T is for Thankful

        T is for Thankful.  I spent the last few days on vacation in New York.  What a great city.  My parents are both from the Long Island area so we went to New York often when I was little, but I hadn't been back since I was twelve.  My method of traveling is a little different than many others.  Rather than plan a lot and making sure I do this or that, I just like to experience the culture and try to get a feel for what it is like to live where I'm visiting.  It's not the most efficient way to travel and usually leaves me wondering if I could have made a little more of the the trip, but I like to put myself in the shoes of the people.  One aspect of my method that I like is it forces me to be flexible and roll with the punches (a challenge for me in a largely rigid life).  Inevitably, some of my decisions lead me to a bad meal, getting lost, or a bad night out.  Rather than dwell on it, I chalk it up to the experience.  Maybe it's the Growth Mindset Method of Traveling (patent pending).  Maybe I just need to plan a little better.  Regardless, it was a great trip.  The subway system and walking is a different experience.  It can be a little overwhelming at first, but once you know where you're going it is pretty cool.  Actually I'm not sure if I ever got to that point.  I am horrible with directions and had to ask early and often.  The people were very nice and willing to help.  This goes against the stereotype of New Yorkers being rude.  I didn't find that to be the case at all, especially the everyday people.  They do their own thing and largely keep to themselves, but if approached the love for sharing what their city has to offer is clear.  The diversity of people is something I enjoyed.  Walking down the street you would hear multiple languages and see lots of different types of restaurants, but there is still the comfort of knowing most people speaking English.  While many of my interactions were with very bright, successful people who had "made it" in the city, the most powerful experience was with someone on the other end of the spectrum.  The adventure took place on my last afternoon and provided a great reminder of how much we have to be thankful for.  I'd like to share it.

        On that last afternoon I wanted to keep things low key.  Part of this was because my goal was to leave very early on Saturday morning to avoid the traffic.  Part of it was due to a little overindulgence on New Year's Eve.  Regardless, I stuck around the Brooklyn area surrounding my hotel.  I went for a walk later in the afternoon looking for something easy for dinner.  This led me down a street I hadn't gone on yet.  About a hundred feet away there was someone coming from the opposite direction.  He had a hunched over, limping walk, and my guess was he was homeless.  I contemplated walking in a route that would avoid the awkward, inevitable question of whether I had money or not.  People have different feelings about how to handle these situations.  Some say to ignore the people completely, some say to be mean, and some kind of pick and choose where they help.  For whatever reason, I decided to keep going in the same direction.  Sure enough, the young man did stop to talk to me.  "Excuse me sir, I hate to bother you, but could you help me get some food?"  There was a desperation in his voice that struck me.  That, coupled with the fact he directly mentioned food made me want to help.  I was already going to get some food anyway so I asked if he wanted to join me.  He quickly agreed, and we started walking.  We exchanged names (his was Prince) and looked for somewhere to eat.  "Anything good around here?" I asked and quickly felt bad when it was clear he had no clue.  As much as I wanted to help him out, there certainly was some trepidation about just how far I wanted to walk with him with the lack of people in the area and uncertainty of who I was talking with.  At the end of the block was a corner spot with some Crispy, Crunchy Chicken and a variety of other food.  There would be no "best burger in your life" here, but it'd do.

        Prince and I ordered burgers and fries and had a seat to wait.  I asked a question or two, and Prince very openly started telling me his story.  The limp was due to a prosthetic foot because of a birth defect.  His Mom had told the doctor to just cut off his foot rather than pursue other possible chances.  Prince said she saw the opportunity for a check and saw no problem with profiting from the baby she had considered aborting.  Apparently, the government provides assistance for people born with disabilities.  This was something I had no knowledge of.  Prince, who was 19 but looked like he was in his mid-to late twenties probably because of the wear and tear of a life largely on the streets, had clearly been through a lot.  I asked him about school.  He said he'd had issues with changing schools and credit transfers so rather than pursue other options his mom took him out.  While in school, Prince was in ED (emotionally disabled) classes for a significant part of the day.  He told me he thought schools were way to eager to label kids with disabilities and that it came with the stigma of "being dumb."  I told him about the challenges of completely understanding every kid's background and disabilities in teaching.

