Jeremy Lin has taken the NBA by storm. In one of the most unlikely stories in NBA history, he has captivated the sports world with his brilliant play and underdog nature. This is probably the biggest phenomenon in sports since… lets say… Tim Tebow!

There are many amazing factors about this Jeremy Lin story. The fact that he is Asian American playing in the NBA is one (The first American born player in history to be of Chinese or Taiwanese decent). Or the fact that he played his collegiate career at Harvard University (Only one other player has ever played at Harvard and made it to the NBA). Or the fact that he wasn’t even drafted coming out of college. Lin has definitely seized the moment even with all these odds stacked against him.

Although all of these factors make for a great story, probably the most impressive and overlooked element of all is the fact that he continued to work hard and prepare himself to take advantage of his opportunity.

A lot can be learned from Lin’s story. Always work hard at your craft no matter what. You may not be getting the time you want or feel you deserve. You may feel like things aren’t going the way they should and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. It’s easy to fall into a rut and lose confidence in your game when things aren’t going your way. Regardless of the tough times you are going through as an athlete, you must be prepared at all times because you never know when your number will be called.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

The Green Bay Packers start their 2011 title defense with a 42-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints. There has been much talk about a Super Bowl hangover and how difficult it is to repeat as champion. In fact, many recent champions have had troubles just getting back to the post season the following year.

There are certain main elements that contribute to this let down for many champions. A feeling of complacency tends to take over after achieving your ultimate goal. Becoming overconfident traditionally is a fixture in the mindset after winning it all. Also, many champions become satisfied once they hoist that trophy in the air.

The above mentioned and similar factors are a recipe for disaster once you’ve reached that mountain top. An athletes’ hunger and desire aren’t quite the same. The work ethic put in doesn’t have the same intensity. The off-season preparation lacks the focus needed to get back on top.

Many athletes go wrong thinking they can just show back up and do it all over again. Preparation is the key to avoid a let down after winning it all. The team and/or individual must create good habits right away both mentally and physically. There has to be strong focus and attention to detail during the preparation phase for the upcoming season or event.

Work hard at your craft as if you have never won anything. Prepare yourself mentally by being efficient and detailed oriented during your practices. Drive and push yourself to be better than you were a year ago, a month ago, a week ago, a day ago. Be specific in the areas where you want to get better. Develop a stronger focus on execution of the task you want to master.

Creating detailed mental habits of execution will keep your mind from allowing the outcome of your achievements to be the focal point. Slacking off becomes an option once complacency settles in. Don’t fall in to this trap. Don’t allow complacency to be an option. Prepare yourself during practice and create good habits right away as you get ready for your next event or season. Accomplish these tasks and the likelihood for more success will be much higher moving forward.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

Usain Bolt is arguably the fastest man to ever put on a pair of sneakers. He has dominated the world of track in field over the past few years with his explosive speed and unwavering confidence. Even with all this success, hard work ethic and mental toughness, costly mistakes can jump up and bite the best of them.

No one is above the law when it comes to focusing on the task at hand. There is no substitute for being locked in and focused on what you are trying to achieve. It doesn’t matter how good of an athlete you are or how confident you feel. One of the keys to competitive success is to be able to focus on that one shot at a time, that one play right in front of you or that immediate task staring you right in the face. It may sound like the oldest cliche in the world but sometimes old rules seem to stand the test of time.

Make sure to be consistent with your focus going in to an event no matter how confident you may feel. When distractions become a road block to your success during competition its time to rededicate yourself to task at hand. You are selling yourself short if you allow your focus to wander to things like winning a game or making a putt. Focusing on the outcome of what you’re doing instead of the process of executing the task in front of you will only bring mistakes that could’ve been avoided with the right type of focus.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

Webb Simpson finally gets his first PGA Tour victory at the 2011 Wyndham Championship after posting three second place finishes this year. Coming in to this tournament Webb was 12th on the FedEx points list, 15th in Greens In Regulation and 4th in scoring average. It was only a matter of time before Simpson would figure to break though.

What seemed to finally get Simpson over the top and claim his first tour victory? One element that really stands out was the execution of his routine. This is an area Webb had admittedly felt was a struggle for him late in tournaments. Under pressure, he would back off many shots which ultimately broke his rhythm of play. His rhythm and routine has been traditionally great for three rounds. Now he just had to do a better job of getting in to his shots when the pressure was more intense.

The experience from previous tournaments and being in contention helped tremendously. He learned more and more what he was doing wrong and how his routine was affected. In the end, Simpson became a better competitor by solving this rhythm problem.

Figure out your routine and what works for you. It should be something simple and executed with consistency. A good routine will allow you to focus on your task of execution instead of the outcome of what’s in front of you. The more you practice your routine and become familiar with it, the better prepared you will be for competition.

Knowing your routine, the steps and most importantly the rhythm of your execution will pay big dividends for you during a competitive round. You’ll know right away that pressure is getting to you as soon as your rhythm changes.

Usually one or two things will happen. You’ll get too fast or you’ll get to slow. If getting fast is your problem then anxiety has gotten the best of you. When that anxiety takes over things tend to happen much faster thus a quicker routine which can lead to a faster swing tempo. Take your time and relax. Use a breathing technique to slow down heart rate. Walk slower to your next shot. Smooth out your practice swings to establish a better flow before going to hit the ball.

On the other hand, if you get too slow then most likely you are trying to over execute and get too perfect to pull off a shot. Being too perfect can be a killer when it comes to having good rhythm. Things like over analyzing shots, double and triple checking to make sure you are lined up to your target and resetting multiple times to pull off one shot. These actions will cause you to loose your instincts and feel. It will take you much longer than normal to pull off a shot.

Trust all of your hard work and practice you’ve put in. Also, stay committed to your natural rhythm you have consistently worked on and executed. Doing this will allow you to handle pressure with confidence and help you become a much better competitor.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex