Unveiling the Sleep Hygiene Protocols for Elite Athletes

Achieving peak performance as an athlete requires more than just physical training and talent. Adequate sleep and effective recovery strategies play a crucial role in optimizing athletic performance. In this blog post, we will explore the sleep and recovery protocols followed by specific elite athletes, unveiling their secrets to success. These practical guidelines will help athletes at all levels unlock their full potential and maximize their performance.

1. LeBron James - NBA Superstar:

LeBron James, renowned for his incredible athleticism and longevity in the NBA, attributes a significant part of his success to proper sleep and recovery. His protocol includes:

a) Sleep duration: Aim for 8-9 hours of sleep per night to promote muscle recovery and mental clarity.

b) Regular sleep schedule: Maintain consistent bed and wake times to establish a healthy circadian rhythm.

c) Power naps: Incorporate short power naps (20-30 minutes) to enhance alertness and recharge during the day.

d) Quality sleep environment: Create a cool, dark, and quiet sleep environment for optimal rest.

2. Serena Williams - Tennis Champion:

Serena Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, recognizes the importance of sleep and recovery in her training regimen. Her protocol includes:

a) Sleep hygiene: Prioritize winding down before bed by avoiding screens and engaging in relaxing activities like reading or meditation.

b) Compression therapy: Utilize compression garments or sleeves to enhance blood flow, reduce inflammation, and expedite muscle recovery.

c) Active recovery: Engage in light exercises or yoga to promote blood circulation and alleviate muscle soreness.

d) Hydration: Maintain proper hydration levels to aid in recovery and prevent cramping.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - Soccer Icon:

Cristiano Ronaldo, a soccer phenomenon, is known for his extraordinary work ethic and dedication to maintaining peak physical condition. His sleep and recovery protocol includes:

a) Ice baths: Take ice baths or contrast showers to reduce muscle inflammation and promote faster recovery.

b) Sleep tracking: Utilize sleep tracking devices to monitor sleep quality and make necessary adjustments to optimize rest.

c) Proper nutrition: Fuel the body with nutrient-dense meals and incorporate sufficient protein intake to support muscle recovery.

d) Stretching and flexibility exercises: Prioritize stretching routines and yoga to enhance muscle flexibility, prevent injuries, and aid in recovery.

Additional Tips and Approaches to Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene is crucial for athletes to optimize their performance and achieve a flow state. Here's a comprehensive sleep hygiene protocol for an elite athlete:

1. Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule:

   - Set a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, including weekends.

   - Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, depending on individual needs and recovery requirements.

2. Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment:

   - Make sure your sleep environment is comfortable, cool, dark, and quiet.

   - Invest in a high-quality mattress, pillows, and bedding that provide optimal support and comfort.

   - Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out any unwanted light.

   - Wear earplugs or use a white noise machine to minimize noise disturbances.

3. Establish a Relaxing Bedtime Routine:

   - Create a pre-sleep routine that helps signal your body and mind that it's time to wind down.

   - Avoid stimulating activities or electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) at least 30 minutes before bed.

   - Engage in calming activities such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, practicing relaxation techniques (deep breathing, meditation), or listening to soothing music.

4. Optimize Sleep Environment for Recovery:

   - Ensure your sleep environment promotes optimal recovery. Consider using recovery aids such as compression garments, hot/cold therapy, or relaxation tools

.

   - Consider using a sleep tracking device or app to monitor your sleep quality and make adjustments if necessary.

5. Manage Nutrition and Hydration:

   - Maintain a well-balanced diet and avoid heavy meals close to bedtime.

   - Stay adequately hydrated throughout the day, but limit fluid intake close to bedtime to avoid disruptive nighttime trips to the bathroom.

6. Limit Stimulants:

   - Minimize or avoid caffeine and other stimulants, particularly in the late afternoon and evening.

   - Be cautious of the effects of pre-workout supplements or energy drinks, as they may interfere with your ability to fall asleep.

7. Manage Stress and Mental Well-being:

   - Develop stress management techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, or journaling to help clear your mind before bed.

   - If you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious, seek support from a mental health professional who can provide guidance and coping strategies.

8. Establish a Sleep-Friendly Exercise Routine:

   - Engage in regular physical activity, but avoid intense exercise close to bedtime, as it can stimulate the body and make it harder to fall asleep.

   - Consider incorporating relaxation exercises or stretching into your post-workout routine to promote physical and mental recovery.

The sleep and recovery protocols followed by elite athletes are key components in achieving and sustaining peak performance. By incorporating these practical guidelines into your own training regimen, you can enhance your athletic performance and overall well-being. Remember, sleep is not a luxury but a necessity for optimal performance. Give your body the rest it deserves, implement effective recovery strategies, and unlock your true potential as an athlete.

Remember, every athlete is unique, so it's important to personalize and adapt these guidelines to suit your specific needs and preferences. Regularly evaluate and adjust your sleep hygiene routine to optimize your performance and achieve a flow state.

Finally, it's important to consult with a trusted and qualified healthcare professional or sports specialist before implementing any new sleep or recovery protocols to ensure they align with your individual needs and circumstances. 

The Best Wine Grapes Were Planted to Suffer

For Maggie Harrison, an Oregon winemaker, the primary consideration in growing the best wine grapes is character, so the vines are often planted in soil  where they can barely survive and have to fight for nutrients. The grapes gain depth of flavor in proportion to the amount of work the vine must expend to survive. Harrison calls this process “suffering.”

If we incorporate that approach to resilience, perhaps the best way to build character and resilience is to embrace when adversity hits.  Only then can we  develop the skills that allow us to fight to survive. 

