Daily Athlete

Today's topic pulls from the therapeutic approach known as Motivational Interviewing. Feel free to do a little googling to find out more. Onward... // To become better, you must change (umm... duh). But the nature of life is such that change is inevitable. It's always happening.... What's more important then, is a change towards something better. A motivation to become greater than the person you are today. Because without that drive and purpose to actually strive towards something bigger, the status quo gets comfortable and comfort will only take you so far. In order to change in a positive direction, you must be Willing, Able, and Ready. Without these 3 components, your motivation to change for the better is going to be far less consistent. It won't be important enough and eventually, you will just fall back into your normal ways . Now it's okay to be ambivalent along the way. This is considered a normal aspect of human nature. It is a natural phase in the process of change. It is when people get stuck in "ambivalence" that problems can persist and intensify. Ambivalence is a reasonable place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there. At the end of the day if you want to change you have to address these 4 ideas: Disadvantages of the status quo Advantages of change Your optimism for change Your intention to change If you can identify and shift your self-talk towards these 4 ideas, you will begin to establish the intrinsic motivation that is helpful for change and growth to begin. Whether it's in your sport, relationships, academics, or some other area of life, change is going to happen. But it's up to you to decide if it goes in the direction you want. ______ #dailyathlete #mindset #changeisgood #choosewisley #selfimprovement #athlete #athletetip #sports #performance #mentalhealth #athletelife #athletesabroad #volleyball #basketball #football #trackandfield #team

In applying S.M.A.R.T goals, it is best that we keep our goals "Realistic". Meaning they are within reach and relevant to our life purpose. However, I feel as though an entire topic is often being neglected when it comes to setting goals. Simply put, very few people are talking about "sacrifice". Now don't get me wrong, it's important that you don't dwell on all the things you must abstain from if you want to reach a goal.... If goal setting were simply about resisting temptations for momentary glory, then I would say you should just ignore the practice altogether. At the end of the day, setting goals should be about creating and achieving something that excites you. And well... if you really want to get honest about what a goal is, then let's just call it by its real name. A desire. And having a desire in life is essentially just a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want. That's the harsh truth. And with that harsh truth comes another one. You must be willing to make sacrifices to reach that desired future. In other words... you can't always be happy. Nobody ever accomplished anything great by fitting into a mould or giving in to every little passing unhelpful temptation that passed through their field of view. Greatness requires focus. Greatness requires discipline (it also requires some self-compassion when you screw up). And greatness requires a willingness to make the necessary sacrifices to attain the highest level of excellence. In the journey towards your ultimate goal, what are you willing to sacrifice? Map out what that might be so you're not surprised when those choices arrive.

EXTENDED BLACK FRIDAY SALE (Link in bio) Let's just acknowledge the fact that it's been a tough year for sports. The world has thrown us all a curveball we simply were not prepared for. Many of our plans were altered and some dreams were crushed. It sucks, I know. But what other choice do we have but to accept what we cannot control and focus on what we can?... Now I'm not saying a daily journaling routine will solve everything, but it could be the cure to your lack of focus and it might even be the nudge that gets you back on track in the direction you'd like to go. Through the act of acceptance, I am reminded that another door opens: Commitment. A quote by Russ Harris reminds me what that word means... Commitment isn’t about being perfect, always following through, or never going astray. Commitment means that when you (inevitably) stumble or get off track, you pick yourself up, find your bearings, and carry on in the direction you want to go. (Sale ends Monday, November 30th) ________________________ #sale #blackfriday #blackfridaysale #journal #dailyathlete #promo #blackfridaydeals #blackfriday2020 #athlete #athletelife #cybermonday

If someone were to push, punch, or poke you, there is a strong chance that you would stand your ground. You wouldn't let them touch you or hurt you physically if it bothered you. And at the very least, you would object to any unwanted physical contact. Yet, when it comes to our minds , we lack the same level of concern. We let our opponents rattle us when they talk trash.... We let the opinions of others plant seeds of doubt. We let our coaches frustrate us when they give us feedback we don't like. We let jealousy take over when a teammate performs better than us. These may not have the same feel as a physical attack, but they can be just as impactful and hurtful. And worst of all, they are self-inflicted . We let outside circumstances hinder us and hold us back from performing like we know we can. Today, when the outside world is moving along and throwing mental attacks at you, take a second to object. Take a stand for your thoughts like you would for your body. And take comfort in the 2,000-year-old advice from the philosopher-king, Marcus Aurelius: "You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." _________________ #dailyathlete #mindset #fwtt #values #stoicism #stoicathlete #stoic #athlete #sports #volleyball #basketball #football #trackandfield #sports #performance #athletetip #athletelife #athletes See more

// If you were to be dropped in the middle of nowhere with nothing except a roughly sketched out map of the area, would you take the map or would you go without? Chances are high that you would at very least take the map with you. The problem for many of us is that we often choose to walk aimlessly in our athletic endeavours without any sort of a real plan. We just show up, and we start to believe that this is going to be enough.... Which is why it's better to have a BAD plan, over no plan at all. If you're struggling to set goals because the task feels overwhelming? Take 5 minutes to do it badly and build it from there. At the very least you'll have something to aim for. You'll have a rough draft that you can revise and edit. This way you avoid getting caught in "No Man's Land" stuck between two opposing forces. Because if you find yourself caught here, your chances of survival are slim. Not only are you being shot at by your enemy, but also by your allies behind you. Getting caught in this position in our daily life is mentally exhausting and frustrating, as it can hold us back from getting anywhere. So, before you just show up today, come up with a plan. It doesn't even have to be all that good. But it's better to at least have something you can aim towards rather than nothing at all. From there... Evaluate Adapt Try again See more