A strong mental game establishes order. If you are a golfer, a basketball player, or any kind of athlete at all, your coach likely talked about the importance of having a routine in order to to perform. These mental habits create a mechanism for our brains and actions to sync up and prepare us for our goal. We don’t talk about this idea as much as we should outside of the sports world.
How do we go about developing our strongest mental game? Here are a few proven ideas:
- Decide what you hope to achieve… Plan the perfect date, trip – or even create a kick-a** business case – to increase the energy on your team and spark an amazing conversation.
- Develop a step-by-step plan of what you think it is going to take to achieve that goal. Make it in as few steps as possible. We need to think of our habits or routines like the picture above – “taking a shot.”
- Dribble three times
- Pick a spot on the backboard
- Position your arms, lean and launch
- Practice. Practice. Practice. In other words, talk through your team plan with a trusted mentor, or whatever version applies to your situation. The act of practice takes intention and time, but it’s time well invested.
I heard a speaker once say that “if the meeting is important, go in person.” She asked us, “If you were going to propose would you do it on the phone?” Too often we have critical life challenges, both personal and business, where we don’t strengthen our mental game. Why? Great question. I can personally do a better job of upping my mental game in routine and preparation. Based on experience, I know this effort pays dividends.
Where might you find it useful to invest in a strong mental game plan set or reset this week?