Character and resilience are qualities that enable individuals to navigate life's challenges with grace and determination. They are not innate traits but rather cultivated through deliberate effort and experience. In this blog post, we explore the parallels between growing wine grapes and building character, resilience, and anti-fragility in humans. By drawing inspiration from the art of viticulture, we can glean valuable insights into personal growth and development.

1. Planting the Seeds: Nurturing a Strong Foundation

Just as a successful grapevine begins with a well-prepared soil bed, building character and resilience requires a solid foundation. This involves instilling core values, developing self-awareness, and establishing a sense of purpose. By understanding our personal values and aspirations, we create a fertile ground for growth.

2. Weathering the Storms: Embracing Challenges

Grapes face adversity in the form of harsh weather conditions, diseases, and pests. Similarly, humans encounter hardships, setbacks, and obstacles along their journey. Embracing challenges, rather than avoiding them, is crucial for growth. Just as grapevines strengthen their roots when faced with adversity, humans develop resilience by confronting and overcoming obstacles head-on.

3. Pruning and Training: Shaping Strength and Adaptability

To produce quality grapes, vineyard owners engage in meticulous planning, trial and error, pruning and training. Similarly, individuals must constantly refine their skills, learn from failures, and adapt to changing circumstances. By embracing continuous learning and self-improvement, we develop the ability to navigate life's complexities with greater ease.

4. Harvesting the Fruits: Celebrating Milestones and Lessons Learned

The culmination of a year's worth of labor and nurturing is the harvest season. Similarly, in our personal development journey, we must take the time to celebrate our achievements and acknowledge the lessons we have learned along the way. By recognizing our progress and expressing gratitude, we cultivate a positive mindset and fuel further growth.

5. Developing Anti-Fragility: Thriving in Adversity

The concept of anti-fragility, introduced by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, refers to the ability to not just withstand shocks and disturbances but to actually benefit from them. Grapevines exposed to moderate stress produce stronger, more resilient grapes. Likewise, individuals who embrace challenges, learn from failures, and adapt to change, become more anti-fragile. They thrive in the face of adversity, gaining strength and wisdom from each experience.

Conclusion:

Just as wine grapes require careful cultivation to produce the finest wines, building character, resilience, and anti-fragility in humans demands deliberate effort and a growth-oriented mindset. By drawing inspiration from the art of growing wine grapes, we can appreciate the value of embracing challenges, nurturing a strong foundation, continuous learning, and celebrating milestones. Let us cultivate our inner vineyards and unlock our true potential as we embark on a journey of personal growth, resilience, and anti-fragility. Cheers to becoming the best version of ourselves!  

Excerpts taken from: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/04/magazine/maggie-harrison-wine-antica-terra.html

To learn more about mental conditioning, enroll in our self-paced online course:  "Strengthening Your Mental Core."  

Wembanyama Enters the Spurs' Quantum Entanglement

“Our future was already bright,” managing partner Peter J. Holt said in May when the San Antonio Spurs won the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. “Now, it’s going to be through the moon.”

In a previous blogpost, from May 22, 2018 entitled Quantum Entanglement: Kawhi, the Spurs and Beautiful Basketball, I discussed and described the San Antonio Spurs franchise in physics terminology.  In a belated installment, I continue to discuss the franchise and its next phase.

Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs have made significant contributions to sports management in the areas of leadership, talent development, and organizational excellence in running their franchise.

• Leadership: Popovich is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. He has led the Spurs to five NBA championships, more than any other coach in franchise history. He is also a two-time NBA Coach of the Year. He gives his players a lot of freedom to make decisions on the court, and he holds them accountable for their actions. This has helped the Spurs develop a strong team identity and a winning culture. Popovich is known for his calm demeanor and his ability to get the most out of his players. He is also a strong advocate for player development and diversity.

• Talent development: The Spurs have a long history of developing young talent. They have drafted and developed several All-Stars, including Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs also have a strong track record of signing free agents and developing them into productive players.

• Organizational excellence: The Spurs are one of the most well-run organizations in sports. They have a strong culture of teamwork, accountability, and respect. The Spurs are also known for their commitment to community service. This commitment to excellence has helped the Spurs achieve sustained success across  the past four decades.

• They have a strong culture of teamwork, accountability, and respect. The Spurs are also known for their commitment to community service.

The contributions of Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs to leadership, talent development, and organizational excellence are a model for other organizations.

This week the San Antonio Spurs are expected to draft a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

Soon after that the Spurs plan to open their new state-of-the-art multi-phase $500 million facility called “The Rock at La Cantera,” which will feature a human performance research center.

This facility provides the launching pad for a new era of championship success for the Spurs. Wembanyama should serve as the catalyst needed to blast the franchise into a future of sustained success more rapidly than initially expected four years ago, when the organization first targeted the 2023 NBA Draft as the one that could change everything.

San Antonio envisioned years ago what we are about to see on Thursday at the 2023 NBA Draft.  The Spurs worked hard to align their basketball goals with their strategic plans and business goals.  This No. 1 pick will likely play a meaningful role as the Spurs look to make another run at multiple championships.

The Pivot

The plan that emerged in 2020 before San Antonio traveled to Orlando for that NBA season restart.  The plan was to develop the team’s youth while also advancing causes for social justice and racial equality.

While in Orlando, the Spurs experimented with an up-tempo style on offense, augmented by a swarming, pestering defense. Following that season, the Spurs decided to stick to that more modern style of positionless basketball.

“The strategy, the philosophy, the way we play is gonna stay the same [as in Orlando],” Popovich said entering the 2020-21 season.

That meant San Antonio would spend time looking for versatile, all-around players with size that could play with or without the ball. That would allow the Spurs to play a more modern style both on offense and defense.  San Antonio has always coveted players capable of dribbling, shooting, and passing with a high-level of decision-making skills. 