        Prince had taken the GED.  He passed the math portion easily and failed the reading section by a couple of points.  He wanted to retake the test, but his mom would not pay for him to do so.  Prince told me he was in the process of trying to take classes to help prepare for the test but was depending on the disability checks to do so.  The disability checks had stopped coming because his mom was spending the money on herself rather than him.  The government makes recipients provide receipts to show how the money is being spent, and his mom did not do so.  Needless to say, Prince's Mom was not growing on me.  His entire family is afraid of her to the point that they don't even want her to know where they live.  Because of that, Prince hadn't seen his dad in quite some time and had no idea where his older brother was.  The mom had kicked him out several times at a variety of ages, and he said he'd grown up mostly in the streets.  Prince described his Mom's treatment of people based on how she felt.  If she woke up in a bad mood, she was going to treat he and his siblings poorly regardless.  Prince was an easy target as a disabled child who she hadn't really wanted in the first place.  Among other things, she'd thrown a frozen chicken at his head when he was little.  He'd dodged it and was left to wonder what damage it could have done based on the hole left in the wall.  She'd also have Prince's brothers throw his prosthetic foot out the window so he couldn't leave.  Despite this, Prince made it clear he still loved his mom and would never do anything to hurt her.  "Wow", I thought.  Many hate their parents for far less than what Prince's mom had put him through.
          I told Prince I was in town to travel, and he said he wished he had the opportunity to do that.  He'd only left the city twice in his entire life.  One time he went to a basketball game in New Jersey, and another time he'd gone to Philly for a wedding.  Prince asked me what it was like where I am from, and I described some similarities and differences between South Carolina and New York.  I was amazed at his wide-eyed reaction.  It was like I had described a mythical land far, far away.  The realization was made that Prince couldn't just look up places on the internet like you and I.  I wondered if he had ever even used the internet.  We talked a bit more.  Prince described the process of getting the disability checks to give him somewhere to stay.  He wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but I told Prince it was great he had the courage to have plans at all for himself despite all he had been through.  There was a clearly beaten down attitude and dim outlook present in the way Prince talked, but he seemed like a survivor.  We said our goodbye's and both said how we'd enjoyed talking with one another.  I gave him my subway pass for the next couple of days because I didn't need it anymore.  Again, the gratitude he had just for a warm place to be was both amazing and heartbreaking.

        I'm not really sure why I wanted to share the story of Prince.  It certainly isn't to make myself seem like a saint for giving him a five-dollar meal.  What he gave me in our conversation was actually far greater in value.  I think sometimes it is much easier to ignore a group of people or write them off than to actually consider them as human beings with a story.  Prince's was a tragic story.  Some would be quick to say, "Well, if he wanted to do something he would find a way."  I'd challenge you to consider whether that is really the case.  Think back to your upbringing.  We all likely made many mistakes along the way but had our parents to help guide us.  I'm not saying your childhood was/has been perfect, but I'd bet it pales in comparison.  Probably nobody reading this blog has ever had to wonder where their next meal would come from or when the next time their parents would throw them out on the streets.  I found myself wanting to rationalize Prince's situation, but instead I was left wondering how many kids around the country and world had similar stories that seem to have no possible happy ending.  Prince had been handed about as raw a deal as possible in life.  A physical and mental disability, a broken family who didn't return his love, and a lack of opportunity based really entirely on those circumstances.  My hope is Prince will follow through on the appointments he has made to get the checks he deserves and take advantage of the chance to improve his well-being.  I certainly have my doubts, but it is easier to imagine that he will.  I feel certain he will never read this, but I'd like to thank him anyway.  Prince gave me a real-life reminder that extended far beyond any picture or news report could that I have much in the world to be thankful for.  He reminded me that behind the easy to ignore is always a story.  Hopefully sharing his did that for you as well.  Thank you Prince.

S is for Strengths

        S is for Strengths.  This is a topic I know I've mentioned quite a bit, but it's one important enough to have its own post as well.  What makes you good?  It's essential for anyone, in any position, to be able to answer the question.  The question is simple enough, but you'd be amazed at how many people would struggle for an answer.  Maybe this is a product of a society that trains us not to talk about why we are good.  If you do, you're cocky.  While I agree you don't want to go around running your mouth about how you're good, I wonder sometimes if the result of the absence of a forum for athletes to discuss strengths is a lot of young athletes not knowing why they are good.  If they don't know what makes them good, then how will they play well as often as possible?  

        In the car the other day I heard an interview of Shawn Kelley.  Kelley has had success as a later inning reliever with three different teams and just signed a three year deal with the Nationals.  A later inning reliever, but not closer, getting a three year contract is a big deal so Kelley has certainly done well.  I didn't know much about him prior to listening to the interview but was quickly impressed.  Something Kelley said really helped him find more success when he was with the Yankees stood out in particular.  Kelley said pitching coach Larry Rothschild and bullpen coach Mike Harkey talked to him about simplifying his approach and pitching to his strengths.  Kelley talked about just throwing his stuff instead of getting so caught up in scouting reports on hitters.  After doing that he found more success.  I love this aggressor mentality and think being proactive instead of reactive with your approach, as an individual or team, is great.  It's using your strengths.

