Psyched Up

the world according to zen

What a fun topic especially in the season of the NFL playoffs. What separates one athlete from the next? The psychology of the very best and their ability "in the clutch" is the intangible quality many associate with the very best. This extends WELL BEYOND sport and is a potent set of life skills. This is my 100th post and now > 400 unique readers! The plan is still 100 subscribers and 1000 unique readers by the end of the year. 

Phil Jackson, the coach of the Bulls and the Lakers was an advocate of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. He was referred to as the zen master. It did not hurt that his players included Jordan, Pippen, Magic, Kobe, Shaq, and Kareem. He won 11 championships as a coach. This is the Lakers meditating before a big game.

The Inspiration

Today my post brings me back to the beginning. One of my VERY FIRST posts was titled “The Happiest Place on Earth” and was published on 29-SEP-2020. Tonight my post was inspired by one of the wonderful people who I spent some time with on that trip. We’ve all heard the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon or separation in general. Tonight my post is inspired by 1 degree of separation. A person I got to spend some time with on my trip to the Finger Lakes gave me an idea to post about as tonight’s inspiration. “C” happens to be one of the daughters of my cousin “P” who I stayed with at the happiest place on earth. If you want to read a pretty good tale about four degrees of separation, read my post titled “Metadata”.

The Setup

I enjoy watching and participating in sports. What sets one player apart from another? Differences in size and skill do not explain performance differences. Sometimes there is a player who seems to “rise to the occasion” more than others. Do they throw a better spiral? Are they faster? Are they stronger? If this were all there was to it, predicting the winner of contests would be easier than it is. The intangibles matter. Whatever your favorite sport is, there is likely a figure who exemplifies superior sports psychology. I do not propose that skill does not accompany the player; rather it is the skill plus the psychology that is often the difference.

The Details

While I was inspired, I lacked an angle on sports psychology so I turned to my treadmill and watched a video or two. The question is where to look. I thought of a handful of figures who stood out for me; Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and Eldridge “Tiger” Woods but will mention others I imagine. Where to look brings to mind a joke and reminds me why I gravitated to the hugely successful examples I listed. Here’s a joke to reinforce my point about where to look:

A man comes stumbling out of a restaurant and almost immediately kneels down and starts digging around in the adjacent bushes near the entrance.

The greeter asks him what the problem is and what is he looking for?

The man replies I lost my keys to my car.

The greeter replies did you look by your car and why are you looking here?

The man replies I am looking here because the light is good.

I think my examples are good places to start. Tom Brady was passed over by many and was the 199th pick in the 2000 draft. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school team but became a remarkable player in college. He was the 3rd pick in the NBA draft in 1984. The Portland Trailblazers were sure that a 7 footer from Kentucky named Sam Bowie offered more promise. Tiger Woods was an African American man coached only by his father outside of the traditional country club environment that creates golfers for as long as the game has existed.

The top 20 players chosen in the 1984 NBA draft are instructional so they are provided here:

(1) Akeem Olajuwon (2) Sam Bowie (3) Michael Jordan (4) Sam Perkins (5) Charles Barkley (6) Melvin Turpin (7) Alvin Robertson (8) Lancaster Gordon (9) Otis Thorpe (10) Leon Wood (11) Kevin Willis (12) Tim McCormick (13) Jay Humphries (14) Michael Cage (15) Terence Stansbury (16) John Stockton (17) Jeff Turner (18) Vern Fleming (19) Bernard Thompson (20) Tony Campbell

Why bother with this list? The analytics that accompanies the selection process in NBA drafts is impressive. The league even preserves the concept of lottery picks for the handful of early picks. Early top choices are considered can’t miss players. The 1984 draft was unusual. Jordan emerged with a unique status. The other nineteen players managed to win a single NBA title throughout their careers (except for a handful when Jordan retired to play baseball) when the Houston Rockets won a few titles. #17 Jeff Turner was on the Lakers when they won a title but played sparingly. Being sufficiently dominant that you largely denied ANY OF YOUR PEERS (including three perennial All-Stars from a title you contended for means a pattern to me).

The person my YouTube feed brought me to on the treadmill was George Mumford. The video linked here was a speech he gave at Google as a motivational and instructional guide on mindfulness as it applies to sports and life in general. George Mumford has provided motivational advice to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Phil Jackson in the basketball realm.

While it may have been natural to focus more on Tom Brady, that is difficult for a self-respecting Buffalo Bills fan. I acknowledge his greatness and his focus on the complete transformation to champion. It is just too much for a Bills fan to swallow I am afraid.

Because of my love of tennis, I also want to mention Naomi Osaka. Hers has been an unusual journey. Her rise on the tour has been associated with outsized attention on her ability to focus. When the Grand Slams are finally counted for Serena Williams I think that her record may stand unique in Women’s Grand Slam history. It will also be clear that the reason she may not get her 24th title which she has been chasing for years is Naomi Osaka. Naomi has reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam four times. All four times she has won AND went on to win the final. The pressure of the constant press led to her withdrawing from the 2021 US Open citing her mental health. It will be interesting as she returns to the tour to see what impact sports psychology plays. She has been open with her challenges and I consider that a great lesson for all of us. Osaka has met Serena in the twilight of her career and holds a 2-0 advantage head to head in Grand Slams. In both cases, Osaka was considered the mentally consistent player with a steely focus.

For me, as I’ve gotten older I have committed to mindfulness and how meditation can calm our minds. The benefits for some can permeate your life and well beyond sports. Like most things in life, to try new things costs very little and the payoff can be great even if only to result in the knowledge that it is not for you. There is a serenity that comes with knowing WHY YOU BELIEVE something.

While perusing and trying to gain some insights about sports psychology I came upon this list of key mental skills that a successful athlete must hone for long-term success. They struck me as good guideposts for life in general:

1. Choose and maintain a positive attitude

2. Maintain a high level of self-motivation

3. Set high, realistic goals

4. Deal effectively with people

5. Use positive self-talk

6. Use positive mental imagery

7. Manage anxiety effectively

8. Manage their emotions effectively

9. Maintain concentration

My favorite part of the Mumford video is an excerpt from his book in which he presents the values that shape his work to bring mindfulness to others. They include love, curiosity, truth, wisdom, selfless service, integrity, courage, and compassion. When I heard that, the music for the evening was sealed. This is one of my favorite songs and tonight I decided to play it from a different artist. I have previously posted my favored version. Which version do you like if any? Listen to them and your day will be better.

P.S. — In the Meantime

I often write these posts in advance. Once in a while I go back and make a tweak or two. Today, the Australian Open Men’s Final was played between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev. Tennis is unusual for the amount of time focus must be maintained. The match took 5+ hours, and a man who has won more Grand Slams than anyone in history maintains focus for a comeback, and motivation to continue playing. Remaining focused, sustaining desire, and raising your game after 5 hours have a lot to do with mental performance. Nadal was on crutches only months ago. If you have access to ESPN+, find the archived match and only watch from 4:45 forward at 2-2 in the 5th set. The postscript makes tonight’s music selection all the better.