The changes came about after internal discussions about where they were as a team, where they were headed, and how their style would need to change.  Up to that point, San Antonio was looking to remain competitive.  But that approach would force the Spurs to build their team from the bottom of the lottery (or just outside of it) for an organization with no cap space or flexibility going forward and no future draft picks. San Antonio saw no way out of this vicious cycle, nor to build something truly sustainable. The club decided it was time to pivot. 

Strategic Planning

Four years ago, having identified the 2023 NBA Draft four as a significant place to speed up the rebuild, San Antonio worked to draft or bring in veteran players versatile enough to thrive in any type of system, but most importantly they’d mesh well with their teammates.  

Simultaneously, the Spurs knew they needed a Plan B just in case the talent they signed did not pan out as expected.  

The franchise understood its first-round pick in 2023 would be its most valuable asset. But it also hoped to improve their chances at improving their position in the draft while making room to develop a roster filled with young, inexperienced players. That meant losing, a lot. The city of San Antonio has maintained exceptionally high standards with a fanbase accustomed to competing year after year at a championship level. The organization didn’t want to disappoint their rabid fanbase. But the fastest way to return to that level while ensuring a sustainable future meant the Spurs needed to jettison their core piece by piece with an eye toward maximizing the return in each transaction to obtain future assets for potential trades.

If the organization failed to hit big on its 2023 pick, it needed flexibility for the short term with its salary cap to bring in free agents as well as draft assets to make potential trades.

The Spurs wanted to be able to pivot at a moment’s notice. If one approach failed, they would still possess the tools necessary to successfully facilitate the fragile rebuild first put into motion back in 2018, after the sudden and departure of Kawhi Leonard.

In all, the Spurs currently sit on five first-round picks and nine second-rounders between 2023 and 2029 to go with a couple of pick swaps, not to mention nearly $40 million in cap space to upgrade the talent around Wembanyama if the club so chooses.

“Obviously, a long road still ahead and a lot of work to do to build this out and get to where we want to be,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said last month after the club won the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. “You enjoy the entire journey. It’s not always fun and it’s not always just the great things.”

Leadership and Succession Planning

During discussions in 2019, the organization promoted longtime GM R.C. Buford to CEO to handle the business side of the Spurs, while Wright stepped into his current position after serving three years as the team’s assistant GM. 

The new facility has long been Buford’s brainchild, and another innovative way for San Antonio to gain a competitive edge in elite human performance, while improving potential free-agent recruiting, with the 134,000-square-foot Victory Capital Performance Center, which is expected to be equipped with the latest in sports technology. Buford credits Dr. Andy Walshe, a globally recognized expert in the field of elite human performance, as one of the driving forces behind the new facility.

“The human being is one of the most complex systems in the universe,” Walshe said. “Thanks to technology, we’re starting to peel back the layers to unpack what really makes elite people operate at peak performance.”

The Spurs also expanded San Antonio’s market by hitting the I-35 corridor last season for a pair of games up the road in Austin, one in Mexico City and an exhibition game at the Alamodome in which the Spurs broke the league’s all-time attendance record. Long considered a small-market club, San Antonio played those four out-of-market home games in an attempt to deepen the fanbase from Mexico to Austin.  This plan could develop San Antonio into one of the NBA’s largest markets.

That’s partly where an international talent like Wembanyama comes into play.

Nearly every move made, such as creating cap space, adding draft assets the past few years aligns with this drafting of yet another exceptional big man like David Robinson and Tim Duncan before opening a new facility, and expanding their market.

“Brian, R.C. and [coach Gregg Popovich] deserve a tremendous amount of credit,” Holt said. “It’s not easy to go through transition. They have laid out a plan, a vision, for getting us back to championship-winning teams. That’s our goal. We are blessed to have this amazing team that will take this Draft process and add it into the overall framework to make sure we have sustainable success, and our legacy is one that’s living.”

The Spurs Quantum Entanglement continues!

Excerpts taken from:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/sports/basketball/victor-wembanyama-san-antonio-spurs.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

https://www.nba.com/news/how-spurs-laid-the-groundwork-for-2023-nba-draft-to-change-everything?lctg=5ec7f3061402375d2c24d5bb&lid=r6qysasrzr7v&utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=luisfvaldes2013%2Fmagazine%2FMindfuel+Magazine+2.0

Unleashing Greatness: The Evolving Mindset and Mental Conditioning of Nikola Jokic

“He just makes the right play every possession. I feel like that’s the biggest thing about the player that he is. He’s going to try to make the right play every possession, no matter if he’s scoring the ball or passing it. … That’s what makes him dynamic.”

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat, discussing Nikola Jokic

In the world of the NBA, certain players transcend the game and capture the hearts of fans with their unparalleled skills and undeniable passion. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, the Serbian-born MVP of the 2023 NBA Finals, has emerged as one such player. While his unique playing style and exceptional talent on the court have garnered much attention, it is his mindset and mental conditioning that truly sets him apart. In this blog post, we delve into the fascinating world of Nikola Jokic's mindset and explore how his mental fitness, fortitude and dedication have propelled him to the pinnacle of his profession.

• Embracing the Underdog Mentality: Jokic's journey to stardom has been anything but conventional. Growing up in Serbia, he was not heralded as a top prospect and faced numerous obstacles on his path to the NBA. However, rather than allowing these challenges to deter him, Jokic used them as fuel to develop a relentless work ethic and a resilient mindset. Embracing the underdog mentality, he learned to thrive in the face of adversity and turned his perceived weaknesses into strengths.

• The Power of Vision and Basketball IQ: One of Jokic's most remarkable traits is his basketball IQ, which is a testament to his exceptional mental conditioning. He possesses the skills of fast-forwarding (an ability to see the game several steps ahead), making split-second decisions that often leave opponents and spectators in awe. This heightened court vision is a result of his dedication to studying the game and his relentless pursuit of improvement. Jokic's commitment to understanding the intricacies of basketball has allowed him to transcend his physical limitations and become a master orchestrator on the court.  

