Several years ago I was contacted by a new high school varsity coach who was at his wits end. The year before, his new team had only one win all season and it had been almost ten years since the team had made it to the play-offs.

During our initial meeting, he explained that every varsity player had worked extremely hard throughout the winter and spring in the weight room. There was newfound camaraderie between his team members and he really liked what he was seeing, but the team was still not where he felt they needed to be. He went on to say that the only thing they seemed to be lacking was any real measure of self-belief and confidence. He believed if his team could gain a better attitude and somehow forget about the past - they might just have a respectable season and could prepare for an even better showing the following year.

After working out all of the details, a few days later the Coach offered my program to his players (on an entirely elective basis) and I began session work with the players that same week.

The first night only five team members showed-up. The Coach wasn't kidding. Although they all appeared to be in great physical condition it was all too obvious they were very mentally deflated. Their body language alone spoke volumes.

Early on, I asked them, "Do you BELIEVE you are capable of winning games this year?"

After a long uncomfortable silence, one player finally spoke-up and said, "No, because no matter what we do, we always end up losing."

Obviously, we had a lot of work to do.

To make a long story short, by the second session, nine players attended. By session three, fourteen. And at most, twenty-two. I worried that with only part of the team attending, my mental conditioning sessions might not be as effective as they would be if I had the entire team. To my relief, my question was answered a few days later on the field.

 
From my vantage point in the bleachers, it was as though there was a brand new team on that football field for the season opener that night. By the end of the first quarter it was very apparent the team had significantly improved their energy levels, endurance and stamina. They charged out there looking fierce, determined and confident and as the game progressed they seemed to only get tougher and stronger. They exhibited incredible focus, consistency and drive and they worked beautifully together. By the end of the first half, they were winning 20 to 7.

They were more accurate, decisive and much more aggressive. They rallied one another, supported each other and played very hard. What struck me most of all was that they were suddenly playing as though there was no such thing as the possibility of defeat. The difference between their per-season scrimmages and the season opener was like night and day. They had a whole new attitude. They were on that field to win the game and they did just that. The final score was 38 - 14.

 
In addition to great coaching and an intensive physical training regimen, Mental Conditioning helped remove the self-limiting and self-defeating thoughts, feelings and attitudes that had been preventing this team from moving forward for far too long.

 
You see, how you "THINK" and "FEEL" about yourself, your team and your ability has EVERYTHING to do with how well you will perform on the field.

Fact is, YOUR THOUGHTS HELP CREATE YOUR LIFE CIRCUMSTANCE. So, if you have suffered an unexpected loss, you delivered a performance far below your skill level and have begun questioning yourself or the strength of your team -- your game WILL suffer as a result.

Bottom line, elite and professional athletes all have one thing in common - they all THINK, FEEL and BELIEVE they are winners and champions. One professional player once said to me, "When my head is in the right place, my body does what it's supposed to do, what I want and need it to do every minute of every game."
Getting back to the varsity team, mid-way through the season, just before our weekly session was about to start, one of the team captains told me he had an announcement to make.

 
He stood up and simply said, "We just wanted to let you know we have decided, we are going to make it to the play-offs this year."

They had "decided!"

 
THEY were going to make it to the play-offs?
Not try. He was emphatic. They were "going to make it to the play-offs."
Interesting choice of words, don't you think?

And you know what?
They did just that.