Reading about dangerous sports in the Los Angeles Times Sports section while traveling out here on business made me think about a golfer I am coaching who used to be a professional snowboarder. He’s shared several adrenaline addiction stories having had a series of near death experiences in his younger life as his passion for extreme sports and dangerous situations like surfing in near hurricane conditions nearly got him killed.
After years of watching the Yankees sign high priced superstars to long-term contracts I feel strongly that they did the right thing by letting Cano go by passing on his demands. At 31, it’s hard to argue that another 10 year two hundred plus million contact is worth the risk, especially given the A-Rod situation. It takes courage to change course and do things differently and the Yankees are finally showing some – good stuff! I teach clients what I call fluidity or the flexibility to do things differently, especially if what they have been doing is not working. The Yankees have had a lot of success with high priced superstars in the past but the world is changing and the numbers are getting out of hand for guys that are already in their prime and may only have a few great years left. Only time will tell but again congrats for trying a different approach!
The more golfers I coach, the more I love it. Golf is a very complex sport because the ball doesn’t move! That may sound counter-intuitive but it’s not – what I mean is that because the ball doesn’t move without the golfer making a swing, the mental game is even more important. I just shot at 76 at Yale golf course over the weekend. It was a great round but especially good considering that I’ve only played four times all fall. I was relaxed and peaceful with nothing about life or business bothering me. When I coach athletes, I help them eliminate all the dramas and distractions in their lives. This is huge. Having a clear mind and playing at one’s best is almost synonymous. I also work on present moment time and teach others to do so. The more present we are the better we play! There’s so much more…
I love reading about and watching athletes and entrepreneurs who go about their tasks or jobs in ways that “feel” right for them but don’t necessarily abide by conventional standards! Cabrera is one of those guys who hit by “feel” and don’t do things that are technically correct or sound. I play golf well largely through “feel.” It’s great to have solid technicals but many times good fundamentals are not enough. Allowing yourself to “feel” your way through a skill is invaluable. This too takes practice and confidence but can add a dimension to your life and business that no technical skill can!
A client of mine asked me to work with her thirteen year-old daughter who is a competitive ballerina in south Florida. I said sure, relishing the challenge of helping an adolescent in a sport that I have never experienced first hand. The cool part about working with athletes as a Sports Psychologist is that no matter what the sport, the underlying issues are similar. And so are the techniques that we can apply to address them!