• Embracing Versatility and Adaptability: One of the key aspects of Jokic's mindset is his willingness to adapt and evolve. His versatility as a player is unparalleled, as he seamlessly transitions between different positions and roles on the court. This adaptability stems from his open-mindedness and constant desire to learn and grow. Jokic's mental conditioning allows him to remain calm and composed in high-pressure situations, enabling him to make sound decisions and contribute effectively in any given circumstance.

• Cultivating a Strong Work Ethic: Behind Jokic's success lies an unwavering work ethic. His mental conditioning involves a relentless dedication to improving his skills and maintaining peak physical fitness. He approaches each practice and game with the same level of intensity and focus, always striving to push his boundaries and exceed expectations. This commitment to constant growth has not only elevated his own performance but also serves as an inspiration to his teammates and fans.

• The Art of Emotional Intelligence: Jokic's mental conditioning extends beyond his technical skills and physical abilities. His emotional intelligence and composure in the face of challenges are equally commendable. Whether it's dealing with pressure, handling criticism, or leading his team, he remains poised and level-headed. Jokic's ability to consistently control his emotions allows him to make rational decisions and maintain a positive mindset, contributing to his overall success on and off the court.

Nikola Jokic's seemingly meteoric rise in the basketball world is a testament to the power of hard work, a commitment to developing the proper mindset and focusing on mental conditioning. From embracing the underdog mentality to cultivating a strong work ethic and emotional intelligence, Jokic's mental approach to his craft has played a pivotal role in his journey to becoming one of the game's most dominant forces. As fans, we can draw inspiration from his story, reminding ourselves that greatness is not solely determined by physical prowess but also by the strength and resilience of our minds.

For more information about mental conditioning, enroll in our new online course, Strengthening Your Mental Core.

Watch Nikola Jokic discuss his mindset on Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/DaminAltizer/status/1668794429849649152?s=20

Building Your Antifragility Skills

“Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; antifragile gets better”.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb (2012). Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

In my coaching practice, my approach has evolved to help individuals develop resilience and cultivate antifragility through a combination of mindset development, behavioral and emotional skill-building, and mental strategic planning. 

Here's a step-by-step guide to enhance resilience and foster antifragility:

1.  Understand the concepts: I begin by exposing them to the concepts of resilience and antifragility. Resilience refers to the ability to bounce back from setbacks, challenges, or adversity, while antifragility goes beyond resilience by using setbacks and challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement.

2.  Assess current mindset: I assess the individual's current mindset and beliefs about adversity, failure, and setbacks. This helps identify any limiting beliefs or negative patterns that may hinder their ability to develop resilience or embrace antifragility.

3.  Cultivate a growth mindset: I work on fostering a growth mindset, emphasizing that challenges and setbacks are opportunities for learning and growth rather than fixed limitations. This shift in mindset helps individuals view adversity as a chance to develop new skills, gain experience, and become stronger.

4.  Identify strengths and weaknesses: By conducting a self-assessment or using appropriate tools, I help the individual identify their existing strengths and weaknesses related to resilience and antifragility. Understanding their starting point allows for targeted development in areas that require improvement.

5.  Develop coping strategies: Together, we would explore various coping strategies and techniques that can enhance resilience. This may include stress management techniques, neutral self-talk, reframing perspectives, setting realistic goals, and practicing self-care. These strategies equip individuals with the tools to navigate challenging situations effectively.

6.  Embrace discomfort and uncertainty: To foster antifragility, I encourage the individual to embrace discomfort and uncertainty intentionally. This involves gradually exposing themselves to new experiences, taking calculated risks, and stepping out of their comfort zone. By doing so, they can develop the capacity to adapt, learn, and thrive in unpredictable environments.

7.  Reflect and learn from setbacks: When setbacks or failures occur, it is important for the individual to reflect on those experiences and extract valuable lessons. By reframing setbacks as opportunities for growth, they can identify areas for improvement, adjust their strategies, and learn from their mistakes.

8.  Encourage continuous learning: I foster continuous learning by encouraging the individual to seek new knowledge, acquire new skills, and broaden their perspectives. This may involve reading relevant books, listening to podcasts, attending workshops or conferences, engaging in reflective exercises, or seeking mentorship from experienced individuals.

7.  Develop a support system: Building a strong support system is crucial for resilience and antifragility. I help the individual identify and cultivate relationships who can provide guidance, motivation, and accountability during challenging times.

8.  Set meaningful goals: Finally, I assist the individual in setting meaningful and realistic goals that align with their values and aspirations. By working towards these goals, they can build confidence, stay motivated, and reinforce their resilience and antifragility skills.

Throughout the coaching process, it is important to tailor the approach to the individual's specific needs, challenges, and circumstances. The goal is to empower them to develop resilience and embrace antifragility, allowing them to not only bounce back from setbacks but also thrive and grow in the face of adversity.

For more detailed information on resilience and antifragility, enroll in our new online course:  Strengthening Your Mental Core.  

"Strengthening Your Mental Core"

Introducing the new online course from Psychogenyx:  "Strengthening Your Mental Conditioning."  Click on the video below!

Use your summer for mental conditioning.  Pre-order your online, self-paced course:  "Strengthening Your Mental Core" at psychogenyx-course-0722.thinkific.com.  

The Temporal Nature of Being Fucked-Up

As a follow-up to my last blogpost “The Ubiquitous, Endless Loop of Suck,” I have some more thoughts about self-talk and our harsh, self-critical inner voice.  

In addition to our excessive usage of the verb "suck," another term that frequently peppers our thoughts is "fucked-up" and its variations.  Though this term comes with its own pitfalls, it also has its relative strengths when compared to "suck."

