a great season.
And that your relationship has elevated so dramatically.
I can hear the pride and the love and connection you have with him.
I want players to win, but deepening a relationship with Dad is as big as it gets.
Next, you’re right on with “do what you’ve been doing.”
There are so many things you can’t control as a player, and energy spent focusing on those things cost you success.
So you need to get great at focusing on what you can control.
That’s where the routines come in (as detailed step-by-step in my “Zoned In” hitting program and “Dominate!” pitching program).
Regardless of the situation (and regardless of whether you are pitching or hitting or playing defense), execute your routine.
Focus on your routine and do it to the best of your ability.
That’s what Jay has done to be successful, and that’s what he needs to focus on now.
“Ya, but what if I only get to play a little each game, or a little each week, even?”
Same thing.
But now you are at a different level.
It is much harder to commit to your routine and successfully execute it when you’re a sub than when you’re a starter.
When things are going great (.555 is great), it is the easiest level there is for executing the mental/emotional part of the game.
(Make an out, no big deal, you’ll be up again soon.)
But coming off the bench is much tougher — physically and mental/emotionally.
***************
So Jay, be aware that this is a greater challenge than starting.
As such it is a much greater opportunity to improve and help you reach your long term goals.
Delayed gratification is one of the fundamental keys to life success.
***************
Law of the Weight Room: We get stronger by pushing heavier weights.
Jay now has a much heavier weight to push than he did previously.
This situation, in my opinion, is ideal for Jay. He’s shown he can start and know he’ll play every day and play great.
He’s “cleared” that level for now.
So this is the next challenge. He won’t like it.
But remember, “Once hard, now easy.”
Not that I want him to get used to not playing. But I do want him to get good at executing his routine under “pressure.”
By that I mean to get himself into a great performance state — totally confident, relaxed lightening, focused on seeing then hitting the ball, as free from attachment to results as possible — even though future playing time is likely riding in the balance.
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NOTE: You can do the actions of your routine, but not successfully execute it — meaning the routine doesn’t get you into a good performance mindset because the emotion of the moment has overwhelmed you.
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So, how do you get better? What adjustments do you make to succeed at this new level of challenge?
1. Commit to your big picture vision of yourself. Where are you going in baseball? What would you like to have happen?
This will help pull you forward through a challenge rather than trying to push through your current situation.
2. Deepen your practice.
Take your mental training exercises (as provided in my Gym) to a deeper level.
Get into it more.
Raise your commitment to your mental game practicing.
(and this coaching is for the PARENT (Kevin) as much as it is for the player)
Easier said than done. But that’s the way it is. And always will be.
One of my big league clients is going through this now.
Success last year raised expectations for this year.
That’s a new level of challenge.
Needs to raise his game.
We all do to reach the next level.
Sincerely,
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson www.BaseballConfidence.com
p.s. And Jay, the tapping I teach in my Gym would help you improve those feelings of yours dramatically.
p.p.s. Parents (and coaches) has this past season been a “wonderful time” where you communicated deeply and happily with your child/player?
If not (or if so but like the greats you want to see how good it can get) invest in any of the programs below.
Doing it with your child gives you common ground for discussions.
You, parent, are as if not more important than the coach in determining your child’s experience in baseball or softball.
I highly recommend you arm your self with the best possible tools and knowledge for navigating the parent-of-a-player, mental-and-emotional minefield (mind-field).
* Winning the Mental Game of Youth Baseball and Softball.
An 80 minute video and workbook teaches you step-by-step how to get players to consistently play with confidence.
www.BaseballConfidence.com/youth.html
* “Hanson’s Gym” gives you access to hours of mental training videos, audios and articles, including my “Breakthrough!” course that will dramatically speed anyone’s progress to their goal by training you to be more confident, focused, and consistent.
http://www.hansonsgym.com/site.php/subs/subscription_plans
* Coaching the Mental Game gives you step-by-step instructions for developing team mental toughness — the kind that gets you to Omaha.
http://www.baseballconfidence.com/baseball_coaching.html
* And don’t forget www.YipsBeGone.com for anyone unnecessarily suffering from the throwing problem.
* Or see the complete line up at:
www.BaseballConfidence.com/Products.html
Please forward this email to anyone that cares about the game.
Thank you.
Braveheart Baseball
“FREEDOM!” said William Wallace at the end of Braveheart.
That’s what it was all about for him.
In my conversations with players these past few days we’ve talked a lot about freedom.
Although they wouldn’t say it this way, a prime reason Little League baseball players play is to experience freedom.
Research has shown this to be one of the prime reasons people play any sport.
Seems funny that to experience freedom you’d enter a realm where there are way more rules than regular life (athletes have to abide by our regular laws plus the rules of their game when they play).
But paradoxically, when you confine yourself to the rules of a game, you come alive.
The focus that the rules provide make more things black and white. Score or no score. In or out. Win or lose.
And that clarity brings an intensity.
Clarity is power.