        Great coaches are able to adjust based on the strengths of the players they coach.  The team strategy stems from what puts the players in the best position to be successful.  Injuries, graduations, trades, etc all may be something that forces the adjustment.  Great players do the same.  They adjust based on what their strengths are on a given day or after a period of time.  A starting pitcher may throw a breaking pitch more in a particular start because it's working really well.  A position player may look to drive the ball more after adding significant strength in an offseason.  Sometimes though the consistent polishing of an already existent strength works too.  Think of Mariano Rivera and his continual mastering of the cutter.  

        The New Year brings with it a time for reflections and promises of ways we are going to improve and be different.  "New year, new me."  Well, I'd say not to forget about what has already made you successful in whatever you do.  Don't forget YOUR strengths.  If you are unsure what they are, challenge yourself to think about it until you do.  Otherwise, you are missing an opportunity to be purposeful in your development and performance.

R is for Reset

        R is for Reset.  With the end of the year comes a great time for reflection.  Everywhere you look you can find an article with tips for making those New Year's Resolutions last.  I'd like to take a bit of a different slant on the same general idea for today's blog.  The concept is Resetting Your False Ceiling and centers around something written by Dr. Jack Curtis.

        Dr. Jack Curtis has been working in sport psychology for close to thirty years and has worked with multiple MLB teams.  He is a great person who I had the privilege of watching a game with a while back when I was trying to figure out what to do to pursue sport Psyc.  Dr. Curtis was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge.  Anyway, a concept Dr. Curtis discusses in his book Baseball's 6th Tool: The Inner Game is the idea we never really reach our full potential because of false ceilings we create for ourselves.  There is a simple but solid chart going along with the concept that shows the tremendous gap between the false ceiling and our potential.  We have beliefs about what we are able to do or not, and those beliefs likely place limits.  This is something we are probably all guilty of in one capacity or another.  We aren't smart enough to do this or have enough ability to do that.  Maybe the beliefs have come from the expectations of others.  We all love the scouting reports and projections of young athletes as four and five star prospects, and they certainly have their place in today's sports world.  What we probably love as much, if not more, is the guy who somehow goes from being poorly rated to a star.  Players who exceed those rating expectations do so because the thoughts of others either fuel their fire or are irrelevant.  They don't allow the limiting beliefs to become their own.  It's easier to play it safe and not risk failing.  What's easy isn't what is best when you're trying to be an elite performer though.  

         What I would challenge you to do as the New Year gets started is consider two things.  How big of a gap is there between your potential and the false ceiling you have created for yourself?  Then, what can you do to narrow the gap?  Understanding where you're at is only as valuable as the work you do to improve.  Narrow the gap, and make gains that last.

Q is for Questions

       Q is for Quick.   In order to be successful in baseball, you need to be able to make quick, decisive decisions and movements.  You have likely heard it before.  A 90 MPH fastball leaves hitters with somewhere in the neighborhood of four tenths of a second to react to whether they will swing or not and to physically perform the action of the swing.  At the AASP Conference in October I had the great privilege of listening to Dr. Charlie Brown speak about the brain.  Dr. Brown is a sport psychologist in Charlotte, North Carolina and is very well respected in the field.  He also is a great speaker.  The topic Dr. Brown addressed was brain function.  Neurology in general can be a very intimidating topic.  So much goes on in the brain, and there are all sorts of names of parts of the brain, what it produces, and what it does in general.  There is also great mystery in what the brain does.  Dr. Brown did an excellent job of making a sometimes intimidating topic a little more inviting, and I hope I can do that for you today as well.

       The specific topic Dr. Brown talked about was the idea that you have a top or front brain and bottom brain.  The front portion of the brain, he said, is where we learn and reflect.  When you are working on the tee on making a specific mechanical adjustment, you are likely using the front part of the brain.  You need time to process what you are doing.  This is what can make a physical change to the swing so frustrating.  The expectation for the quick fix is there for the hitter, but he is unable to think through the movement and react to a pitch in the requisite amount of time.  That is why hitting takes time and dedication to master.  The bottom part of the brain is where we are rapid and appear automatic in our movements.  Habit and routine create the automaticity of the movements.  After a certain magic number of swings, individualized to each hitter and situation, the change the hitter is making becomes automatic.  Then, they can dig in the box and react to the 90 MPH heater.  What is fascinating about baseball is its incorporation of both the top and bottom parts of the brain. The flow of the game lends itself favorably to time for learning and reflection on everything going on.  At the same time, each pitch is a time for the bottom brain to take over and just react.  It's when the magic happens.  "How did you do that?" we ask players.  "I just did," is what we sometimes don't like to hear because we want to understand, but it's really such a beautiful answer.  "I just did" is the answer we want to hear more often because of the preparation already done for that particular moment.  Understand the moment's preparation must be earned.

