Tag Archives for " mental skills "

Phrases That Pay To Create Performance Breakthroughs

“Use your skills at the right time.” – Raj Gavurla

build relationships

When I talk with people and coordinate with people, there are times when performance breakthroughs aren’t occurring.   Some phrases that might work for you are:

1.  Situation: They won’t do that.

     Ask:  “Who is they?”

2.  Situation: If we isn’t clear.

     Ask: “Who is we?”

3.  Situation: If us isn’t clear.

     Ask: “Who is us?”

4.  Situation:  If someone randomly says a word.

     Ask:  “What does that mean?”

5.  Situation: If you isn’t clear.

     Ask: “Who is you?”

6.  Situation: If them isn’t clear.

     Ask: “Who is them?”

7.  Situation: If I need that or send me the file isn’t clear it’s now.

     Ask:  When do you want it?

Remember the organization, team, and you are one.  If each isn’t exhibiting the right transparency for the betterment of people (clients, owners, shareholders, executives, leadership, management, professionals, and the market), then you have ostensible power and control.  With the right transparency, you create better performance breakthroughs.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. – Albert Einstein

For programs and services, contact Raj Gavurla at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com.

Performance Breakthroughs Tool

“Consistently perform breakthroughs more often.” – Raj Gavurla

For performance breakthroughs to recur you need to consistently learn new knowledge to you, use deliberate practice to prepare for each experience, and apply the skills for better outcomes and wins to come to you.

Helping professionals and amateurs in business, life, and athletics what separates tConsistently Performhe pros from each other and the amateurs from each other are their performance mental skills.

Most of the elite pros have the technique whereas amateurs are in development of technique before becoming professional.  As a pro and amateur, you need to work on consistently transforming your performance mental skills.

After each deliberate practice or experience/event measure (7 is best) yourself in the following performance breakthroughs areas:

1. Did you perform “in the zone” (peak performance, optimal performance)?

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2. Technique (if you are an elite pro you should already be at a 7) 

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3. Do you have anxiety?

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4. Did you eat right?

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5. Did you mentally prepare?

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6. Did you physically prepare?

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7. How was your focus/concentration?

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8. How was your confidence?

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9. Did you perform/play loose and relaxed?

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10.  Did you believe you could perform a breakthrough?

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11. Did you use emotion/sound (electrophysiology) for a competitive advantage?

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12. Did you implement a new tactic/strategy?

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13. Did you implement a new performance mental skill?

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14. Did you feel pain?

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15. How was your physical strength?

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16. How was your stamina/endurance?

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17. Did you mentally and verbally show appreciation/gratitude towards the people that made it possible for you to participate?

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18. Did you complete your Your Raise The Bar Primer: Mental Performance Tools workbook to consistently perform breakthroughs more often?

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19. What did you learn?

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20. What will you work on to consistently perform better the next time?

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21. What will you share with your coach, manager, supervisor, or boss?

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22.  What will you share with your performance mental skills coach?

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23.  Are you participating in more challenging practices and experiences/events?

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24.  What is your vision for your next step?

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25.  Are you enjoying and cherishing the amazing that is happening through your relationships?

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26.  Did you have fun?

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27.  Was it challenging/competitive?

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28.  Is it becoming easier?

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29.  Have you helped someone who isn’t at your skill level?

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Total your number of points.  What range are you in?

Beginner:  29 – 57

Intermediate:  58 – 86

Advanced: 87 – 115

Emerging: 116 – 144

Star:  145 – 173

Super Star:  174 – 203

“Dream big dreams. Small dreams have no magic.” – Dottie Boreyko

For further help, my programs and services are booked by contacting Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgvaurla.com, LiiiVEN.

 

Can The Win Come To You Without Being Completely “In The Zone”?

usopen

“Make the decision to become the world’s best.  It will serve you well.” – Raj Gavurla

As an athlete regardless of your sport there are times when you aren’t completely “in the zone”, however parts of your game are.

What worked for Roger was him being “in the zone” serving the ball. Being “in the zone” in all areas is best but being “in the zone” in just one area a player is still hard to beat.

Tiafoe is real and when he learns to hit his approach shot with more skill and volley by blocking the ball he will win more and might win a grand slam. Excellent athleticism, very good serve and forehand, solid backhand. Needs to work on consistently transforming his mental performance skills as all players do because that’s what separates the world’s best from other athletes.

What do you think?

Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will. – Vernon Howard

For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com, LiiiVEN.