One of the fundamental characteristics of being in the “zone” or “flow” is having a clear goal.
When your goal is clear you get freed of other concerns and can focus your energy more purely.
Much of my work is around helping players be free and just play.
And helping coaches create the environment where the players are free to play.
Aren’t they always free to play?
Yes, but…
Define too many rules and you lose freedom.
Keep players from having any say in the rules and you lose freedom (no more “ghost runners”).
Put too much focus on the outcome and you lose freedom.
Get tied up in thinking about your mechanics and the “right” way to do something and you lose freedom.
Associate your parents love for you with how you play and you lose freedom.
Link your self-worth with your performance and you lose freedom.
Bob Rotella, my Ph.D. advisor, has helped tons of athletes by helping them “free it up and let go.”
I paid UVA a lot of money to hear him say that over and over and over.
But when I really get it — when I “free it up and let go”
– it’s worth every penny.
All my programs help players win the “mental game” by giving them clarity about what to focus on.
In my “Winning the Mental Game of Youth Baseball” I provide two concrete “goals” for players and coaches to focus on.
(More accurately, I teach you how to help a young player create those two things for him/her self. It’s much more powerful to co-create the goals than for you to assign them. I give you a step-by-step system for it).
Doing so frees them up. The fun returns. The tension goes way down. The distractions disappear.
If you want to be happier, have more fun, and be freer, pick a clear goal and go after it.
It will give you a brave heart, too.
Sincerely,
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
p.s. For sure closing the coupon at midnight: That link
again: http://www.baseballconfidence.com/youth.html
ENTER COUPON CODE: youth
Winning at Youth Baseball and Softball
Today is for coaches and parents of youth baseball and little league players. It includes a gift….
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Failure.
How do you feel when your kid strikes out?
Walks in another run?
Boots an easy play?
Hangs his head in defeat or shame?
Cries about something that happened in the game or practice?
Baseball and softball are emotional games. They turn up the intensity of life experience.
Yes, school churns up emotions big time. But in baseball/softball you can’t hide in the back row.
When you are up, YOU are up. Everyone watches you. Everyone sees what you do. Your performance is totally public.
(If Johnny is having trouble in school it is kept hush
hush.)
If a ground ball comes to you, it comes to YOU. Not to your team; you.
Add the fact that failure is built into the game — the game is extremely difficult — and you’ve got a recipe for emotional disaster.
Yes, for wonderful things as well
It isn’t the striking out that is so critical, it is how it is “framed.” How the child sees it.
Much of how he/she sees it will but culturally determined.
Kids know the difference between success and failure.
But also much of how he/she sees it will be contextually determined — by the context the coach and parents have created around the experience.
Coaches and parents, your top job is to create an emotional context that maximizes the likelihood of each child making empowering interpretations of their experiences.
You might want to read that again while I think of how to say it simpler…
If the team and league emotional context (prevailing mood, attitude, energy, focus,) is fear (kids get yelled at when they screw up), that will lead a player to very different interpretations about themselves than if the prevailing emotional context is love (kids are supported unconditionally).
(Now unconditional support doesn’t mean you let them do whatever they want, it means
No time is that more important than tourney time. June is a big youth league tournament time as you likely know.
In honor of this season I’m offering you a $20 discount coupon, good today, Saturday and Sunday, for my program:
“Winning the Mental Game of Youth Baseball: How to Coach, Parent, and Play with Confidence, Focus, Consistency, and Emotional Control.”
You get a 80 minute DVD of me coaching a 12-year-old team on the fundamentals of mental game success at the youth level.
Here’s what one coach said about just one part of the
program:
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Tom, Our 10/11/12
year-old team won a game last night that we should have lost. We were without our 2 best pitchers, one injured, one sick (who we expected to start the game). There were a few innings in the game where the 3 different guys pitching found themselves with the bases loaded and one or even no outs.
They managed to get out of these jams by doing the ABC routine!! We practice it with our pitchers every practice and last night, it was great to see the boys on the mound with their chin up, taking deep breaths, and connecting with the mitt. It was amazing to watch the ABC’s work so well! Thanks, Dan
btw, the team is at the top of the standings in our league, and your mental prep has played a big part to put us there.
(And we haven’t instituted the ABC’s yet for hitting or
defense.)
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(It’s the same stuff I teach older kids, like Major League “kids,” but it’s put in a way young players relate to well).
You’ll be able to guide your child or team through the labyrinth of emotions and mental challenges
I give you two “golden threads” to hold as you make your way through the maze of complex situations and obstacles…
* overcoming failure
* being confident regardless of recent
results
* staying motivated
* staying focused
* playing one pitch at a time
* getting the team on the perverbial “same page.”
You get a system for doing that. All success is the result of following a proven system.
Take the guesswork out of it.
Know what to say in those tough moments (first inning jitters, last inning chokes, silent car rides home).
You get the DVD, a 45 minute recording of a call where I review the key concepts with the coach in the video, spelling out step-by-step how to implement the two basic techniques of the program.