        Challenge yourself to think through some of what you do during the day.  What do you have to really work through, and what happens on autopilot?  Those are the different sections of the brain at work.  If we lived entirely in the front part of our brain, life would be a maddening experience.  Take time to reflect using it and to be thankful for the bottom part that "just does it."

P is for Problems

        P is for problems.  We all have them.  We have them individually and within our teams no matter where we work.  The media provides plenty of reminders of all the problems going on in the world.  Acknowledging problem areas is as important to self-awareness as knowing and working towards strengths. The question to ask then is, "What do we do about problems?"

        There are several ways of going about addressing problems, and it'd be impossible to be comprehensive in a blog like this.  What I'm going to do instead is share a simple but different strategy than so many of us tend to gravitate towards.  I read a book recently called Switch:  How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath.  It was one of the best books I've read in quite some time, and I felt strongly enough about its concepts that I gave a copy to six different people.  One of the concepts I loved the most in the book was something called "bright spots."  The basic premise is that when we are trying to create significant change we often spend our focus on what we should be doing differently.  In that, we miss out on the opportunity to build on what we are already doing well.  Those are the bright spots.  They're the examples of how we want to be doing things that we can try to make happen more often.

        An example I've thought of over the last several weeks is a situation that happens often in sports: a new coach.  I have noticed a couple of ways to approach being a new coach.  The first is to come in and change everything.  "What you were doing wasn't working.  That's why I'm here."  What you risk in doing this is you're telling the athletes that what they've done in the past is a waste.  Saying you're going to come in and change everything may sound good in the beginning to some, but is really what is necessary?  If you do that, you're  missing out on an opportunity to build on what has done well because it's extremely unlikely things were 100% bad.  The second approach is to build on what the program has done well in the past while picking your spots for change.  This allows players, the most important stakeholders, to be involved in the transition and to be advocates for change.  Try looking for pockets of success in the team, and recreate them over and over and over.  Certainly there are no two situations that are exactly the same, but taking advantage of whatever good is already there can help anywhere.  Just a thought.  Different ideas?  I'd love to hear them.

Side note:  I'm in New York for the week so the format may look a little odd!  

O is for Opportunity

        O is for Opportunity.  Our truth is often in our perception of what goes on around us.  There is a quote attributed to a Roman General Scipio Africanus that says, "I'm convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 96% how I react to it."  While Scipio's math can certainly be questioned, his accomplishments on the battlefield cannot.  He defeated Hannibal in the Second Punic War and is considered one of the great generals of all time.  Regardless of the math, the quote speaks to really what so much of life is about.  There are countless variables for which we have little to no control over and how we react often determines our performance or quality of life.  Viewing situations that come up as opportunities, more often that not, is the healthy response that give us our best chance of success.

        Competition is something that people have differing view on.  Some are threatened by it.  Whether the competition is within a team for a position or in a game against a quality opponent, some athletes do not like it.  There could be many reasons for this but a flawed perspective on what the competition means is likely.  Rather than being threatened or scared, the competition within a team is an opportunity to push yourself and see how good you can be.  The fact your team has competition is also great because it likely means your team is good!  I read something early on in my degree program that struck me.  It was about plants in really crowded areas where sunlight is limited.  The plants are forced to bend all kinds of ways in order to get sunlight and grow.  The plants don't allow the competition for sunlight or the fact it won't be easy to give them an excuse to die.  They treat it as an opportunity to grow, and they do.  The analogy holds true for environments of any kind where there is competition.  You can feel sorry for yourself that a position or playing time aren't going to be handed to you (the sunlight), or you can be thankful for being somewhere you will be challenged to grow.  Great teams often thrive on a competitive environment within the team.  Players push each other to be as good as they can possibly be both individually and as a group.  A great example of this is the University of Kentucky men's basketball team.  Like it or not, they reload with young, premium talent every year.  Coach Calipari is great at encouraging competition within the team and helping them grow.  There is little doubt the fact that so many want to be NBA players helps with the competitive environment within the team as well.

        There are also different ways to react when you are faced with the challenge of competition in a game.  Some performers will do well when the competition is not very good.  They are like the plant who is alone with a great angle on some sunlight.  Then, when the competition gets better they feel threatened and panic.  Maybe they start to doubt their preparation and are taken out of their game.  Great competitors see the challenge as an opportunity to see how good they can be.  They know their job is to get sunlight regardless of whether it is easy or not.  They are task-oriented and compete against the game itself instead of letting the opponent dictate what they do!