Future Tense

I think I'm gonna fuck up. 

I think I'm gonna fuck it up. 

Present Tense

Observation:  I'm fucking up.  (This usage may occur during any activity/event/performance)  

Event/Thing/Personal Evaluation:  That's fucked up.

Self-evaluation:  I'm fucked-up (Inebriation).

Past tense

Observation:  Oh, no, I fucked up.  I fucked it up.  I was fucked-up. 

Evaluation:  That was fucked-up. 

Unlike "suck," there is no strong implication of permanence in the term "fucked-up."  It suggests a softer, gentler assessment.  Whatever we have done can be fixed, cnn be improved.  We can certainly start over.  We will eventually sober up (for example, being fuck-up too frequently in 2023 can lead to "Dry January" in 2024).  Essentially, fucking up allows us to go back to the drawing board.  On the other hand, however, if we suck, we fail.  There is no do-over, no work around.  It's in our permanent file.  There is no off-the-record.  It's on social media and we are now a meme.  

Exceptions:  I'm fucked up (mental health).  (Here the implication of permanence returns).

I offer these thoughts as the second step of recovery from the tyranny of the inner harsh critic.  Rather than using the word "suck," try transitioning to the slightly gentler term "fucked-up."  You will be glad you did. 

NOTE:  No part of this blogpost was created with AI. 

The Ubiquitous, Endless Loop of Suck

"Me and him both. I say to him all the time, ‘Listen, buddy, I know it sucks for you, but there are way more people saying that I suck than you do.'" 

--Dan Hurley, head coach of NCAA basketball champion University of Connecticut, discussing conversations during the season with his point guard Tristen Newton

 

For years, I have become increasingly amazed at the frequency with which I and most other people use the word "suck." Here are some typical examples:

Present Tense

Self:  I suck.

One's Talent/Competency:  I suck at that. 

Other:  He/she sucks.

Others:  Boy, they suck.

What another thinks:  He/she thinks I suck.

What others think:  They think I suck.

Consensus:  Everyone thinks that sucks.  Everyone knows that sucks.  Everyone knows I suck.

Empathy/Observation:  Dude, that sucks!  

Event/Self (Certainty/Spoken by Others with Empathy):  That's gotta suck.

Events/Groups:  Man, those guys suck.  

Environment/Culture:  It sucks over there. 

The present tense of suck suggests the absolute nature of sucking.  Suck is all or none.  You, it, or they either suck or don't.  There is typically no mild or moderate in the word suck.  It either sucks or it doesn't.  If you suck, you suck in the extreme.  

Granted, the use of the word "suckish" has gained some popularity.  This new development suggests various levels or a dimensionality of the suck.  It opens the door for the existence of a "suck spectrum," or the awareness that things, events and people can be on the suck spectrum.  You, indeed, can be on the suck spectrum.  

Primarily, the effect of the present tense of suck is anticipatory anxiety.  Its use suggests that there is something to dread and avoid on the horizon.   It disrupts the ability to fully prepare for the situation.  It triggers the stress/trauma response and stimulates old neural pathways and connections between the mid-brain and the cortex about past experiences that sucked (and remember, they were was extreme and absolute).  It sets up a hypervigilance and anxiousness that affects cognitive functioning and optimal performance.  Often, it also leads to procrastination.

More importantly, however, is the disruption of any real possibility of proceeding with the activity in a relaxed, confident flow state.  

Past tense 

I sucked, he/she sucked, they sucked, he thought I sucked, they think I sucked.

One's Talent/Competency:  I sucked at that.

This use of the past tense of suck has the tendency to intensify our post-performance anxiety.  It keeps us stuck in the past and reduces our ability to learn, and increases the likelihood of an ongoing narrative that focuses on failure.  It tends to lead to harsh self-criticism and evaluation of our future performances. 

Future Tense

Self/Future tense:  I'm gonna suck.  I always suck at that.

Event (Prediction):  I bet that'll suck.

Certainty/Future tense:  That's gonna suck.

Certainty/Permanence:  That always sucks.

Chandler Bing Versions  (These upgraded suck statements are a little more healthy and helpful.) 

Could this be any more suckish? (Yes, most certainly.)

Could this suck any worse?  (Yes, definitely.)

It couldn't suck any worse than this.  (Again, yes, indeed.)

Should you be intent on using the verb or adjective "suck," you could transition gently to the following versions of the word.  

Less common internal dialogue that includes the verb "suck."  

This might suck.  

This could suck.

Let's see if this sucks.

This could suck a little (but maybe not).

I will challenge myself to not suck as badly as before.

Post-Performance Evaluation Suggestions

The antidote to using the past tense of suck is asking such post-performance questions as:

What didn't suck about that?

How could I have sucked less?

What can I learn to do instead to reduce the suckishness?

What did I do that didn't suck?  

How can I increase my non-suckish behavior? 

What part of the suck did I not contribute to?   

In general, self-talk or internal dialogue can be very difficult to identify and even harder to change. When I work with my clients I usually suggest they monitor what they say to themselves prior, during and after they perform any important activity. When they look carefully at any activity they engage in, whether they experience anxiety during the activity or not, I suggest that they pay attention to their self-talk. Usually, they ask for examples to help them identify their particular self-talk. If I give them examples, they often do not personally identify with the examples. I think that is because self-talk is often very unique to them and is often based on their particular childhood developmental experiences and the types of environments in which they grew up.  

Most recently, it occurred to me that to best analyze self-talk, it is helpful to look at the timing of the self-talk (present, past or future) and where it occurs in the sequence of an activity.  Additionally, it is important in that it might help you to determine what type of anxiety you tend to exhibit (anticipatory anxiety, pre-performance anxiety, or post-performance anxiety).  Whether we are talking about social anxiety, public speaking anxiety (reportedly the most common anxiety), performance anxiety, etc. the self-talk tends to have certain characteristics and timing. This is where your analysis of your  signature use of the word "suck" can be very helpful.

