Top 5 Lessons to Learn from GSP

Most sports fans at least heard about the recent UFC fight between Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn. Truthfully, I like GSP as a fighter and competitor, but since BJ is the local boy from Hawaii, of course, we had to root for him.

If you saw or heard about the fight, you know that GSP dominated!

There are reasons why I like and respect GSP and these qualities are also a big part of why he's so great at what he does.

So here is my list of the Top 5 Lessons to Learn from GSP

5. Never make excuses
Even after losses or disappointing fights, I never heard this guy make excuses like most other fighters (and athletes in general) tend to do. He simply states what he didn't do or what he needed to have done differently to have had a chance at a better fight. He doesn't blame other people, outside influences, or his situation. He takes responsibility for his shortcomings (and often apologizes to his fans and supporters) without making excuses as for why he fell short and without acting like a crybaby. He just tells it like it is, takes responsibility for his own performance, and moves forward.

4. No matter how good you are, always push to become better
Even if you're a champion, don't just sit back and think you're hot stuff. Continue to learn and seek improvement. GSP always seems to be open to new training, new techniques, and new strategies. He has a good team of people around him and actually listens to their insights. Many players, especially good ones, tend to have a "I already know everything I need to know" mentality. They shut out what their coaches and trainers are trying to teach them without even giving them a chance. Once you think you know it all or "have it all" you aren't going to get any better and someone will pass you by. Someone who, like GSP, is eternally seeking to get better no matter how good they already are. That person will eventually fly right past you as if you were standing still because once you think you're all that, you will stop moving forward.

3. Train hard!
When GSP trains for a fight, he doesn't mess around. The harder you push yourself in training, the more confidence you'll have in competition. Leave nothing to chance. Just because you are "supposed" to win doesn't mean you can afford to slack in practice. It might end up biting you in the butt. The more you push yourself in practice, the more confidence you'll have in the game because you know you've already done everything you could possible do to get ready. Don't allow lack of preparation to be the difference between you and your opponent. Don't take the chance that you will be less successful simply because you chose not to prepare. Remember, the harder you train, the easier the game.

2. Get over yourself
So many people, especially those that are getting to a level where they are experiencing success, are so caught up with themselves that they miss out on the opportunity to know their opponent. Players and teams can get caught up with the, "Well, I can do this" and "Our _____ is better than theirs" or "That team doesn't have the ______ that we do." Knowing your opponent and what their strengths and weaknesses are and finding a way to be smart in your "attack" on them will go a lot farther than being "into" everything you can do. Yes, it's good to be confident, but stop focusing on the how "great you are" and prepare. Forget about all those things that you "can" do and figure out what you "need" to do in order to break your opponent down and tear them apart. In other words, even if you have all the physical talent and ability to outplay your opponent, be smart! Don't just go in and try to match blow for blow, muscle for muscle, when you could be working smarter, not harder and be more successful.

1. Always respect your opponents
After every fight I've seen, and maybe I haven't seen them all, GSP always shows respect to his opponents, win or lose. Even when he loses and talks about what he should have done differently, he still manages to give credit to the other fighter and not lessen what they have done. Often times I'll see athletes come out on the losing end of a competition and make it all about them. "I didn't do this" or "I should've done that" and things would have been different "if only I..." without giving any credit to the person on the other side...as if that other person just got lucky they had a bad day. While it may be true that you didn't do what you needed to do to come out on top, your opponent did have the ability to take advantage of the opportunities presented. Most of the time, especially in big games or tough competitions, your opponent trained hard and wanted that prize just as much as you did (or maybe more). Do not belittle their efforts. Give credit where credit is due. It's getting more and more rare to see athletes with the kind of class GSP often displays. I can't stand it when I see players or teams win championships and then shove it into their opponents face. It's one thing to be excited and happy and pumped up and celebrate what you just accomplished. It's another to rub it in to the opponent you just beat. Respect the game by respecting everyone involved.

Free Speed Training Help

Wow, I almost forgot to tell you about all this stuff. As you may know we did our free "How to Get Softball Fit Fast" teleseminar last week. If you haven't had a chance to listen in to that free call yet, listen in HERE.

