Today, in practice 14 with a full team of grapplers, I asked them to write someplace where they need to turn feedback from fear to fuel. You see, we are learning that we’re either learning optimism or learning helplessness. And, we’re learning if we want to become elite, we’ve got to change our wiring toward the positive. Good.
However, you’ve got to know your little voice to change it. We went Sunday supper. Without hesitation, young stud Mike shared the negative feedback from one of the coaches about him not being ready to wrestle Johnny. Mike came clean. He told his teammates and coaches that he went all kinda negative in that moment on Sunday when he heard this. After a little while, he took control of his thinking. You see, young Dannuch is getting mentally stronger. Good. He focused on working harder and giving max effort vs. going all negative. He worked harder and he felt it showed in his wrestling.
Kyle shared a blog he read about those who fear taking the big shot and fearing they will make it. Funny, huh. We read page 166. After a comment from me we read another page. I asked the team to write what they heard and where they went in their head. For many, they went somewhere besides here. Their voice took them somewhere into the future or past. Stop bullshitting yourself and write about that, I challenged them. This will show, some of you, a glimpse of your little voice.
Young Johnnyd took the challenge. He shared how the subconscious is where in the negative moment you go. Johnny shared this story and related it to golf. I anded his comment. Together, a golfer and grappler played off one another. I told a story about golf and focus. The little voice is powerful in sport. Period. I coached Grappy up about how to become a better coach. He let it in. He’s so coachable it isn’t funny. He’s a lot like me and wants everybody to be all in, kinda like him. He’s learning to be a better builder by focusing on the few who are. You see, leaders understand that you never get everybody. You don’t need to. If, however, you focus on the few you’ve got who are getting after it, you create momentum for the mediocre to pick it up, so to speak. Focus here, leader. The positive mojo will multiply, you’ll see…
We jumped to two questions for Gappy. Grappy was asked what he sees as the biggest fear, not for him personally but the biggest type of fear that he’s ever seen with someone and what he feels he can do to combat it. Josh asked this question. This was a really good, hard one. Dannuch asked what he meant for more clarity. Dannuch is en fuego today. Grappy said the absolute surrender toward your aim is the biggest fear he’s seen in anyone. The biggest limiter is the depth of what someone is willing to endure to make it to their aim. They aren’t willing to go all in and totally surrender. They fear what will happen if they really go for it. Good thinking, Grappy.
I gave a clarifying “and.” Remind yourself of the love, I told the team. All masters fight the same fears as normal performers. The masters keep working because they find the love and remind themselves why they are going through the hell on their way to their aim. They go all in because they keep their mind focused on the love. Fact. Love conquers fear.
LOVE.
You gotta fight your fear with love – always the answer if you’re aiming at becoming excellent/elite. Coach Ross shared a story about Grappy. He told the love story. He told the team the recruiting speech and it was good. And, he kept finishing his thought with a disclaimer. I told him to stop the disclaimer. I told Johnny the same. The disclaimers come from a negative little voice. Shut ‘er off. Make your point and then simply stop. It will be good. So, practice 14 wound down about 20 minutes late. The team was en fuego as was I. Who knew an old golfer would get so much energy from a team of grapplers. Who knew? Dannuch, that’s who. You know, Dannuch, that guy who turns feedback from fear to fuel. Feedback – from fear to fuel. Good…
BUILT TO LEAD 