        Opportunity is available in so much of what we do in life.  It's up to us to find the opportunity and take advantage of it or not.  Like so much of sport psychology, the concept is pretty simple to understand but tougher to do.  Finding opportunity can be really hard when things are going poorly.  Like the glimmer of sunshine in a crowded forest, it is there.  You just have to be willing to look.

O is for Opportunity SOTD is KISS- New York Groove

I know there's not much to do with the letter O, but I'm driving to New York for the week today.  Also, it kind of sounds like a redemption song for a plant that had to battle for sun if we really want to make a stretch..

     

     

N is for Never

         N is for Never.  Never is easily defined.  It means "on no occasion," "at no point in the past or future," and "not at all."  Never is another simple word with profound reach.  At no point in the past or future spans a long, long time.  There is an ironically flexible saying that starts, "Never in a hundred years."  Well, if you're really going with "never," you're putting much longer than one hundred years on the line.  For the blog, something I'd like to discuss the word never in coaching and sports.

        "Great players never show bad body language."  "It's never okay to make a mental mistake."  "The grind never stops."  When we speak in terms of such absolutes, we better be VERY confident in what we are saying.  In the three preceding statements, none would hold true.  There have been plenty of great athletes who have shown bad body language.  Novak Djokavic is one who comes to mind.  He appears mad in between many points, games, and sets.  Few would argue against him being great.  Now, I'm not saying that is what makes him great.  It's possible he is great in spite of his bad  body language.  Nevertheless, he is a great player who shows bad body language.  The statement about mental mistakes is unfair.  If we allow for the understanding that physical mistakes will be made, how can we then expect mental perfection?  Major League Baseball players have forgotten the number of outs, thrown to the wrong base, and missed signs.  If we know that creating an environment where athletes are not afraid to make mistakes because it allows for freedom to play, then the mental part of the equation has to be considered part of the environment as well.  Expecting perfection is unfair.  The final statement is easy too.  People need breaks of some duration physically and mentally.  Even professional athletes take time to decompress and recover.  What's particularly concerning is the young age when the expectation is to grind and work every day on their sport.  Much has been written about youth sports burnout and the need to take time off to do other things.  I will just say I agree with both and think sometimes we lose perspective of who and why we are coaching.  If you're coaching youth baseball, coach youth baseball.  If you're coaching high school football, do that.  Forgetting our role and clientele can be detrimental to the experience for all.

         In conclusion, I'd like to just caution you again with absolutes like "Always" and "Never." There are few in life (death, taxes, etc.) and few in sports as well.  It only takes one time to disprove an absolute, and they create unrealistic expectations for your athletes.  While many need to learn accountability for actions, understanding they aren't supposed to be perfect is a lesson many need as well.  Let's help them to learn it rather than accidentally work against them.

N is for Never SOTD: Rick Astley- Never Gonna Give You Up

If you never heard of the "Rick Rolled" sensation, you are missing out.  Please do yourself a favor and Google it.  Also, I'd say my dance style is 25% Rick Astley.

M is for Make a Pitch

        M is for Make a pitch.  The phrase is so simple yet somehow encapsulates so much.  It focuses on the task at hand.  It stays away from results and with the controllable process.  It keeps things simple.  It keeps things present.  Rather than worrying about pitching 7 or 9 innings or working out of that 2nd and 3rd with nobody out jam, you just make a pitch.  Harvey Dorfman talks a great deal about whittling things down to the lowest common denominator.  The phrase does that.  Three words stand for so much but speak to the simplicity of what the mental side of the game is all about.  To be sure, saying "Make a pitch" and actually making a pitch are two different things.  To simply say "Just make a pitch" without helping pitchers to work through whatever internal and external influences are preventing them from doing so is where the work comes in.  While this can go in any number of directions for pitchers, the end goal is the same.

