Pressure; an overpowering influence and continuing force on the mind and will.
A great game day preparation will allow you to apply the pressure. You must become that overpowering influence. You must force your will upon your opponent everyday, not just every Friday, everyday.
This game day preparation (only used by the best football players) will help you;
1. Maximize your ability.
2. Increase your focus.
3. Learn many football tactics.
4. Gain more confidence than you ever had,
5. Regain your competitive advantage, and
6. Increase your football training.
Clear your mind of self imposed pressure, self doubt, family, friends, and teammates. Believe it or not, these are your biggest opponents.
Your game day preparation is extremely important because it allows you to start the process of reinforcing positive feedback to your brain which will help you accomplish your football goals. You must start to take control of your thoughts and feelings, especially before you start your football training.
Your thoughts and feelings will give you all the things you focus on.
Scientists have discovered your mind can not tell the difference between what you want and don’t want, it is structured to give you what you focus on the most. Take some time each day to focus on your game day preparation. That will create a mindset of excellence.
Take control of your thoughts for now on. Only focus on positive situations and outcomes. Everything up to this point that you consider to be negative must be erased from your memory.
You must not bring negativity with you on your journey of becoming an elite athlete. Negative thinking will slow down this excellent process.
Take out a piece of paper and write down you goals for the year. Right now, don’t wait until tomorrow. Don’t be modest either. What kind of stats do you want, awards, acknowledgments, whatever you truly feel you want to become, write it down.
Don’t cheat yourself with your goals. Before you can become the best player on the field, you must first believe you already are that player, then your faith will naturally take its course.
What ever they are, write them down and put it in your locker. If your teammates see it, so what, if they are smart they will be doing the same thing. Focus on the poster for a few minutes before every practice and game.
This poster is your career.
What are your ultimate goals? (when your high school or college career is over) These are long term, maybe they are;
1. To play in the NFL.
2. To be the best player in school history at your position.
3. To start every game as a senior.
4. To make team captain.
I will give you your mission: To be one of the best football players to play the game.
Are you writing this down?
Tiger Woods said, when he was five, his dad instructed him to do the same thing. His poster read;
1. To be the worlds number one ranked player.
2. To win ever Major more than once, and
3. To win more Majors than Jack Nicklaus.
How do you think he’s doing so far? This process works, but you must believe .
Night Before the Game:
Write down your football goals for the game. You must have something to judge your performance against later. Rushing yards, passing yards, interceptions, tackles, whatever your position calls for.
Before you go to bed, focus on playing the game in its entirety; every quarter and every play that you will be in. Make mental notes on;
1. Your amount of carries during the game.
2. Your number of catches and yards.
3. How many touchdowns or interceptions will you have.
4. Your number of tackles you will make.
Really focus on making the play. How you’re going to do it and when? Visualize yourself actually playing the game, every play, every quarter – first down, second and third. What are you going to do to make the play? See yourself doing just that.
Think about the different football drills you did in practice and how well prepared you are because of them.
Game Day:
If you are on a road game, take your poster with you. That’s right; never ever leave your goals at home. Focus on this poster before you take the field. This again reinforces positive feedback to the brain.
This is not the time to focus on your teams’ outcome. This is the time that your creation becomes a reality. During the final 10 minutes you have in the locker room waiting for your coach to make his final speech, focus on your game stats. That is your objective for the game.
This moment is the reason;
1. Why you lift all those weights during the off season.
2. Why you wanted to play football in the first place.
3. Why you practiced in 100 degree weather during two-a-days.
4. Why you believe you are the best.
Believe me I know the feeling; excited, anxious, nerves running wild. My heart is racing just thing about it. Stay calm. This is not the time to hyperventilate, this is the time to separate from your peers.
Relax. Don’t think. Just play. You’re ready.
Remember, this is a journey not a sprint. Stay faithful to your game day preparation and watch your production increase.
Isaac Byrd is a retired NFL player and Founder of D1 Athletes. He trains youth, High School and college players by using NFL style technique, drills and elite mental preparation strategies so they are able to perform better on game day. To contact Isaac about his upcoming camps, speed training sessions and/or 1 on 1 coaching, please email him at isaac@d1-athletes.com or visit him on the web at http://www.d1-athletes.com
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