The Hard 90 Podcast With Zach Sorensen

Instead of being in a Tug Of War with the ones that care about you, stand back to back, with arms locked.  Nothing will come in between you.

Spend time each morning writing down 3 things that you are grateful for and you will see a major transformation in your happiness and performance.  What are you grateful for?

Evidence suggests that teammates who touch each other liberally on the court -- high-fives, fist-bumps, hugs, pats and the like -- tend to do that better than players who don't.

“It is real simple. If you want to be a good teammate and if you want people to like you, you MUST be a fountain. Your team does not need drains. Drains only clog thing up.”

Perspective is reality. The attitude you take is a decision you make. What attitude will you bring to the team today?

Most people think that the only way to consider yourself successful, is when you are at the finish line. Gain new perspective on the definition of success so that you can feel successful even before you are at the goal.

What is your definition of Success? Make sure you are capable of reaching it daily.

A "compared to what" mentality will help you maintain a positive perspective on a tough situation.

When you see the hidden images in these logos, you will never see them the same again.  You will have a new perspective. I hope the same is true for your mental performance training. 

An awesome example of a player "taking leadership." You don't have to be at the top of your game to impact others. 

You become the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Who do you surround yourself with?

It's as much where you are at as where you see yourself in the future.  Vision is real.  See yourself doing the things you want to do.

You need to have vision. Learn how I implemented the concept of having vision to see myself playing at the elite level.

Jimmy Valvano had a vision of winning a National Championship at NC State and it all began with cutting down the nets. Don't Let the first time be the first time. 

There are two ways to do things.... The right way, and again. What is your right way?

Great advice from a great coach - You focus is to be at the Right Place at the Right Time Trying To Do The Right Thing.

3 things player need in a leader: Can I Trust Him, Does He Care About Me, Will He Make Me Better

Instead of focusing on being the best player on the team, focus on being the best player for the team. 

Character Counts. Courage Counts. Communication Counts. Consistency Counts. Connection Counts. Competence Counts.

1. We are always looking for RESULTS 2. When we don't get the results we want, we change our MECHANICS or TECHNIQUE 3. When that doesn't work, we start saying that we need more FOCUS 4. When you still aren't seeing the results you want, we realize that we need to manage our EMOTIONS 5. If you don't have a positive BELIEF SYSTEM, you will not get the results you want. DO CONFIDENCE, don't wait for it.

1. We are always looking for RESULTS 2. When we don't get the results we want, we change our MECHANICS or TECHNIQUE 3. When that doesn't work, we start saying that we need more FOCUS 4. When you still aren't seeing the results you want, we realize that we need to manage our EMOTIONS

The next level of the performance pyramid is focus. When you are getting the results you want after you make adjustments to your technique, often times we say that we need more focus. Results Mechanics and Technique Focus

1 - We focus on Results 2 - When we don't get the results we want, we Change Mechanics and Technique

At the top of the performance pyramid is results.  We all are looking for results.  Is this what we should be focusing on?

Which is better - Prove yourself right, Or Prove Others Wrong? Both are valuable. Use them both.

If you want to be your best, add an accountability partner and coach.

Measure everything! Measurement gives you information.  Measurement gives you answers. Measurement Creates Motivation!

Set your goal... Attach a WHY... Reverse engineer a plan... Ready, FIRE, and the aim.

Narrow your focus and see that you hit or almost hit your target every time.

Instead of focusing on whether things are good or bad, focus on progress. Stay committed to getting a little better every day.

Figure out who it is that you want to be and Be U More!

If you recognize your reason why and it is big enough, your commitment to the why will overpower the way you feel.

Lessons learned.... 1. It all starts with developing your process. 2. It takes small actions every day 3. It takes persistence, patience, and commitment.

If your commitment is greater than your feelings, you will get results. Schwarber tracked 1,300 pitches from a pitching machine, a process that helped him recognize breaking balls. He faced live pitching from a Cubs prospect. And then he played in two games. He walked twice, and his only hit was a double, but Epstein said in his second game, on Monday, “he smoked three balls.” And the next night, he played in a World Series game.

Athlete Tough.  If I were to ask you what is the key to being mentally tough, what would you say the answer is?

Somewhere Someone Is Practicing and when you meet them in a head to head competition....  They'll BEAT you.

What is your passion? Can you make your work your passion? Your passion will give you enjoyment in the process. Your passion will give you enjoyment in the struggle. 

When you can tap in to your ultimate why, you become more resilient and powerful.  In this episode we break down The Power Behind Finding Your Why.

Why do you do the things you do? What is the reason for doing it? If you can establish an even bigger reason why, that reason why will help you get through the difficult days. Also, it is during your failures that you can lean on your reason why to keep you in the fight and help you get back on track. 

Your goal is to bombard your opponents with wave after wave of missile strikes to disorient, disrupt, disable, and demoralize them. Over time, this combination of a purposeful, powerful, planned, precise, and persistent approach to competition is usually enough to eventually destroy most teams and force them to retreat or surrender. Jeff Janssen, Janssen Sports Leadership Center

Your athletes will need to know exactly when, where, and how to strike your opponents to best weaken and disable them. How precisely your athletes are able to execute and adapt their game plan will have a big bearing on the final outcome.

Instead of relying solely on power to take down an opponent, especially one who has just as much or more firepower, they must develop a calculated and coordinated plan of attack designed to take out your opponent's strengths and target their weaknesses.

Competitiveness is, in essence, the harnessing of the explosive power of passion, desire, rage, and fury into a single streamlined, powerful, and destructive force, like a missile.

Determining a compelling purpose for the war is what generates the passion necessary for fighting fiercely. The more compelling the purpose is, the stronger the passion for fighting.

What are the three steps to ownership? Step 1 - Know it. Step 2 - Do it. Step 3 - Own it. 

No Blaming. No Complaining. No Defending. Great rules to live by when working in a team environment.

What is your definition of mental toughness? Consider this definition... doing things that you don't want to do. 

There is nothing more important that for you to be present in each and every moment. Focus on being where your feet are.

What is your response when things get difficult? Do you see the negative in everything? Do you feel sorry for yourself? Try flipping the script. Hard times? Good. This may be the adversity that helps you turn the corner. Tough times makes for good opportunities.

It is the start that stops most people. Movement will always begin the building of momentum. Have a narrow focus with a goal of winning one play at a time. It is the stacking victories that will lead to the momentum that will help you to be unstoppable. 

Instead of focusing on the other team, what they have done in the past, or what they will do to you in the future, stay present. Focus on this play. Win this play.