Writer's Note #1:  After reading this post, my wife said, "This article was much less 'suckish' than most of the ones you write."

Writer's Note #2:  No part of this blogpost was generated by AI.  

To watch the San Francisco 49ers' Greg Kittle discuss more about his "reset button," click here:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1617904357638549506

"I'm So Over It"

I hear this all the time.  You probably hear it all the time, too.  You probably have even said it yourself sometimes; at least in your head.  "I'm So Over It."

Zoom.  So over it.  Coronavirus.  So over it.  Social Unrest.  So over it.  Working from home.  So over it.  Wildfires.  So over it.  Hurricanes. So over it.  Debates. So over it.  Voter Suppression.  So over it. 

We have hit the wall.   We are physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.  We are so sick and tired of being sick and tired.  We are irritable, frustrated, and scared.  For many, depression and anxiety are in there somewhere, too.  

In sports, hitting the wall refers to depleting your stored glycogen and the feelings of fatigue and negativity that typically come with it.   Some athletes refer to it as bonking.  

In marathon running, it comes at the 20 mile mark, more or less.  Yet, 6.2 miles remain.   If you've hit the wall, finishing no longer seems doable.  

Oh, by the way, Donald Trump is clearly suffering from it.  He threw another fit during his taped 60 Minutes interview with Leslie Stahl.  He seems to hit the wall regularly.  

Unfortunately, this is only the 20-mile mark for the election, we still have 2 weeks to go.  We are at the 20-mile marker of 2020 as well.  But, remember that we are dealing with what could be a series of marathons.  We have many more milestones to reach.  

So, is there anything to do to prepare for hitting the wall?  Is there anything to do once you hit the wall? 

How to Prepare for Hitting the Wall

1.  This first preparation technique is referred to as “if-then planning” ― for example, if you hit the wall, you can use a visualization technique to imagine yourself getting through it.   What will it look like on the other side?   Visualize the answer to the question.  

2.  Break your "marathon" into smaller subtasks or shorter milestones.  Identify the next marker or landmark, go to that marker and take a break.  Reset, regroup, reboot.  Then do it again.  

Take it one task, and then, one day at a time.  

3.  Be aware of your internal state.  Slow your breathing down.  Notice your breath.  Inhale deeply and then completely empty your lungs, then let them fill completely.  Do it several times.  It's another way to reboot.

5.  Distract yourself by externally accepting what is.  Allow and embrace whatever the discomfort is, rather than blocking it.  Go with it, rather than fight it.  

6.  Remember your last experience with extreme adversity.  Inventory all that it took to get you through that adversity.  What did you learn?  What do you need to repeat from that experience?  

7. Forget perfection.  In these times, there is no room for perfection.  If you are going to be "so over it," be so over perfection.    

If you then find yourself coming up against more mental roadblocks, here are a few more techniques to try.

1. Make a motivational or relaxing music playlist. Distracting yourself with some great tunes can help you make it to the finish line.

2. Try the buddy system. A partner (remember we are all in this situation) can keep you (and your buddy) focused and supported.

3.  Try “attention narrowing.” Runners who focus their eyes on an object in the distance get there faster. Focusing on an object on the horizon can make the distance feel shorter.

Remember, you can't get there without getting through today.   Finishing this marathon requires just getting to the next landmark, then the next.  That is all that matters right now.  .  

The Coronavirus: Our Test of Resilience

Much of our intial response toward the coronavirus pandemic focuses on what we can do or can't do. How do we respond? What are the guidelines? What steps do we take? What are the proper procedures? What resources do we have? Our natural response is to look externally. This external focus tend to include questions about identifying who is to blame. What individual, what country did this to us or didn't do enough for us? Fair enough.

What is equally important is who we are and who we can be in this time of crisis. That requires an internal focus. That requires us to identify our skills of resilience, our mental core. What characteristics do we possess to help us respond best to the crisis?

Perhaps our best internal reflections should consist of a personal and individual inventory of our abilities to withstand ambiquity and uncertainty as well as our ability to be flexible and nimble as our external environment shifts around us and situations change. How do we keep from responding with our lizard brain?

So, what is resilience? How do we assess our mental core?

Resilience refers to the skill and ability to quickly and fully bounce back from setbacks, to deal with adversity, learn from mistakes and effectively put your mistakes behind you. Only recently has resilience been seriously considered as a component of mental toughness. Resilience includes carefully obtaining, valuing, and incorporating constructive feedback and doing what is required with the resources that are available.   It has to do with your emotional strength.

Resilience also requires us to recognize and acknowledge that, now, perhaps more ever, we live in a VUCA world. VUCA is an acronym used by the US Military long ago to describe extreme conditions in combat. It stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous.

The word "core" in the physical fitness and conditioning world has become a buzzword. Like the physical core, there is also a mental core related to mental conditioning. Physical core training is about increasing power, strength and stabilization. So, is the training of your mental core.

Many fitness buffs often think only of sit-ups and crunches as the secret to strengthening the core. True fitness experts know that there is much more to the core than an impressive six-pack. Similarly, many athletes and coaches think that the mental core is simply just about developing mental toughness (the equivalent of a mental core “six-pack”). The mental core is much more than mental toughness.

The mental core creates a solid, fundamental, and broad base for your overall mental fitness and, thus, your subsequent ability to perform successfully. Resilience requires us to take inventory of our mental core.


So, what does constitute the mental core?


