TAKE OUT THE TRASH

Take out the Trash.

The trash is anything that is keeping you from the only thing that matters:

This Moment, Here, Now.

-from the movie, Peaceful Warrior

What does it take to be a champion? Clear your mind and live in the now. It doesn't matter whether you are participating or instructing, when it comes to performing you have to live in the NOW. All the work you have done to get to this point has prepared you for this moment, the moment you have to react to your environment and perform based on past experience. The hours upon hours you spent in practice executing during different situations pays off now. It should be a reaction at this point and you cannot over think every situation you find yourself in. When you make a mistake, learn from that mistake, correct it during practice, and execute it to perfection the next time you are given the chance. Nobody expects you to be perfect, so realize that mistakes happen, make your adjustments, and be ready for your next opportunity.

To take out the trash could also mean you have to let go of the past, the things you may or may not have done wrong, the things you wish you could have done better, the things you wish you would of said that you feel could have changed certain outcomes. What good comes out of beating yourself up over something that you cannont go back in change? Sure, you need to understand what you did wrong and take the steps to correct those mistakes. But when it is over, it is over, and that is when you need to concentrate on what you can do now to help yourself and your team.

In the book, Talent is Never Enough by John Maxwell, he mentions spending 90% of your time on the present, 5% thinking about the past, and 5% on the future. If you want to live in the NOW this would be a good rule of thumb. You never want to forget the past completely, but you definitely don't dwell on it. What you accomplish today will make you better tomorrow, so concentrate on getting better everytime you play.