In addition to getting in shape for the season, many players and coaches also want to increase speed. Speed can be a huge asset on the softball field! So if you're looking to increase speed this year, here is a list of free resources to help you do that.

Speed Training E-Course
This e-mail course will help you:

• see the benefits of speed training
• learn about plyometrics - fundamentals and coaching cues
• understand how similar workouts relate differently to "speed" training
• get tips and drills for youth speed training
• know what to look for when choosing a speed training program

Free Teleseminar

***Find out the secrets of running a successful speed training program
***Outclass the competition with these ‘Speed Training Rules’
***Discover a simple method for retooling your speed training techniques

Free Report and Video

***2+ hours of Video showing you EXACTLY how to improve speed, power and sports performance
***Exclusive 35 page report exposing the Top 7 Training Secrets leading to superior speed
***Audio Interviews with Expert Coaches, Training Articles and Resources and much, much more

Try Complete Speed Training
I actually got permission to offer you Pat B's Complete Speed Training system (and all 17 bonuses) for free for 30 days. Take a close look at exactly what the system has to offer BEFORE you ever have to pay a cent. CLICK HERE for the special offer.

Get fast - win more!

How to Get Softball Fit Fast

As you know the season is right around the corner (unless your season runs in the fall, but this is still good information for you). Many coaches and parents are writing in asking me what they can do to shape up in just a few weeks time. What can you do over the course of just a few weeks to get into better softball shape for the season?

Well, I'm going address that exact issue on a free call next week Wednesday, January 21st.

We're also going to discuss:

• Is it useful/practical/harmful to continue this type of training during the season?
• Is it worth it to do softball conditioning with 10-12U players?
• Is it safe for kids to lift weights?
• If a player/team does not have access to a weight room, does this mean they can't do strength work?
• If I don't really have a pre-season "conditioning" period, how can I integrate conditioning right into my practices?
• And of course, what can I do to get into the best softball shape possible if all I have is a few weeks?

The only thing is, I can only reserve 96 spots for this call. So if you'd like to be there, go ahead and register HERE.

It's possible that we'll run out of lines for the live call, so I am only giving out the call information (the number to call and the access code to join us live) to those who register now. Registration guarantees that I will also be able to send you information on how to listen to the recording just in case a) you weren't available during the live call or b) you weren't able to get in because the lines were full.

So if you need information on how to get your team (or yourself) into the best softball shape possible in just a few weeks, go register for this free call now and I'll see you there!

Are You Coaching Unplugged?

Have you ever seen coaches who know a ton about the game but aren't able to get that knowledge across to their players effectively? Or maybe you've seen coaches who do a pretty good job of getting their messages across to their players, but they still aren't quite as impactful as they could be (I think I just made that word up). The point is, their impact on their players and their influence on their players actions and learning isn't quite is big as it could be because they aren't "plugged in" to their players.

They don't have a good strong connection with them through which information can easily pass.

How do you form a stronger connection and have a bigger impact on your players? Well, one of the simplest ways that many coaches tend to bypass for fear of becoming a "pal" instead of a "coach" or "authority figure" is getting to know your players. Know more about them than just what's presented at the field. It's difficult to relate to someone you know very little about. Often times there's a lot more to a player than just "softball stuff."

While it IS possible to "hit it off" with someone you just met, that often happens because you have similar perspectives, interests, or beliefs. How often does a 35 year old guy have the same interests and perspectives as a 11 year old girl? I think you can see where I'm going with this. Hoping to "hitting it off" with your players right from the start may not be the best method of getting to the point where you can really relate to them and, therefore, have their full attention when you speak. This may take a little time to develop and part of it involves getting to know your players better.

Wouldn't it be so awesome to have a team full of players completely focused on you every time you had something to say? Listening because they want to, not just because they have to? Now, while that may not be realistic (I'm sure even the most interesting people lose someone's interest every now and then) there are ways to move you much closer to that point.

That's what I talk about in my new report called Coaching Unplugged. A number of coaches have already picked it up and read it and here's what a few of them had to say:

"I think all coaches need to see this to understand how to "plug-in" and be a better coach!"