        How can we take this beyond the act of pitching?  Easy.  The tasks that we may find daunting in our everyday lives can be simplified by eliminating all of the extra stuff and simply "making a pitch."  How about an example?  As a teacher and Athletic Academic Adviser, I have the great privilege of working with and talking to a lot of student-athletes at the school where I teach.  Students who are struggling often feel overwhelmed with all of the classes, all of the assignments, and all of the grades.  This seems to be especially true with freshmen who are going through a significant adjustment from middle school to high school.  Before you know it, the students may have 3 or 4 F's and feel helpless about the situation.  Something I like to challenge these students to do is to stop looking at it as this daunting task of trying to pull up 4 different grades, and focus on what you can do in each class.  Those 10 points you need in Algebra sound tough, but what if you just turned in one more classwork assignment?  What if you studied for 10 minutes each day?  How about tutoring one day week?  Before you know it, you'd have your ten points.  Each assignment is "making a pitch."  Going to tutoring is "making a pitch."  Paying attention in this class, today is "making a pitch."  Asking a question is "making a pitch."  If I could give just one piece of advice to students, it might be, "Ask questions."  Students are so hesitant to do so, and I think part of that is due to a flawed perspective (athletes too).  You are in HS for a reason.  You have so much to learn!  You're not supposed to know it all!  I have been in school for what seems like one hundred years and don't know anywhere near everything!  Ask questions!  After a couple of weeks of "making pitches", you have created habits that are going to make you successful if you continue to do them.  Breaking larger tasks into their lowest denominator is a tip I think can help anyone feeling a little weighed down.

        How about some interaction?  What is your "Make a pitch" that you use in your daily life?  Is there a situation you would benefit from just "Making a pitch?"  Let me know, and Merry Christmas to you all!

M is for Make a Pitch Song of the Day: Lit- My Own Worst Enemy
I like it, it starts with M, and fits well for what can often be the case for people.  The greatest opponent we face can be ourselves.

     

L is for Lessons Learned

        L is for Lessons Learned.  One of the greatest but challenging parts of my journey into the field of sport psychology over the past four years has been the forced reflection it has caused me to do.  It would have been impossible to not be reflective as I have learned about topics ranging from brain functioning to effective coaching.  It's been a difficult process, but I am better for having gone through it.

        The transformation process can really be split into two different stages.  The first stage was the Exploratory Phase.  This is when I first started to learn about sport psychology.  I wanted to try everything and believed everything, and it was a bit overwhelming.  I wonder sometimes if I was creating more for players to think about rather than less.  Between the first and second phase was a lot of observing and questioning of the way I had done things.  There were times I doubted almost everything I thought or said as I found myself caught between pre-sport psyc and post-sport psyc Coach Ehrlich.   There was a great deal of cognitive dissonance, and I have to say I didn't like it very much!  Finally, I moved into a Discovery Phase.  I'm not sure the exact moment, but at some point things clicked.  I was far enough along in my degree program, had read enough books, had talked with enough people both in and out of sport psyc, and had enough opportunity to try some different things with athletes where I felt good all of a sudden.  This second phase allowed me to create a solid philosophy for how sport psychology is best applied.  To think my philosophy is complete would be very short-sighted.  What I can say is I have learned a great deal and look forward to many more phases in the future.  With that, I've decided to create a list of Lessons Learned over the last four years.  Hopefully you can relate to at least one, and you can use them to help your sporting experience be just a little bit better.

Lessons Learned:

1. Most people in Sport Psyc are awesome.-  The degree program I chose and the career path I hope to make my way into has forced me to branch out to try to make contacts with people.  The overwhelming majority have been incredibly helpful and generous with their time.  A list of a few who have had a great impact on me are Geoff Miller, Justin Su'a, Dr. Jack Curtis, Dr. Robert Troutwine, Dr. Rob Bell, Dr. Charlie Maher, Chad Bohling, Chris Pasarella, Dr. Taryn Morgan, Bob Tewskbury, Tami Matheny, Dave Williams, Dr. Alan Kornspan, Stu Lierich, and Dr. Rob Seifer.  I feel bad for not listing every single one, but these people have gone above and beyond in one way or another.  They are Givers.

2. Some are not, but that is OKAY!- I'm certainly not going to list any.  While we disagree on some major principles and methods, I am grateful for them too because they have helped me to reevaluate what I think is the right way to do things.

3. Comparatively speaking, I was a REALLY bad coach when I was younger.- I will never forget the first unit we had in my very first Sport Psyc class was on coaching.  Coaching?  I thought we were going to learn how to help athletes.  It hadn't even registered to me that effective coaching was such a major component to sport psychology.  Needless to say, I realized very quickly how much I had to learn.  That was tough!

4. I'm still not anywhere near as good as possible.- One of the greatest things I think sport psyc has done for me is completely changed the way I experience sports.  I am always observing, and that has been very helpful.  We learn something every single day and all have such a long way to go.  I look forward to a continual path of improvement.

5. Learning is fun.- Going to college as an adult is completely different than when you're going straight out of high school.  It's an experience I would recommend everyone have even if it is for one class.  Try to take something you are genuinely interested in learning about.  Knowing exactly what I wanted to do and being able to keep that vision throughout the degree process was helpful.  Beyond the classes, I have grown to love reading and really forcing myself to think through ways of doing things..

