Performance Momentum Presents

Danielle Ammaccapane & Ida Centoni

Tense, Tough Lies & Tournament Play

Playing Through With Mental Toughness

In today's world, we compete daily if not hourly - and it is essential to be mentally tough to be competitive in the business arena and on the golf course.

As a golfer, the ability to stay in state, create a strong mental consciousness and be playing at your personal best at all times, is the foundation on which your improvement is built. Quality thinking is essential to be competitive and thrive, not just survive - in any tournament you play in or any contest you take on. Even if your on a college team - the ability to work together towards something - the common vision, like a division championship, in team results or individual play - your mental toughness will constitute and unbeatable force.

To accept good advice from others is to increase one's own ability. In golf you need to go the gym, and mechanics/fundamentals practice gym and the mind gym. You need to put your team together - your coaches and you want to a successful team that beats to one heart, YOURS! The player, the pro - the talent.

Ken Blanchard, one of my best teachers said, "None of us is as smart as all of us". That is so true for the aspiring golfer as well as the professional player who understands the process and how the coaches they select impact their performance.

Here is my basic rule for winning in golf and being successful. "Mark in your mind and remember it, use it and access it as needed. What is it? References and resources to be successful. Maintaining the highest standards for yourself, knowing what you can expect from yourself - is what excellence is all about. Excellence comes from looking after the smallest detail and going the extra mile in your training. It means doing your best in everything you do - your swing, your body and your mind.

The price of success is hard work, dedication and determination. Whether you win or lose, my question is this - "Did you do your best? Did you give your all? Did you apply what you learned, we're you committed?

They is always a way if your committed. Total commitment is paramount to the ultimate performance. That is Performance Momentum.

When do you want to attend? Let's us know! Summer classes start Tuesday in Livermore, California.

The most important principle in mental toughness is your current level of desire and your future vision. You can learn the steps to take today that will build your momentum mentally for tomorrows successes.

Golf is probably one of the most fragile sports psychologically. I say often to my clients, "I'm a scratch player at what I do - and I don't know about you, but I know I can't enjoy the luxury of a negative thought".

Research shows that the mind doesn't lie to the body. Tense thoughts are followed by tense muscles and in golf, you can tighten up the wrong muscles enough to send your ball to another planet rather than the fairway you were aiming for. I don't know if you are a golfer, but if you are, you want to consistently knock strokes off your game. That I know for sure. It is also a known fact you can't leave the mental part of your sport or life to chance.

This is from a story about Tiger Woods - the worlds best golfer, and Michael Jordan - the world best basketball player:

The chatter was endless, and as always, Jordan was doing most of the talking.
He was asked after the round how many majors Woods might have won if he had to be paired with Jordan during the final round.

“Not as many,” Jordan said. “I can get in his head.”

Woods doesn’t argue.

“He wins all the time,” Woods said of the trash-talking battle.I’ll just throw out a jab every now and then, but basically this
is my home court, so it’s a little easier for me. On his court, it would be a little different deal.”

So what's your chatter? Who and what pulls you out of state? The understanding of state management on or off the course, in or out of the game or office - is one of the most important skills to learn to win any game.

What conditions must you create within yourself to experience the next level in your game? Your life?

Oh my game? My "Show Time" ...Life!

Cognitive interference refers to unwanted and often disturbing thoughts that intrude
an individual’s cognitive world. It plays an important role in stress and poor performance. Commonly stated as a state – it's interference for you to focus, it means your pictures don’t match.

What you receive depends on what you pay attention to. Where and whatever you turn your attention to, you begin to attract more of the same. Right? Maybe. Doesn’t matter. Good, bad –wrong or right, you get what you focus on. You might have heard this before, you might even know it and live it.

Do you know this: What you see is not always connected to your belief systems. What you say, however is. Awareness of your body, your thoughts and emotions allow you to discover the effects other people have on you.

To operate more efficiently in your everyday world and to create immediate changes in your life, game or family, it is important to check in how you use language to describe what you see. It is important to develop wisdom, rise above negativity and get comfortable being uncomfortable to be champion.

I am not talking about “self-talk” – I am talking about incantations and using every sense you have to create acute outcomes in your life and on the golf course realistic to the focus and time spent.

Because most people tense up when they encounter negative energy, they attract more negative energy. Their muscles tense up and negative emotions block an accurate picture.
In every home, every pairing in golf, on every highway of life – are the energies and thoughts of the occupants and participants.
Understanding this process, means understanding cognitive interference – means understanding and directing the unseen energy around you. How?

Next understanding – sensory acuity meets language patterns.