"I read this this morning and have been thinking about it ever since then. It was very eye-opening to me."

"This TOTALLY explains a coach I know. He is so knowledgeable about the game, but he had no connection whatsoever with the girls! So they didn't perform well for him."

In reference to Part 3 of the report: " I think it's dead on as to why we have a hard time communicating with each other as a society."

See for yourself what all the buzz is about. CLICK HERE to grab your copy of the report today.

You already know communication is a HUGE part of being a good leader. Learn to communicate more effectively with your team and you'll increase your effectiveness as a coach. Coaching Unplugged shares ways to strengthen the connection to your team and also tells you one simple way to give your words and messages more meaning. This could be the difference between your players "getting it" and missing the boat altogether. Click Here to get this short report today.

*photo courtesy of flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/31786873@N08/2980944489/

Goal Achieving Attitude

I'm sure you'd agree that your own attitude and mind set play a part in whether or not you actually achieve the goals you lay out for yourself. Obviously a person who has the attitude and mindset of a "winner" is more likely to achieve their goals than someone who doesn't.

So what kinds of qualities are part of a winning attitude?

• Determination
• Enthusiasm
• Motivated
• Confidence
• Optimism
• Patience

The more you live with a winning attitude, the more likely you are to achieve your goals.

However, it's possible that there are days when you don't feel as confident or optimistic or even enthusiastic about what you're doing. I don't know about you, but I don't wake up every day feeling motivated. With that in mind, here are 3 Mini-Motivators than can help boost your mood:

• Get your blood flowing: go for a walk or run to clear your head and energize your body
• Try using a reward: promise yourself a certain reward or treat when you reach a certain goal
• Read something inspirational: just google inspirational quotes or motivational quotes or success quotes and you'll have lots of inspirational reading material

Try using these Mini-Motivators to boost your mood and get back on track with that "winning attitude" you need to achieve your goals.

For more help with setting goals you'll stick with, a tip for "instant motivation," and a method for shifting your mindset effectively, quickly, and painless from negative to positive, sign up for the upcoming Goal Setting Acceleration Bootcamp Priority List. Spaces for this session are limited so fill out the form if you want a jump start on the rest of the coaches and players who'll be looking to take part in the program.

TMI = Lack of Action

One of the most common obstacles to achieving your goals is Too Much Information (aka TMI). I'm sure you've probably experienced this before. Sometimes when you're trying to improve your game you do all kinds of research, read all kinds of books, talk to all kinds of people, and that's great....except that you ended up with information overload and feel so overwhelmed by all the ideas and advice that you have no idea where to start.

What happens next? Nothing. You don't use any of the information, ideas, tips, or advice that you got because there was just so much to do, you didn't know where to start. Either than or you felt so overwhelmed at the idea of having to do so much that you felt it was practically impossible so you gave up before you even started. So basically, you're in the same spot you were in before you decided to try to improve your game.

How do you combat this TMI obstacle?

Choose ONE area and focus on improving that area ONLY.

Choose something that:

1. you know you can do if you just put your mind to it
2. will have a significant impact (in others words will allow you to see results sooner rather than later)

For example, say you have one goal of improving your batting average from .150 to .500 and another of becoming competant with a back hand. While improving your batting average may take a while and be a bit more invovled, you can probably make significant progress with your backhand in just a week's time if you made it a focus and worked on it. Therefore, in this situation, in order to overcome the TMI obstacle, I would go with working the backhand first. While you may not reach full competency right away, you'd make decent progress and probably improve your overall confidence as a defender in a relatively short period of time.

So if TMI is stopping you from achieving your goals (after all if you're not taking action, there's no way you're getting any closer to reaching your goals), then stop, take a deep breath, choose ONE area to focus on and do it! Then allow that success to lead you to another, and another, and another...also known as, the "Snowball Effect." :D

For additional help with setting (and achieving) your goals for 2009...
Put your name on the Priority List for my upcoming Goal Setting Acceleration Bootcamp. Spaces for this session are limited to less than 100 coaches and players. So far this month, 757.75 people visit this site on a daily basis. If you want to be at the front of the line when I open the doors for this program (I'm talking a full 24 hours ahead of everyone else), fill in your name and e-mail address below and I'll keep you posted.

