Way of the Champion. Jerry Lynch, Ph.D.

are terrific qualities, yet they were somewhat conservative. In fact, these words described who she is already, so no stretch there. I told her that she is much more, and that I wanted her to explore the possibilities. So I changed the question. I suggested, “Think of people you admire, particularly athletes, and list the qualities and virtues you most admire in them and would like to develop in yourself. These could be people you intimately know, or some you simply hear about because of their fame or stature in their sport or profession.” Using Annika Sorenstam, arguably the best female golfer, and her personal teacher, John, as models, Barbara identified “aggressive, calm, relentless, controlled, detached, and prepared” as adjectives she’d like others to use in talking about her a year later. I told her that when you identify qualities in others that you like yet seem to lack, those traits are actually part of your nature, and they remain dormant unless developed. Capitalizing on this psychology of self, I then asked the most important question: “What five or six actions or behaviors can you demonstrate on a daily basis that would allow others to really see you in this way?” When she listed these, I asked her to do two things. First, write a strong affirmation on an index card, for example: “I am an aggressive, relentless, yet calm athlete.” Or, “When I am controlled, detached, and prepared, I play my best golf.” Second, on another card, list the actions and behaviors needed to demonstrate those traits, and check each day to see if she did accomplish these tasks. This is an exercise in self-accountability and responsibility, one that reinforces, validates, and directs one’s journey as a champion. Now, you can do the same thing. Know that a host of deeper, more meaningful qualities reside within you; they just need to be discovered and practiced. Before long, others will think you’ve changed, but you are simply manifesting what is already you, your basic core. You must, however, be sure to “work” these words on a consistent daily basis. After three weeks, the change will be apparent. Barbara has followed this way, and changes are evident in her game. People were remarking about her shift after only one week. She teaches us the value of self-definition for higher levels of play. Learn that so much more lies beneath the surface; practice developing these traits.

      SELF-TALK AND IMAGERY

      IN HIS REVEALING and riveting book, My Losing Season, author and one-time national-class basketball athlete, Pat Conroy, states, “We must learn to not listen to the malignant sounds of negativity.” This noise can come from others in our lives as well as from the inner voice developed from society’s messages. Such self-talk deeply influences self-esteem and the way we perceive or see ourselves— that is, self-image. I have learned this from champions: No matter how good you feel about yourself, the malignant sounds will penetrate your nervous system and dictate the road you travel, unless they are short-circuited by strong, positive opposing messages. Champions know this and take specific steps to stay on track when negative self-talk and images make their entry into their minds and hearts. They do this, not by forcing the negative self-talk and images away, but by substituting workable, upbeat words and phrases, called “affirmations,” along with images that support these words.

      You should exercise unrelenting discipline over your

       thought patterns. Cultivate only productive attitudes....

       You are the product of everything you put into your body

       and mind.

      

I Ching

      In 1989, while working with the University of California Santa Cruz men’s tennis team, the athletes and I came up with the affirmation “Straight Line in ’89” to keep us on track. We won the national championship that year, and these words kept these champions focused every day along the way. Affirmations are short statements that are true or have the potential to be true in the future. They direct you toward your goals, actions, and behaviors by reminding you to do those things that place you in position for personal best performances, regardless of the outcome. UCSC may have lost that championship, even though they used this affirmation, but because of it, they did stay focused on doing the right things to maximize their chances. Affirmations are self-direction, not self-deception. They bring you closer to your desires than you would be without them. Take those words that define you, from the previous section, and form your own affirmation. In sports and all of life, remember: The words you use create your reality. Keep them positive and they will provide the power to transform the quality of your existence.

      The words you create need to be positive and in the present tense, as if what you are saying is true now; keep them concise and optimistic. For example: “Calm and confident, I play well.” “I expect success, I am one of the best.” (Success, of course, means the process—executing the plan, as opposed to success on the scoreboard.) “I have all that it takes; I am good enough.” Once you write your affirmations, do what champions do. Place each one on an individual index card; carry these cards with you when you travel, and read them several times daily. When you do, imagine that the feeling these words create in you, or the situation they describe, is actually true. For example, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine these words to be true: “I am a strong, vibrant, healthy athlete.” Notice the feeling you get. Compare this with “I am a weak, out-of-shape, helpless person.” Your nervous system knows and feels the difference.

      Throughout this book, you will be given affirmations that will help you to better absorb the concepts to be learned in the chapters. Practice them and feel free to create your own, using any of the lessons within these pages. In his book Human Options, Norman Cousins strongly suggests that the principal language of this age “must be concerned with the awakening of vast multitudes to the possibilities rather than the limitations of life.”

      PERSONAL INSPIRATION

      INSPIRATION IS ONE of those intangibles that most of us crave, but very few are able to access when needed. Coaches may shout “Get inspired!” or “Play inspired!” yet nothing seems to happen without some touchstone or reference point.

      First off, it’s important to know that, by definition, inspiration refers to any stimulus that causes creative thought or action. Being inspired requires a prompting from something written or said, or the presence of a particular person or object, each of which gives life or courage in the heat of performance. Being inspired helps you to become more animated and motivated to carry out a desired task.

      Champions often inspire themselves with a simple act of consciousness. They may think about a song, a poem, a passage from a book—like the Bible, Koran, or I Ching —a friend, a parent, a character in a movie, or even someone they do not know but have heard about, such as the Dalai Lama. You can do the same by taking words, thoughts, or ideas and pasting them on your locker door or carrying them in your training bag. If it’s a person, a picture will suffice. Among some athletes, the use of a well-placed tattoo seems to be a source of inspiration.

      When you are out on the court or field, in the locker room or boardroom, getting ready to give a presentation to a large audience or simply on the sidelines, and you feel the need to get charged and emotionally engaged, recite the words, sing the lines, or picture the face and message of the person you admire, and devote your efforts to your inspiration of choice.

      Personally, I am inspired by an eighty-four-year-old man who continues to improve his performance in the Iron Man Triathlon in Hawaii. I am inspired by Van Morrison and his soulful voice and lyrics. I am inspired by all the champion athletes who continue to teach me the lessons of diligence, dedication, and devotion to a cause. I am inspired by nature’s awesome gift of beauty as I mountain bike high in the Sierras on a balmy summer morning. Who or what inspires you, and how do you access this for future performance?

      DEDICATION TO A LIFESTYLE

      ALL DEDICATED ATHLETES and other people get inspired, but not all inspired athletes or others become dedicated. Being dedicated is “staying the course” amid the storms of uncertainty. It’s not about discipline or motivation. Some people are inspired for a few minutes or days, motivated for a few days or months, yet dedicated for a lifetime. Dedication is the devotion to a certain way, in this case the lifestyle of a champion, in order to make the most out of oneself, to discover just how darn good you can be. Dedication is