Daily Practice

Daily method of operations are important for businesses to operate efficiently and effectively. I drove to the airport and saw how when operations are not maintained how disfunctional LAX can be. I was stuck in traffic for 30 minutes just trying to get in and out of the airport. It was amazing how the traffic controllers could not clear all of the vehicles dropping off people in the departure section. If a business can get of course, so can we in our lives.

Today, let's look at what champions do to be success. This information is coming from Coach Bob Bowman, the coach that helped Michael Phelps win 22 medals of which18 were gold medals in US Olympic Swimming. Michael Phelps has the greatest medal performance of all Olympics.

Vision

“Not one of my athletes has a problem understanding why we’re in the pool and what we are there to do that day,” says Coach Bob Bowman. The vision, according to Bowman, is to swim a time that will be fast enough to win a medal. Bowman’s strategy is to help his athletes focus on the process, not the outcome. You can’t control or predict who will win a medal in any given race, “but if you’re fast enough, the outcome will take care of itself.” Medals are tangible rewards, but Bowman believes it is more important to purse excellence everyday and to remind yourself and your team of the ultimate vision. This daily habit will result in long-term greatness.

Mental Rehearsal

“You must program your internal viewfinder,” says Bowman. “For months before a race Michael gets into a relaxed state. He mentally rehearses for two hours a day in the pool. He sees himself winning. He smells the air, tastes the water, hears the sounds, sees the clock.” Phelps take visualization one step further. He sees himself from the outside, as a spectator in the stands. He sees himself overcoming obstacles, too. For example, what would he do if he fell further behind in a race than he intended? Phelps practices all potential scenarios.

According to Bowman mental rehearsal is a proven, well-established technique to achieve peak performance in nearly every endeavor. “ This is amazing too. "The brain cannot distinguish between something that's vividly imagined and something that's real." Regardless of our field, we all have a strong belief in who we are today and who we would like to be tomorrow according to Coach Bob Bowman.

When we set goals in business, sports, or any area of achievement, there’s a gap between where we are and where we want to be. “The most strongly held mental picture is where you’ll be… so get really good at mental rehearsal,” Bowman advises. “If you can form a strong mental picture and visualize yourself doing it, your brain will immediately find ways to get you there.”

Practice, Practice, Practice

A person can be blessed with raw talent and physical gifts, but nobody can achieve excellence without putting in hours and hours of practice. To prepare for the 2004 Olympic games, “Michael Phelps trained 365 days a year for six years," says Coach Bob Bowman. “For Christmas, New Year’s and birthdays. Michael worked harder than I’ve seen anybody work in any endeavor.”

An excellent performance in any field can be deceiving. The audience often assumes the performer is naturally talented because they make it look easy. I’ve seen the same reaction among great public-speakers. Brain researcher Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor delivered one of the most popular TED Talks of all time. She practiced her presentation 200 times.

The wonderful result of practice is that you have literally programmed your brain for peak performance. On the day of the event you can clear your mind and your body and trust that they will do what you’ve practiced dozens, hundreds, or thousands of times before.

Coach Bob Bowman doesn’t get the public glory that his famous student does, but make no mistake—there is no Michael Phelps without Bob Bowman and his daily habits. “Without Bob I have no shot at achieving the records I’ve achieved or winning the medals that I’ve won,” writes Phelps in the forward to Bowman’s book.

Practicing these three daily habits might not take you to the Olympics, but you’ll be more likely to outshine your competition when the race counts.

Reference: Carmine Gallo, 3 Daily Habits Of Peak Performance, Forbes

Wow! You may be doing these 3 things right now in your life which is great. You are outshining your competition and making progress towards your goals, right? If you are not practicing these daily, consider adding them into your life. Afterall, you want to be a peak performer, right? I have not met people that say "I want to be mediocre, last place, or a loser." I have met plenty of people that chose not to put forth effort and end up a loser. That is a personal decision.

Remember it is hot outside so make sure you are well hydrated, covered with sunscreen, wear light fitting clothing, and hat/visor to protect you head from the sun. You may need sunglasses too. Have a FANTASTIC Thursday! Make IT A Great Day!

/Test Path