Internal Dialogue/Self-Talk - simply put, these are the things you say to yourself about yourself and the state of world around you. A common problem with our cognitive mindset is that that it is often stuck in evaluation activities when it should be focused on other tasks (such as gathering information, skill acquisition, rehearsal, and execution, for example). Increasing your awareness of your internal dialogue/self-talk and its effect on your behavior have a great influence on your success in dealing with crises. 

Communication Skills- these skills are underrated in our crisis responses. Clear, concrete, specific communication and active listening skills are crucial to our ability to be resilient as well as being effective problem solvers and decision makers.  Paranthetically, this may be the time to embrace technology and our reliance on our electronic devices (computers, phones, tablets, and games) to maintain our connectivity as well deal with the effects of social distance and physical isolation.  We can address our addictions to our devices after we get through this crisis.

Daily Pre- and Post- Recovery Skills - here, emphasis is placed on the importance of developing a set of skills and activities that provide you with an opportunity to fully recover mentally from daily challenges.  These mental skills are as crucial as physical recovery skills. Evidence is mounting that both mental and physical recovery skills (including sleep) are more important than we ever considered in the past.

Systems Thinking - in the case of your mental core, this refers to your awareness and understanding of the matrixed complexity, interrelatedness and connection of multiple factors involved in your behavior and the behavior of others. It also refers to the idea that in order to affect real behavioral change, a system that provides structure and consistency must be put into place. Systems thinking in this context implies that mental conditioning and strengthening of your mental core requires you to become a student of mental conditioning, cognitive processes, and behavioral psychology.  It suggests the importance of interconnectivity of things as well as people.


Anxiety Management - refers to the idea that 1) anxiety is a part of life; 2) mental fitness includes the acknowledgment and management rather than the eradication of anxiety; 2) that excitement and anxiety can be two words for the same thing; and, 3) the goal of mental conditioning can't and shouldn't be to eliminate anxiety but to use it.


Emotional Intelligence - emotional intelligence (and related skills) is an important and necessary component of resilience. Emotional intelligence involves the understanding of the critical role that emotional information and social interactions play in crisis situations and success. Evidence suggests that emotional intelligence is an important characteristic of effective leadership and team development required in crises.


Confidence - this component of your mental core is one of the characteristics that has been long considered critical to success in any endeavor, including sports and the performing arts. In this model of the mental core, confidence is defined as a general sense that one's skills and abilities are capable of achieving one's desired outcomes. Many people include this component in their idea of mental toughness. Confidence is particularly dependent upon a healthy cognitive mindset. Confidence also involves our ability to take inventory of our previous encounters with extreme stress and crisis situations and remind ourselves of our strengths and mastery of previously stressful situations.


Preparation Skills - this factor suggests that 1) success is related to one's understanding and awareness that personal growth occurs through the methodical process of continuous learning and development of skills, rather than inherent, genetically-informed and pre-ordained "talent"; and, 2) is highly influenced by your desire and willingness to consistently spend long-hours of monotonous, focused, disciplined, repetitive activity to improve and perfect your skills and abilities.


Mindfulness - this important factor of the mental core refers to a broad set of skills that include mental imagery and visualization, relaxation and meditation skills, focusing and centering skills.  Research is showing that mindfulness approaches can be very helpful to day-to-day mental and emotional recovery. 

To close, these skills are greatly needed in this time of crisis as we deal with this pandemic in an effective, strategic, cooperative manner without contributing to misinformation, panic and over-reaction.    

The Mamba Mentality Will Live On

"I remember when, as a kid, I got my first real basketball. I loved the feel of it in my hands. I was so enamored with the ball that I didn’t actually want to bounce it or use it, because I didn’t want to ruin the pebbled leather grains or the perfect grooves. I didn’t want to ruin the feel. I loved the sound of it, too. The tap, tap, tap of when a ball bounces on the hardwood. The crispness and clarity. The predictability. The sound of life and light. Those are some of the elements that I loved about the ball, about the game. They were at the core and root of my process and craft. They were the reasons I went through all that I went through, put in all that I put in, dug as deep as I dug. The core and root of my process and craft. They were the reasons I went through all that I went through, put in all that I put in, dug as deep as I dug.  It all came back to that special tap, tap, tap that I first grew infatuated with as a boy."  --Kobe Bryant

“To sum up what Mamba Mentality is, it means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself,” Bryant said.

“That is what the Mentality is,” he added. “It’s a constant quest to try to better today than you were yesterday.”

A Student of the Game

In Bryant’s first game as a rookie in 1996 with the Los Angeles Lakers, he did not score and played just 6 minutes. Later in Bryant’s rookie season, he played five minutes and scored two points in a disappointing game against the Houston Rockets.

“I needed to work harder,” he wrote in an article for The Players’ Tribune. He did. Neverthless, three years later, he remembers, NBA legend Allen Iverson scored 41 points and made 10 assists while playing against him.

“Working harder wasn’t enough,” Bryant says. “I had to study this man maniacally.” And he did: “I obsessively read every article and book I could find about AI. I obsessively watched every game he had played. ... I obsessively studied his every success, and his every struggle. I obsessively searched for any weakness I could find.”

Bryant’s obsessiveness paid off. A year later, he had a second chance at guarding Iverson. He didn’t score once, Bryant recalls of the rematch:  “When I started guarding AI, he had 16 at the half. He finished the game with 16.

“Revenge was sweet. But I wasn’t satisfied after the win. I was annoyed that he had made me feel that way in the first place.”

From that point on, Bryant decided to  “approach every match-up as a matter of life and death,” he writes. “No one was going to have that kind of control over my focus ever again.” He went on to win five NBA championships over his 20 seasons with the Lakers.

Bryant’s approach is applicable beyond the NBA. As self-made entrepreneur, Grant Cardone writes in his book, Be Obsessed or be Average, ”fixation is the key to achieving massive success: “Sure, you can be successful without being obsessed, but you can’t reach the levels of success I am talking about without being obsessed.