6. Learning is hard.- As much fun as learning new things is, it also can be incredibly difficult.  Like I touched on in the beginning, sometimes learning can make you worse before it makes you better.  In many ways, it's similar to that process hitters go through as they make a significant change.  It can be tough, but it is worth it.

7. Every quote is an opportunity to learn.- Sport psychology completely changed how I watch sports.  I am now a "++ Dork" for the coaching interviews and post-game interviews of any kind.  I love seeing what people say and thinking about how sport psychology has influenced them.  It's fun..for me at least.

8. Quotes themselves are not enough.- Quotes are excellent opportunities to learn and see how different concepts are applied.  Some people like them for motivation too.  Quotes themselves are not enough though.  They're nice, but experiences and finding what motivates YOU are better.

9. Information is great.- Knowing your stuff, regardless of your field is important.  You've got to know what you are talking about for people to take you seriously, and it can't be just repeating sayings you have heard like a doll on a string.  Having knowledge is great for increasing your toolbox to help athletes.

10. Too much information is not great.- Sometimes we talk too much.  In wanting to help athletes, we may give 5-6 different suggestions.  That can be overwhelming for the athlete.  This is something I know I've been guilty of as I have wanted to share everything I know.  Maybe I've done that with this blog too!  Being able to pick and choose what will help the most is something I look forward to learning more and more with experience.

11. It's important to take time for reflection and to see how you can get better.- I'm not sure how many of you have Sirius Radio, but I LOVE the MLB Network station.  I heard a great interview with Indians GM Mike Chernoff, and the host asked him about how they have kept a group together in the front office for so long (other than guys getting promoted to higher positions elsewhere).  He said something to the effect of always looking for ways to get better and never getting complacent.  What great advice regardless of your field.  For me, genuine reflection is helpful for creating a plan for improvement.

12. I have some great friends.- Something you are not aware of as a reader is the amount of time several of my friends have spent proofreading and giving me feedback on the blog.  They don't get paid nearly enough (or at all), but they do it to help without anything expected in return.  I can't thank them enough.  Jeremy Plexico (college teammate and friend), Brent Walsh (HS teammate, coach, and friend), Chris Carrrara (college teammate and friend), and David O'Neal (HS Teammate and friend),
THANK YOU.  In addition, thank you to all of the people who have given me feedback.  This includes coaches and players from different levels who send me emails with their thoughts or asking questions (Dudley!).  You make me think further, and I appreciate that.  It also includes people who have nothing to do with sports.  The applications to regular life are a huge part of why I love sport psychology.  Thank you all too.

This is really just a start to a list that could be much more expansive.  Depending on the reaction, maybe we can revisit in a Part Two at some point.  I hope you're enjoying the ABC's as much as I am!  Thank you to everyone who has given me feedback so far.  Please keep it coming!

L is for Lessons Learned Song of the Day- Dave Matthews Band's Ants Marching

The reason I chose this song is I like it.  I also like sport psychology.  I want you to like them too.

K is for Knowledge

        K is for Knowledge.  "Knowledge is power."  We have all heard the saying.  As we touched on the other day in the Instant Gratification piece, we live in an incredible world in which our ability to access information has increased exponentially over the last ten to fifteen years.  I can remember getting annoyed as a kid when I didn't know a word.  "Look it up," adults would say which meant finding a dictionary and searching for a definition.  Today, "Look it up" has been replaced with "Google it."  If you want to find information on a topic, it is out there for you to find.  Today's entry is going to touch on two very different topics as I hope to challenge you to consider Knowledge in a different light.

        "Knowledge is power," is the popular saying.  For, the saying should be a little bit different.  Knowledge itself is not power.  "Knowledge is power potential."  There is a significant difference between knowing and doing, but they are codependent on each other.  Doing without knowledge is like trying to play a game without any explanation of the rules or how to play.  You're going to be very inefficient and likely will get frustrated.  Knowledge of the rules and how to play, on the other hand, is equally useless unless we choose to play.  I'm reminded of that person who never wants to actually play the game but will come talk trash to everyone about the moves they make.  "Why didn't you move there?"  "I can't believe you didn't want that card."  Well, then come play if you know so much!  Therein lies the key to why knowledge is power potential.  It gives us the opportunity to be effective when we choose to act.  The courage to act can be just as difficult to acquire, however, and is a major separator in those who accomplish and those who could have accomplished.