Do Your Best, Then Better Your Best

“Socioeconomic capital flow and capital distribution for the wealthy, middle-class, and poor solves prosperity, poverty, and gentrification  for individuals to live a robust life.”  – Raj Gavurla

goals

How do you better your best?  You’re mentally prepared so why the inaction to exercise, make a call, and achieve your goal.  You are procrastinating.  I understand some things are mentally tiring and you know where that is most likely to happen.  You have a threshold and you are afraid to break away from it because of the insecurity it causes you.

Since you are always learning, you need to learn what to know about this threshold experience that’s causing insecurity.  When you assess it to deliver by bettering your best with strategy, build a relationship with it, market it in your mind, and evaluate after each effort you are changing the reality of the situation in your mind.

You learned to use solipsism to do your best and with effort you bettered your best.  Continue doing so, forward performing, and you’ll far exceed what you imagine success is because of your achievements, the meaningful process, and the right people who came into your life that you had never met before.

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”  

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

 For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com.

My Tennis Coach Came To A Match After A Month

“Listen to learn and apply the learning to transform your performance.  You experience greater success with the right fluid support system.” – Raj Gavurlayour raise the bar primer
I haven’t seen my tennis coach in a month, however, he keeps track of my progress.  How? He contacts people who watch me play matches or that I play with.  He came to the courts today and I was prepared.  I said, “Coach” in a welcoming way.  He said, “I’m watching”.  I thought, “I’m glad because I’ve been using my Your Raise The Bar Primer: Mental Performance Tools workbook”.

I was serving up 40 – love and double faulted.  He said, “I hate double faults”.  Then his narrative started. “Consistency.” “You’re up and down.”  So, I had to make sure coach had been tracking my progress.  I told him we haven’t lost a doubles match in three weeks.  I asked, “have you been talking with people about my progress?”  He smiled a little.  Then, I showed coach me playing better tennis.

I asked him is he using his Your Raise The Bar Primer Mental Performance Tools workbook?  I’m making sure he’s doing his mental performance skills homework.  He didn’t say anything.  Then, I hit a few more shots.  One a one-handed backhand winner with an extended “ahh” added to relieve tension.  Then, I hit another winner and coach wasn’t watching. Later in the match, I hit an overhead with an “ahh” and fist pump towards my partner to acknowledge our exceptional play.  Then I served an ace and said “Coach” looking at him and he gave me a thumbs up.

I realize you probably have a tennis coach, however, by using my Your Raise The Bar Primer: Mental Performance Tools workbook you will be prepared when your coach checks on you.  Coach knows about the technique of tennis (“how to hit the ball and positioning”).    I missed a low volley and I asked my coach what I should do.  He said, “footwork”.

Since I’m the mental performance skills coach, I know it wasn’t footwork.  It was because I hit the low volley without a target.  In other words, just getting it back.  The problem is the ball didn’t know where to go to. Keep in mind my coach is a cabinet maker.  I just call him “Coach” because it’s funner and he does act like my coach.

However, for real tennis coaching both tactical/technique/tennis management and private mental performance coaching visit http://www.rajgavurla.com/diamondforwardtennis.html.  Our services and my workbook are available for purchase and you can contact me if you are a professional, college, academy or aspiring tennis player looking to raise the bar in your tennis performance. Whether you already have a coach and just want to boost your play with our services and products or you want us to chart your tennis career, contact me (performance consultant and coach) and I will coordinate with my partner who works on the tactical/technique/tennis management to highly customize the best package for you.

It’s a week later and I just finished playing tennis.  Coach was there and asked “How are you?” in a way that meant, “I like what I’m seeing!”  Coach seems more mature in his approach.  I asked him again if he’s using my workbook.  I saw a gleam in his eye meaning “yes”.  We played doubles together and Coach was making fist pumps towards me. Wow! He also was praising his own shots.  Coach is doing my workbook.  His lens and physiology and ability to play better tennis are quite obvious.  I’m looking forward to seeing coach’s practical forward mobility.

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
For programs and services, contact Raj Gavurla at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com, LiiiVEN.

How To Win Playing Better Tennis?

“Win playing better tennis.” – Raj Gavurla

I really understood you had a tennis match after watching the NBA Playoffs last night.  How did it go?  My job is to performance consult and performance coach at the professional, college, academy, high school, and recreational levels. The main difference between them is better mental performance skills.  Most of the pros know how to hit the ball.  It’s bettering their mental performance skills to play better tennis they need to win more.

