When was the last time you didn’t feel like doing something you knew was good for you?
Mine was this morning.
We don’t always feel like doing what we know we should do. But, champions do it anyway.
The college baseball players vying for one of the 8 spots in Omaha, I’m sure, don’t love 6:00 AM workouts. But they go anyway. And they give it their all.
Commitment is what separates the best from the rest.
Are you committed to leading your team?
Do your players trust you and are they committed to the process you’ve put in place?
Staying committed to the process is a daily decision.
You must decide everyday to stay the course.
All the coaches and players headed to Omaha are committed to the process we put in place. Here is how they maintain their commitment:
They know their goals and why they are after them.
Commitment starts with motivation. Motivation is the push that gets people going. Commitment is what keeps them going.
Make sure that before you ask your players to commit to the process they know their motivation (or why they are working so hard). That way, when obstacles present themselves or adversity arrives (which it always does) they have a reason to push through.
Hang these motivations all around. I like to write my motivations on the bathroom mirror. I see it every morning reminding me why I must spring into action.
Signs of Success are Advertised Everywhere
You must celebrate the small wins and recognize success along the way. Being committed to the process means that you know you are on a journey. The final destination is just the last stop. There are lots of stops along the way and they all must be celebrated.
Last week 64 teams made it to the NCAA regionals to compete for the chance to go to Omaha. All 64 teams celebrated that success.
Have you ever seen a locker room that says Regional Champs? Guess what? Those teams didn’t make it to Omaha. But, they succeeded in the regionals. And you can bet there is a spot on the wall with big letters that says “Regional Champs.”
This serves as a reminder that they know how to get to that place in the journey because they have done it before. And more importantly, they know that what got them there didn’t get them any further.
For each next level, new commitments are needed. Staying committed to the process means doing today what needs to be done today. Today is what makes you stronger for tomorrow. And, tomorrow you’ll need that strength for the next level of competition.
Self-Talk is Intentional
Are you and your players engaged in positive and intentional self-talk or are you listening to the doubts that creep in?
We all have doubts. When the 5:00 AM alarm goes off and you want to press snooze, it’s because somewhere there is a seed of doubt telling you to just go back to bed; this isn’t working anyway.
Champions don’t nourish that seed of doubt. They weed it out and feed their commitment.
Self-talk has to be intentional and louder than doubt. When doubt whispers, self-talk has to scream.
Form a checklist of habits that you are committed to. Write them down and everyday cheer yourself on. Self-talk is positive and intentional. Write down your self-talk and read it outloud everyday. List and listen to your commitments. LISTen.
Record and Review your Daily Wins and Losses – My New Favorite App
I always tell my coaches and players this:
Don’t tell me what you want; show me what you’re doing.
One of the very first steps I take with the coaches and players I work with is to create a success checklist.
What do you need to do everyday to get to where you want to be?
Knowing what needs to get done and why it’s good for you is the best way to stay committed to the process.
I use an app called Habit Share which is designed for people to create a daily list of habits they know they must perform to get to where they want to be. Best of all, you can share your habit list with friends/teammates/coaches.
So, if it’s 12:30 PM and you want to know how your players/teammates/accountability partners are doing with their morning routines, just open up the app and see what it is they’ve shared with you.
Have they not checked anything off yet? Pull up the messages tab and send a reminder. Ask them: Did you get your workout in? How are you doing with your nutrition plan today? Are you staying hydrated by carrying your water bottle around? Did you review your notes on Cain’s 30 Day Athletes Program?
What we do everyday matters.
Commitment is a daily decision to take action.
Habit Share is my favorite way to help my players stay committed because it adds a layer of accountability… and it’s FREE.
COACHES: What you should do now…
Want to learn more coaching strategies to master the mental side of performance? Join my COACHES INSIDERS LIST and I’ll keep you updated on my next Mental Performance Mastery Certification
My Mental Performance Mastery (MPM) Certification outlines all the tools and strategies I equip my championship teams with. Learn the exact formula for success and bring a little bit of that Omaha magic to your local ballfield.
If you’re interested in more cutting-edge mental performance coaching strategies, the MPM Certification is for you.
Inside the cert, I’ll show you how to:
- Get your athletes to perform their best when it means the most by using a SYSTEM to create an elite mindset.
- Compete at a higher level, more consistently—while managing distractions and adversity—by establishing the right routines.
- Create the championship culture you need to develop elite athletic leaders and cultivate a clear vision that keeps everyone motivated and juiced up.
Drop your info below to learn the systems and secrets I use to help the top coaches in the world compete at an elite level—year after year.