        This time of great access to information does not come without a new set of challenges.  While it is easy to "Google it" or to find it on Twitter, we have to be careful with what it is we find.  In school, it is fairly easy to create protocol for students doing research in search of quality resources.  The task away from the classroom is a little bit tougher.  My caution to you is to be careful what you read, and make decisions for yourself as to what is quality information and what is not.  I think sometimes we may see a quote we agree with that is really just an opinion and mistake it for factual information.  Again, I know I have been guilty!  Just the other day, something got me a little fired up on Twitter.  There is an account that advertises itself as being quotes from one of the most respected people in the field of sport psychology.  The idea for the account is outstanding.  It has great power potential.  The execution, however, leaves a lot to be desired.  The account rarely posts any quotes that are actually from the person himself.  Even worse, the account has put several what I call "Whiny Coaching Diary Quotes" up.  These are emotional quotes about coaching gripes that would probably be better made in private than on social media.  When an account like the one I'm describing posts them, coaches everywhere read the and get the misconception that is what sport psychology is.  Again, dangerous.  Your impact as a coach is so great.  If you are taking the time to search for knowledge to help your athletes, the intentions are there.  Twitter is good for a lot and I certainly owe it a great deal for a number of reasons.  All I ask is that you be careful what you choose to read and pass on to your players.  Ultimately, there are no set rules for you like I would give students working on research.  Allow your judgment to be your guide.

K is for Knowledge Song of the Day: Rod Stewart- Ooh La La (When I Was Younger)

I picked this song because, no matter what your age is as the reader, you know things you didn't know when you were younger that would have made the experience easier.  I'd encourage all of us to
take advantage of the older, more experienced people in your life and all they know.

I is for Instant Gratification

        I is for Instant Gratification.  We live in a fast moving, on the go society.  Love it or hate it, that is the way things are.  Hungry?  You've got fast food, can order pizza with several clicks of a button, and many restaurants have apps to order ahead of time.  My personal favorite is the one for Chipotle.  E Coli scare aside, nothing screams, "I'm smarter than you, and my time is more important," like walking to the front of the line during Chipotle peak times of the day.  Truth be told, I felt bad the first few times.  Everyone has access to the app though, and my guilt was quickly outweighed by the agonizing possibility of being stuck behind a large group who asks one hundred questions.  See something you like advertised on TV?  Chances are Amazon has it.  Sign on, click, and boom.  I'm as guilty again as anyone of this.  Clothing, supplements, Christmas presents, and anything in between is getting ordered.  If you are an Amazon customer, I'd encourage you to take advantage of Smile Amazon where Amazon donates a small percentage of every order you place to a charity of your choosing.  Anyway, the many positives of the technological, quick service society we live in certainly comes with it's negatives.  The fact that we can get some things very quickly makes us want everything quickly.  That is a significant issue when it comes to sports and the development of talent.

        Over the last four years or so, I have reached out to many sport psychology professionals.  The overwhelming majority have been extremely helpful and generous with both their time and advice.  Regular readers of the blog have seen me mention a few.  Dr. Rob Seifer, sport psychologist for the Miami Marlins, had a quote in a conversation we had that has stayed with me over the last couple of years and applies to the topic for today.  "It's about short-term sacrifices for long-term benefits."  To me, this is not only very true but helps provide an all-important rationale in resisting the urge to make everything in our lives about instant gratification.  The quote also works in framing what great discipline athletes have who are truly dedicated.  The resistance to feed the "elephant" (Switch readers) of emotion that wants to be pleased right now is powered by a clear vision for the future (path).

        The delaying of instant gratification is a major obstacle in coaching.  Winning now is the instant gratification that sometimes is better delayed for the sake of development of the athletes.  I know as a baseball coach I was often impatient with this concept.  Kids want to be good RIGHT NOW.  As coaches, we want the same.  The challenge often lies in whether we choose what will make kids successful right now at the expense of what will make them as good as possible down the road.  Like so many other topics I write about, I think there were definitely times I was guilty of this.  The idea of winning, particularly as I had a warped idea of success early on, sometimes trumped development.  The concept also has its place in the general topic of sport psychology.  The market is flooded with promises of quick fixes, and people gravitate to these promises.  In reality, to get the true benefits one needs to make a time-consuming commitment.  There may be some quick fixes, but they are like the 3 day cleanse of the the sport psychology world.  You'll feel better for a few days but likely quickly sink back into poor habits.  The greater emphasis and commitment to the mental side is the healthy lifestyle that ensures overall well-being over the long haul.  In conclusion, I invite you to join me in the challenge of taking some time to slow down our lives from time to time.  Consider whether the short-term sacrifices may be worth the long-term benefits in certain areas of your life.  My guess is that in many cases they will be.

I is for Instant Gratification Song of the Day: Kid Ink- I Just Want it All

So do many athletes Kid Ink.  The question is whether we will do what it takes or not.