Yes, I also play tennis and I like playing with all levels because I approach each with a different frame of mind.  All levels of players pose a different challenge to me.  Recently, I’ve been playing with a group of recreational players. They see me warm up beforehand, bring my water, and my chair and watch me as I warm up and say “that’s what we need to do”.  Yet, week after week they come out and just start playing.  They warm up without practicing their volleys and overheads.  It’s as if they are enthralled with the baseline although they are playing doubles.  There is no serve and volley except me.

The wild thing is it is just as competitive as a Grand Slam Final with lesser mental performance skills and tennis skills.  Since I can help their mental performance skills, I do and they’ve wised up and some take lessons on tennis technique (how to hit the ball better).  They haven’t wised up yet to take mental performance coaching lessons.

While playing “my coach” (I call one of them that).  He tells me to “play with better players” and is very hard to please.  I can hit ten “nice” or “good” shots and he’ll point out the three I didn’t hit well.  He compares me to professional players like Federer and Nadal.  I’m honored by the comparison as he does know what he’s talking about when I’m not consistent or don’t move into the right position.  He says, “I watch them on T.V. and at live tournaments”.  Obviously, I’m not as robust of a tennis player as the pros.

Recently, we were closing out a match and he was telling me not to do this and that.  I called a mental performance skills coaching timeout.  I said, “all this negativity isn’t helping us”.  How about saying, “finish the match” or “see the ball”.  A week later we were in a similar situation, and he was encouraging and motivating and for a long period silent. After we won, he actually complimented me with “good”.  Wow!  Then he said “you need to win a Grand Slam”.  I wish he was around sooner in my tennis life.

I gave him an autographed copy of my Your Raise The Bar Primer: Mental Performance Skills workbook.   He looked at it and said “that takes commitment”.  My response, you can stay at status quo and go through the motions week after week or have fun and win more.  Which do you want?  My coach has been working on it.  I already see a difference in his ability on the court.  If you need cabinets installed that’s my coach’s real job.

Yes, I do need to play with better players but I enjoy playing with all levels and at the recreational level I’m able to work on shots that I’m not able to do so against better-skilled players without first honing it.  Some of the guys played in high school and one in college so it’s not as if they are beginners.

For those who still are working on technique, here are six videos to watch showing the legendary, Andre Agassi.  I myself am hitting better volleys, overheads, and serves after watching.  Remember, you also need to work on bettering your mental performance skills.  The combination helps you win playing better tennis.

“Children are wonderfully confident in their own imaginations.
Most of us lose this confidence as we grow up.” – 
Sir Ken Robinson

For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315 or raj@rajgavurla.com, LiiiVEN.

CHANGE ISN’T A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: WHAT IS?

“Fortunately world-class business occurs with preparation and communication.” – Raj Gavurla

forward performance

Since change isn’t a competitive advantage, how are businesses, organizations, and teams solving their need(s) for performing (high value/value add) better results (better ROI/higher margins) in a faster time?

Answer: Transform Performance

Examples:

1. Most organization development shows a top-down flow. Whether their competitive advantage starts at the top (trickle down) to the bottom or from the bottom (grassroots) to the top. How about transforming your performance lens to organization development showing forward performance (—–> timeline fashion): Founder-Board-President/CEO – Each Colleague (Teammate) – Business Unit – Division – Department – etc. as they came into existence in a win forward performance for your competitive advantage? Forward performance mentality is essential to living (doing) for each person to thrive.

2. Sometimes when I shoot baskets kids are also shooting on the same basket. When they make a shot and I grab the rebound they are quick to say “change” meaning they want me to pass them the ball as a return for making their shot. Since I’m also a performance consultant and private performance mental skills coach, I want to tell them “Change isn’t a competitive advantage. I would have thrown the ball to you without you saying change.” Instead, they need to shoot the ball from the same spot the same way (“repetitions – keep going to the well”). If an adult paid my fee, the kids win forward performance.

3.  The better tennis player you are the more mental tennis is.  What differentiates the number one players and teams in men’s and women’s tennis is their mentality.  What are you doing to work on your private performance mental skills so you consistently become a better tennis player.

4. In business, work, sports, and life identify your need(s) to win forward performance whether experiencing success (fun) or negativity. Most likely you know what to live (do) and/or you might need to pay for support service(s) to work with you to solve your need(s) to win forward performance.

5. How do you accomplish any endeavor in life (i.e. your dreams, vision, goals, and/or mission)? By living (doing) it.

You cannot start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.

– Michael McMillan

For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com