Don't Be Part of the Masses

I got an interesting e-mail from Tom Hanson as a member of his gym and once I read it I just had to share some thoughts with you. You see part of the message was from a guy named Matt who was criticized for talking about going to the World Series and traveling while "everyone else" was going through this tough economic time. Matt was basically told that he shouldn't be talking about things like that while others are struggling.

I'm sure we can all see the guy's point. However, the guy who was criticized went into this whole long thing (which was all very good by the way) which pointed out that if he was to listen to this guy all he'd be doing is paying homage to the adage "Misery loves company."

My favorite part of what he said follows:

"If there is a mission for you in this lifetime - it cannot take place unless, first and foremost, you are true to yourself. If you are addicted to other peoples' approval MORE than fulfilling your goals - then you are NOT true to yourself and you cannot ever be truly happy."

This reminded me of when I was a little kid playing softball. I never wanted to stand out. I never wanted to be different. It was an uncomfortable place for me. When our coaches ran us through drills there were times when I'd have dog it because I didn't want to do the drill that much better than everyone else. Why? Because if I did, there'd be comments like, "Ho, superstar. What you think you're an all-star or something?' What were my teammates saying? Basically they were saying what the critic above was saying,"You shouldn't be showing off like that, you make the rest of us look and feel bad."

This use to happen in school too. When teachers asked a question, even if I knew the answer, I'd let someone else answer it or just left it unanswered. I didn't want to be the "know it all" nerdy one who answered all the questions in class so I kept my mouth shut.

Somewhere along the line I grew out of being uncomfortable being different and just started being myself and was very happy being me. It didn't matter much to me what other people thought. I played because I loved it and went all out because that's what made me happy. Plus that's what helped the team most, which, in turn, made my teammates happy too.

Anyway, back to the e-mail. There was one more thing that Matt said that I really, really liked because it summed up perfectly the way I felt when I was in high school and people would ask me if I wanted to drink or smoke or anything else I really shouldn't be doing. Here's was it said...

"Be ONE of US and all will be okay, the masses say. "

He immediately followed that up with. "No it won't."

I always felt like that's what they were really saying, "Be one of us and all will be okay." Okay, not for me, but for them.

And I was the one saying, "No it won't."

I always felt like they wanted me to join them so that they could feel better about themselves and what they were doing. It wasn't that I needed to join them so that I could get their approval. It always felt like they were asking for my approval not the other way around.

I never did accept any of those invitations to drink or smoke or do anything else illegal for that matter. I was a softball player, that was me. That's what I loved and that's what I wanted to do. None of that other stuff was going to help me be a great softball players so I never saw the point and I didn't need it to be accepted. My peers and teammates liked me the way I was, probably because I liked myself just fine.

One last thought that goes along with "Don't be part of the masses." If you're involved in softball and you want to be GREAT and get noticed for it being like everyone else is NOT going to take you there.

The guy that said the cool stuff I quoted above is Matt Furey and his article was brought to me by Hansons Gym.

Hawaii Softball Clinics This Month

If you're a fastpitch softball player in Hawaii between the ages of 10 and 14, I have some news for you!

I just received word that Kapolei High School will be putting on Clinics during the month of January (yes, that's THIS month!). If you're interested in working on your pitching or defensive skills, these clinics are for you.

Here is the information...

Where: Kapolei High School Softball Field

When: January 11, 18, and 25 (all Sundays)

Clinic Schedule

Pitching Fundamentals: 9am-10am, 10:15am - 11:15am, 11:30am-12:00pm

Defensive Skills: 12:45pm-1:45pm, 2:00pm-3:00pm, 3:15pm-4:15pm

Each session will be limited to only 8 players so that each player gets enough attention and feedback.

Ages: 10-14 are welcome

Cost: $30 per session

If you have any questions or would like to secure a spot in a clinic session, please contact me and I will give you the number to call for scheduling and questions.

Now I'm probably not going to be there all day on the 25th because I have another softball related commitment in the morning, but I do plan on being there on the other dates and probably after my other event in done on the 25th. Hope to see you there!

