The Athlete's Pledge

Last month, while on vacation in Maui, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting and observing Master Paul Main, owner and founder of Ohana Martial Arts in Kahului. Master Main is extremely decorated as a martial artist (I won't even begin to list the numerous belts he owns... would be a VERY long post) and he is also the #1 ranked 50-and-over International Martial Arts Council point fighting champion. To put it lightly and in lay terms, this guy is one badass!

What impressed me the most is Master Main's teaching and coaching abilities. He has been awarded the IMAC Coach of the Year in 2006 and Ohana Martial Arts was named School of the Year in 2006 as well. He has mentored over 80 World Champions in just 7 years of participating in IMAC competitions.

When I asked Master Main what his secret of success was, he replied, "Eliminate laziness, ignorance, and negativity." One of the tools used to accomplish this at Ohana Martial Arts is with the pledge the students say before every training session. It is a powerful tool to focus the students for the day's lessons but also provides a form of goal-oriented affirmation. It is brilliant!

Here is Master Main's pledge:
I will always develop myself in a positive manner,
and obey the tenants of Tae Kwon Do:
Courtesy,
Integrity,
Perseverance,
Self Control,
Indomitable Spirit.
We are a black belt school.
We are dedicated.
We are motivated.
We are on a quest to be our best!

When I heard this, it reminded me of The Prayer of the Sportsman, written by Berton Brayley and used by Knute Rockne:
Dear Lord, in the battle that goes on through life,
I ask but a field that is fair,
A chance that is equal with all in the strife,
A courage to strive and to dare:
And if I should win, let it be by the code
With my faith and my honor held high;
And if I should lose, let me stand by the road
And cheer as the winners go by.

And Lord, may my shouts be ungrudging and clear,
A tribute that comes from the heart,
And let me not cherish a snarl or a sneer
Or play any sniveling part;
Let me take off my hat to the warriors who strode
To victory splendid and high;
Yes, teach me to stand by the side of the road
And cheer as the winners go by.

For those of you who are Nebraska Football fans, you'll recognize some of the prayer above! The modified version Nebraska uses today is:
Dear Lord, In the battles we go through in life,
We ask for a chance that's fair.
A chance to equal all our stripes.
A chance to do or dare.

If we should win,
Let it be by the code:
With faith and honor held high.

And if we should lose,
Let us stand by the road
and cheer as the winners go by.

Day by day!!
We get better and better!!
A team that can't be beat!!
Won't be beat!!!



These are ideas that you can incorporate into your own teams. This is a fantastic way to set a positive tone and mindset for your athletes while reaffirming goals. It brings focus and attention to the task at hand in a productive manner.

Goal Achievement - Making Your Case

This is something that I share with my post players. It can be translated from on the court to the classroom and obviously to the business world. I remind our guys frequently that if it really is important to them, they'll find a way. I like the way this is explained in that they have to answer the question of why it is important to them. The answer has got to be more specific than just "because".

From Success magazine's February 2010 issue:

Is Your "WHY" BIG ENOUGH?
Make your case to achieve your goal.

If someone you love calls you with an emergency, you rush to help, right? It's because your "why," or reason your reason for doing it, is clear and important. You don't have to give it much thought. Your actions are almost automatic.

When your reasons for doing something are big enough, you will have the motivation to make sure it happens. If you want to run your first marathon, publish a book, break your sales goal, spend more time with your family or take your business to the next level, you first have to answer the question: Why? Your answer builds your case for staying disciplined.

1. Write out your why. Ask yourself, "Why do I want X?" and write down your answer.

2. Be specific and clear. Example: "I want to be able to bench-press 200 pounds, because then I will be in better shape." Or, "I want to work harder on my business to land that big account." Include how your life will improve if you hit your goal.

3. When you find yourself slipping on your goal, remember or reread your why. Or use it as your personal mantra.

Once you make your case strong enough, you will win your personal trials.

Lanny Bassham and the Directive Affirmation

My good friend and head golf coach at Concordia turned me on to this great book. Lanny Bassham outlines the mental approaches he took in order to become a world class rifle shooter. The book is a very easy read, but extremely valuable in content.

I remember going to summer basketball camp and watching a Bob Knight video where Coach Knight says, "The mental is to the physical as four is to one." If this is true, we as coaches do not spend enough time on the most important part of the game: The Mental Game.

Bassham outlines the Directive Affirmation in his book. I implemented the Directive Affirmation with my post players this past season. The result was increased self confidence and performance. Here are the steps in the Directive Affirmation:

STEP 1: Define the goal.
STEP 2: Set a time limit; best results in 21 days and 9 days off.
STEP 3: List the personal pay-value of reaching this goal.
STEP 4: Outline the plan to achieve the goal.
STEP 5: Write a Directive Affirmation in the first person present tense, beginning with the word "I". State the goal as if you already are in possession of it. List the pay-value and the plan outline. Restate the goal. Date the paragraph with the target date.
STEP 6: In your own handwriting, make five copies on note cards.
STEP 7: Place the cards in five prominent places such as bathroom mirrors, refrigerators, computer screens, etc... (These locations are what Bassham calls Key Points).
STEP 8: Read and visualize your Directive Affirmation each time you come to a Key Point

An example of a Directive Affirmation for a player wanting to be a better free-throw shooter would look something like this:
11/1/09. I am the best free-throw shooter on my team. I start each game and enjoy the chance to help my team win by making free-throws. I always run a mental program before each shot and reinforce each successful basket by saying, "That's like me!" Also, I record my performance analysis and read and visualize my Directive Affirmation daily. I am the best free-throw shooter on my team.