You get a big workbook with simple simple forms for you and players to fill out. And a transcript of the DVD so you can take the program with you anywhere.
Simply click the link below, then enter the word “youth” in the box that asks for a coupon code. That will knock $20 off the normal price of $67.
Through Sunday only. Get it now and it will go out tomorrow.
If you aren’t thrilled with it, send it back for a full refund.
Go get’em,
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
p.s. As you saw in the quote from coach Dan, focusing on what I coach you to focus on not only creates a much more helpful, humanistic, and empowering emotional context — it also is the best way to win!
http://www.baseballconfidence.com/youth.html
ENTER COUPON CODE: youth
Please forward this email to everyone you know that cares about youth baseball or softball.
Thank you.
Part 2: Winning at Youth Baseball and Softball
I got a great response to yesterday’s email (see www.BaseballConfidence.com/blog)
It’s exciting for me to see such commitment to providing youth baseball and youth softball players with the best possible experience.
I accidentally failed to complete a sentence yesterday (and got a lot of questions about it, so today I’ll fill it in…
I’ll start with quick review…
——-
[I miss "24" -- such a great show. So in your best Jack Bauer voice say to yourself...]
Previously on www.BaseballConfidence.com…
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“Coaches and parents, your top job is to create an emotional context that maximizes the likelihood of each child making empowering interpretations of their experiences.
You might want to read that again while I think of how to say it simpler…
If the team and league emotional context (prevailing mood, attitude, energy, focus,) is fear (kids get yelled at when they screw up), that will lead a player to very different interpretations about themselves [and what happens to them] than if the prevailing emotional context is love (kids are supported unconditionally).
(Now unconditional support doesn’t mean you let them do whatever they want, it means…
——————-
[new stuff now]
…you support them unconditionally.
Look at that one more closely: *you support them
unconditionally.*
That means the focus is on them and their development, not you and your ego.
Here’s a good one — it neatly solved a question for me when I heard Tim Gallwey say it.
Why are some “hard-a**” coaches loved, while others are hated?
When you were in school, looking back, weren’t your best teachers amongst your hardest?
Didn’t they challenge you a lot? Push you hard?
You had some cool ones that you liked at the time, but they didn’t really challenge you, so looking back you see that wasn’t the best route for them to take.
The tough but fair ones are the ones you’d go back to visit and thank.
But weren’t there tough ones you didn’t like then and still don’t respect now?
What is the difference between a “tough” one you love and a “tough” one you despise?
The answer (the thing I got from Gallwey): you love the ones that challenge you because you get that they really care about YOU.
That they are challenging you out of love for you.
The ones you despise (still) had something else going on.
They may push you because Bobby Knight yells and screams, as do many coaches they see on TV.
So that’s their role models for how to coach.
As a youth sport coach or parent they are covering their ego’s butt — “if they don’t win it won’t be because I didn’t work them hard.”
Or they get a buzz out of the control they have to make kids do stuff — like run or repeat a drill.
Or it feels good to yell.
Or the best way they have to feel good about themselves is to put someone else down.
It can be any number of things, all ego and fear based.
Force is the easiest way to go. It is the least complicated.
Power is something else (as I define it).
A great coach/parent is powerful, but not forceful. (More on that later, that’s one of my favorite distinctions.)
The key is supporting them unconditionally.
That doesn’t mean you never yell. It means when you do yell you are coming from care and contribution to them rather than your own self-interests.
It can be very hard to distinguish those two. The place to start is with the awareness of this distinction.
So anyway, that’s a long end to the sentence I forgot to finish yesterday.
My offer of $20 off is still good (but only through tomorrow — or if we sell out) my best selling program “Winning the Mental Game of Youth Baseball: How to Coach, Parent, and Play with COnfidence, Focus, Consistency and Emotional Control.”
You get a 1:20 minute DVD of me teaching fundamentals of the mental game to a 12 year old team, and step-by-step instructions on how to teach your team or child the same skills.
It’s really the same stuff I teach older players, just formatted for youth players.
(Simple wins at all levels.)
Parents, if you want to know that you are following an excellent system for “creating an emotional context that maximizes the likelihood of each child making empowering interpretations of their experiences,” this is the way to go.
Click here now to get it and claim your $20 (enter the coupon code “youth” as you check out).
http://www.baseballconfidence.com/youth.html
ENTER COUPON CODE: youth
If you aren’t happy with it, I’ll refund your money plus your return postage.
You’ll be surprised how the complexities of managing the minds and emotions of young players can be reduced to two simple ideas.
(and I’ll coach you step-by-step on how to implement those two ideas.)
You’ll have a simple idea for your whole team to focus on.
And a simple idea for each player to focus on each pitch.
Thank you,
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
p.s. The clock is ticking on the offer — the coupon “youth” will expire at midnight Sunday — unless we sell out before then.
http://www.baseballconfidence.com/youth.html