Please feel free to forward this information to anyone you feel may be interested.

Thanks!

But If You've Never Tried It....

So I had some people asking me how I know Marc's Personalized Workout is any good. Did I actually try it for myself? The answer is no. I've never tried Marc's personalized workouts before.

If I've never tried it, how can I recommend it? Because I know it's good and I know it works.

You're probably wondering how I could possibly know all that without ever having tried it before. Well, you know that you don't necessarily have to try something to know it's good, especially if you have great deductive reasoning skills like me. ;)

Seriously, here's what I figure...
Marc offered Personalized Programs last year. I happen to know that he spent a lot of time doing each one because he half grumbled about the time it was taking him to do all of them last year. He didn't really grumble, he just mentioned that it was taking up a lot more of his time than he thought it would to do them. Not only that. Just earlier this week I was sending some information to friends via Facebook and I noticed that Marc's status update said that he had been designing softball workouts all day long because of this promo he's doing right now.

www.softballperformance.com/get-softball-fit

So it took him a LOT of time last year to do these personalized softball specific workouts for his customers and yet he's offering do to it for you again this year, at a deeply discounted price no less. Think about it, if he put in all that time last year and the programs didn't work, people didn't like it, and he had to refund a bunch of money to unsatisfied customers, unless he was a complete idiot (which I don't think he is) he wouldn't be offering it again now. Why put himself through all that work again for something that doesn't work and results in unhappy customers? The answer is simple...He wouldn't.

The fact that Marc IS making a Personalized Program available to you again, giving you a discount on it, and offering a bunch of bonuses to boot tells me that people liked it the last time. The only reason I can see people actually liking a program like this is because it worked! It gave them the results they wanted. Maybe even a bit more.

Actually, the truth is, there's another reason I know people liked these personalized softball specific workouts. It's because I had a few of them e-mail me recently. The ONLY reason these people sent me a message was to let me know that they took advantage of Marc's offer and they wanted to tell me know how great it was. Not, "Hi Stacie, hope you had a nice holiday. By the way, thanks for all the cool softball stuff you send me. Oh yeah, and Marc's Personalized Workouts are killer." Nope, nothing like that...just stuff about the personalized workout and how they liked it. Hehe...I'm not offended or anything. I'm just saying, it's more evidence that tells me this thing is the real deal. It WILL get you results. Heck Marc even backs it up with his money back guarantee if it doesn't. Get the details at www.softballperformance.com/get-softball-fit

Don't wait too long to sign up (I highly suggest you do it today actually, and I'll tell you why in a second) because Marc knows how long these programs take him to develop so he's limited the number he's going to create. Make sure you get your spot today before someone else does. Not only that, the cost INCREASES $10 every 48 hours. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that sitting around on your butt taking your sweet old time is just not going to do you a heck of a lotta good here. If you really want to kick butt on the field this year, the sooner you start, the better. Plus taking action now will save ya 10 bucks. Hey, that's enough to buy you a couple of smoothies for an after-workout treat! www.softballperformance.com/get-softball-fit

By the way - do you have questions about getting in shape for the upcoming season? If you could have any strength/conditioning question answered - what would you ask? Post your question here because there's a chance I can get it answered for you next week. I'll tell you about that later though. Go get your personalized workout program NOW, then come back and send me your question.

Here's to an awesome 2009 season!

Is there really more to it than that?

So after I posted my short little video sharing 3 Simple Yet Effective Goal Setting Tips, I got a comment that indicated there was more to goal setting than what I mentioned.

Hmmmm, do I agree with that? Yes and No. You see, the video assumes that you already have an idea of what you want and you already have some goals in mind. Can you mess up setting a goal? Kinda. There are some general rules that you should follow so that the goals you set are much more effective than they would be if you didn't follow them.

HOWEVER, if we're talking not going anything at all about the goal in your head vs. taking that idea of what you want, setting a challenging goal, writing it down, then taking action on it (the 3 tips I shared in the video) - gosh, just those 3 things ALONE are going to significantly increase your chance at greater success.

Can simplifying it that much really make a difference? I believe so. Is it the MOST effective, most powerful way to do it? No, it's not. But it far outweighs, not setting a challenging goal, not writing it down, and not taking action on what you want.