“It’s the single common factor that super successful people around the world share.”

If anyone knows Kobe Bryant well, it’s retired Laker head trainer, Gary Vitti.  Vitti is the guy who helped keep Bryaynt in shape for two decades.

Throughout his 20-year NBA career, Bryant worked alongside Vitti.   

“He was talented, but what if I told you he wasn’t the most talented guy out there?” Vitti said. “I’m telling you, and I’ve had them all, there’s nothing really special about Kobe. I mean he’s a big guy, but he’s not that big. He was quick, but he’s not that quick. He’s fast, he wasn’t that fast. He was powerful, but he wasn’t that powerful. I mean, there were other players that had more talent than he did, so what was there about him that more talented players had zero rings and he ended up with five?”

Bryant not only worked harder than anyone else, he worked smarter than everyone else, and he was intellectually brilliant at his job, Vitti said. During halftime, when other players looked at messages, emails, and tweets on their phones, Bryant watched film from the first half of the game on a laptop in the training room to see how he could do better in the second half. The superstar athlete himself has attributed his past progress on the court to an intense work ethic and obsessively studying other players.

“He was tough in the sense that he took ‘can’t’ and ‘won’t’ out of his lexicon and he just believed that he could do it,” Vitti says. “Kobe taught me that talent is the most overrated thing in life; it’s what you do with your talent.”

Vitti tells the story of when Bryant was hanging out with a bunch of Navy SEALS; he even asked them to waterboard him in order to understand what it was about (and says the player went through with it).

“There’s certain things about him that make him very, very special,” Vitti says. “The hard work, the smart work, yes, the talent – but what he did with the talent, the toughness, the mental toughness.”

Early in his career, following some disappointing losses, Kobe reportedly began been exchanging text messages regularly with NBA legend, Michael Jordan.

“Michael has told me before, ‘You have all the tools. The mental part of how to elevate your teammates is the last piece you have to master,’’’ Bryant said. “I find [getting players involved] requires me to be more focused than usual.”

“When I’m scoring, I have a narrow, laser focus. I get totally lost in the rhythm of shooting. But when I’m facilitating, I have to take a step back and look at a much broader picture. I have to wait for things to develop, or make them develop. It takes patience.’’

“I’ve shared with my teammates how I prepare for games. My hope is that my mentality rubs off on them. I want them to see what I see, think about what I think about: Why did you turn the ball over? What was the defense doing? What were your options? If this guy cuts here and the defense does this, who does that free up?

“We’ve got guys who are gym rats, who want to work hard, who want to win. The trick is to get everybody playing together, trying to accomplish the same goal. If you have the talent and the sacrifice on top of that, you have a championship-caliber team. One player can do only so much. If you haven’t gotten to that next level, you haven’t figured out how to get everybody on the same page.”

He started his NBA career out of high school at the age of 17.  Yet, despite his success, Kobe continued to refine his game by:

• Visiting the former Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon over the summer for a 5-hour tutorial on low-post play.            

• Hiring a consultant to analyze various NBA teams’ and individual opponents’ weaknesses.

• Working with Tim Grover, Michael Jordan’s former trainer, to address weaknesses in the physical aspects of his game.

• Traveling with a portable DVD player queued to games to analyze and review.

“When you first come into the league, you’re trying to prove yourself as an individual, do things to assert yourself and establish yourself. But then once you’ve done that, there’s another level to the game that’s more complex than figuring out how to put up big numbers as an individual,” Bryant said, discussing his evolution as player and teammate.  

“The strengths that I have now were weaknesses when I was a kid,” Bryant said. “The strengths that I had as a kid may be weaknesses now. So you just kind of flip-flop and get the same results.”

“He’s always trying a new angle,” Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said about Bryant. “His work ethic is better than anybody I’ve seen, so he’s going to improve.”  D’Antoni added, “Whether he can do the same things he could do when he was younger, I don’t know, but he’ll keep getting to be a better basketball player.”

It’s been more than two decades since Kobe Bryant graduated from Lower Merion High School, a public school in the suburbs of Philadelphia. But the retired NBA star, now 40, still remembers one teacher in particular: Mr. Fisk, who taught English.

“He had a great quote: ‘Rest at the end, not in the middle,’” Bryant told podcast host and best-selling author Lewis Howes on an episode of the podcast, The School of Greatness.  “That’s something I always live by.”

Hard work has been a key ingredient in Bryant’s recipe for success since he was a teen. The emphasis on perseverance started as a defense mechanism, he told Howes:  “In middle and high school, a lot of the kids that I was playing against were inner-city kids. They’re looking at me as if, ‘OK, this kid is soft. He’s from the suburbs of Philadelphia. His father played in the NBA.’”

The challenge for Bryant became,  “How can I mentally figure out ways to break you down? How can I show you that, no, I have the edge?”

His solution was dedication.  “We used to have an all-American camp that I used to go to,” Bryant recalled. “One of the things I would do is — everybody would be at the cafeteria eating and I’d just go back to the gym. They’d see me leave. … And that was my way of showing them, ‘Yeah, maybe I’m from the suburbs, but you’re not going to outwork me.’”

He maintained an intense work ethic throughout his career with the Lakers. and often worked out harder and earlier than his peers. And he saw results: He won five NBA championships, collected two Olympic gold medals, earned one NBA MVP title and made Lakers history as the team’s all-time leading scorer. He still holds that record.

Today, Bryant runs a venture capital fund with business partner Jeff Stibel and still wakes up before the sun for a workout.   He even was awarded an Academy Award in Hollywood, for producing the Best Animated Short Film, “Dear Basketball.”

As he told Howes, even though he as retired from the NBA, “I’m not going to rest. I’m going to keep on pushing now.”