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"Confidence is 90% preparation and 10% belief." – Jack Nicklaus, 18-time major champion in golf. |
Perspiration
I just returned from trips to Oregon and Southern California. On the latter trip, I had the opportunity to support my younger daughter as she ran the Long Beach Half Marathon. My older daughter made signs, my wife cheered loudly, and I supplied the cowbell. The course looped back and forth, enabling us to watch the runners multiple times from start to finish. As I watched, I was struck by the different approaches runners took to the race. Many of the leaders were all business—eyes forward. Some, however, engaged with the crowd and acknowledged us each time they passed. The same was true of the next group of runners—serious about the task but not elite. Finally, there were the recreational runners. Mixed in among them were runners wearing tutus, parents pushing strollers, and one guy running barefoot.
Even though the only things on the line were the finisher medal, an In-N-Out burger, and free beer (for some), the principles of performance were still necessary. In particular: Self-talk – Mantras, encouragement, and self-coaching (e.g., “You can do it,” “One more mile,” or “Left, right, left, right”) all played a significant role. Preparation – Whether it was the mileage put in by the runners, testing out their racing clothes, or practicing how to eat a gel packet while running, preparation fueled the belief that the race could be run. Humor – Research has shown that seeing a smiling face reduces the rate of perceived exertion. Laughter can increase endurance and lessen pain. The runners definitely appreciated signs with messages like, “On a scale of 1–10, you're a 13.1,” “Dating in LA is tougher than a half marathon,” “Toenails are overrated,” “Where is everyone going?” and “You're running better than the government.”
The next time you have something difficult or tedious to do, consider using these same skills. |
Inspiration
“I didn’t have the pedigree of a junior golfer growing up. I wasn’t raised or groomed to be a professional golfer. I walked on to a California state school. I didn’t really — I guess I kind of blossomed as I took on this journey, whether it was junior golf, then high school golf, then college. I didn’t know what my ceiling was, I guess you could say. I still don’t know what it is. But if you had said before I turned pro, ‘Hey, you’re going to win a PGA Tour event, you’re going to play nine or ten years out there, you’re going to make some good money, and you’re going to have fun doing it,’ that would be a great accomplishment in my terms. But yeah, who knows. The sky’s the limit.”
Those were the words of golfer J.J. Spaun back in March, after holding the lead at The Players Championship. He would go on to lose that tournament in a playoff to Rory McIlroy, but he carried this perspective with him into the U.S. Open. So it shouldn’t have been surprising that—despite bogeying five of his first six holes on the final day—he maintained a great attitude. In fact, years of nurturing this perspective built the mindset necessary to handle the hardest golf course in the world. Consider: Prior to Sunday, he had only one PGA Tour win. He once lost 50 pounds after doctors misdiagnosed his Type 1 diabetes as Type 2. At 3:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, he ran to CVS for medication because his daughter was throwing up.
And then there’s his hobby from youth—skateboarding. |
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The skating mindset is about embracing failure, trying again and again until you finally master a trick. You can hear that mindset echo in this comment from Spaun, “I think it's just perseverance. I've always kind of battled through whatever it may be to kind of get to where I needed to be and get to what I wanted.”
A year ago, J.J. Spaun was considering retirement and moving on to the next phase of his life. Ironically, the acceptance and contentment he expressed helped free his mind. Now, he’s ready to move into the next—and completely different—phase of his career. |
Preparation
One of the traps in endurance races (and in life) is getting caught up in what those around you are doing. Trying to keep up with—or pass—someone in front of you may not be the best decision. It's important to run your race and run your pace, because you don’t know what race those around you are running. Likewise, comparing your time to others’ is a recipe for disappointment.
As Teddy Roosevelt wrote, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Nearly two thousand years earlier, the Roman philosopher Seneca urged a “steady, unruffled course” and encouraged “looking with pleasure upon [your] surroundings,” thus avoiding the interruption of joy. This peace of mind is known as euthymia—a state of tranquility and well-being. In both sport and life, aiming for euthymia is a discipline that leads to high performance. |
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