When I first did an actual goal setting exercise, I was a HUGE skeptic - didn't believe for one second that it was really going to help or change anything. Needless to say I didn't really go into it with a serious, go get 'em attitude, but it worked anyway. I did it because it was an assignment from my coach - not because I really wanted to do it, more because I had to do it...and it still worked. Yes, I did go through a little bit of a though process about things I wanted to accomplish or get better with on the field (I'm talking just an hour or two of my time here), but it wasn't some complicated system where I had to think through every detail of the next 5 years or anything like that. I made no conscious effort to go after the goals I had written, I made no effort to look at or read these goals every day when I woke up or each night before I went to bed, I gave ZERO thought to whether or not my "short term" goals were related in any way shape or form to my longer term goals...and it still worked. In fact, it worked better than I ever thought possible. I accomplished things and improved skills in areas I never truly expected to levels I never thought were even possible and all much quicker than I imagined. I only thought about what I wanted to write down on my goal sheet for ONE afternoon. I wrote them down ONCE, I looked at them "on occasion." I was not obsessive about them, I didn't make any major efforts to make sure I was motivated, shucks I never really even tracked my progress on them. One day, about a year later, I looked back at what I had written and saw the goals I set had all been realized, even the ones I thought were a bit out of reach, ones I really wrote down more as wishes than things I really thought I could accomplish. I was doing things I had never done before on the softball field. I was hitting in a slot in the batting line-up no coach had ever put me in. After all, I'm only about 5'2" 120lbs and all my life I was told I was not a power hitter, yet there I was hitting in a power slot. Every coach in Hawaii new I was a pull hitter and was no threat to the right side, yet there I was smashing triples to the fence in opposite field with runners on base when they tried to attack my "weakness."

So does goal setting have to be super-complicated to help you achieve more? No, I don't think so. If you're talking about doing no goal setting vs doing a very simplified form of goal setting - I think doing any type of goal setting activity is better than none.

Is that going to be the most effective? No.

If I did some things different with that very first goal setting exercise I did could I have achieved even more? I think I could have, which is almost scary!

Do people who set goals ever "fail" to achieve them? Yes, sometimes this does happen for various reasons

Do people have trouble with motivation to stay on track with their goals? Yes

Are there things you can do to give yourself better odds and staying motivated, staying on track, and actually achieving what you want? Yes!

And that's all the stuff I'm going to cover in my upcoming 2 week goal setting bootcamp.

I'm really looking forward to working with a limited number of coaches and players on creating a path to great success this year and beyond. Whether you're the type of person who's never set goals before and want to get some guidance for making this a great year or the type of person who's set goals before but really want to get serious this time and set some powerful, effective goals for the future, this bootcamp is going to guide you through all of that.

If you're interested in having me help you through the process on setting your goals, fill in your name and e-mail address below and I'll keep you posted on when the bootcamp is ready.

Interesting Line-Up Discussion

We're having an interesting discussion over at Fastpitch Haven about setting up your batting order. It was actually our Fastpitch Question of the Week last week and so far the responses have pointed out:

• some differences in doing a line-up for the younger age groups vs the older age groups
• opinions on how to utilize the #9 slot
• and some good points about power hitters and the 4 slot

Do you believe the "best power hitter" on the team should always be in the #4 slot?

What if she hits tremendously in the 3 or 5 or even 6 slot and never really produces the same in the 4 slot? Would you leave her there since she's the best power you have or would you put someone with less power in that spot so that you can return your "power hitter" to a slot where she produces better?

If you're a coach and have moved a great power hitter out of the 4 slot because she simply doesn't produce there, how many times have you been questioned or second guessed on that decision?

You can leave me a comment here to share your thoughts OR if you want to join us in the discussion over at Fastpitch Haven, we'd love to have you!

Photo: courtesy of http://flickr.com/photos/nomad7674/148503229/

3 Simple Yet Effective Goal Setting Tips

The New Year is time for resolutions and plans for the upcoming year. With that in mind, here are 3 of my favorite, very simple, yet quite effective goal setting tips to help you make 2009 the best year possible.