Dealing with Fear

  •  Alpine skiing athlete Alice Merryweather who was forced to sit out the Olympics because of injury has struggled with fear.
  • “I used to try to just ignore it. And it turns out that doesn’t work very well.  Trying not to think about something tends to make me think about it more. And so I have worked with a sports psychologist who has helped me kind of mindfully choose to accept those thoughts and just not make them a priority.”
  • Blocking out fear rarely works – it lurks in the mind – just don’t give it a lot of space.

The Best Super Bowl Quote

  • We rate the commercials and have an opinion about the halftime, what about a motivational quote to take away from Sunday’s game?
  • Only one team wins the Super Bowl.
  • A first runner-up is not chosen the winner.
  • The obsession with winning is misdirected – it should be an obsession with putting our best “on the field”.
  • Football coaching legend Vince Lombardi who the Super Bowl trophy is named after had it right when he said “”WINNING is not everything–but making the EFFORT to win is.”

How Performers Deal with Anxiety

  • Adele, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Harry Stiles, Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson are among the many performers who deal with performance anxiety so we’re not alone when it’s our turn to “be on”.
  • Confidence is not a feeling, it’s a commitment that your time, effort and life is worth you being the first to believe in yourself.
  • When looking for someone to believe in you, gaze first at the mirror.
  • Butterflies are actually good when you get them to fly in formation – it means we care and that we’ve got them under control.

Alone No More

  • You’re never alone when you stand up for yourself.

The Blame Game

  • Young people especially seem to feel that when something is wrong, it is their fault.
  • Amazing how when things are bad, we are programmed to blame ourselves but when things go well, we shake it off.
  • Blame is useless – it doesn’t work when directed at others no matter how merited one thinks it is and it is among the most dangerous things we can do to ourselves.
  • When things go wrong, fix them and when they go right repeat them over and over on a recurring loop in your brain.
  • Blaming does not motivate anyone to be better.

Hugs

  • When the Kansas City Chiefs won their playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in an exciting last-minute climax, Chief’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes stopped celebrating with his team to cross the field and hug and console his opponent Josh Allen who was spectacular in the game.
  • Hugs are not always physical – they can be pep talks or expressions of pride, confidence or support you have in another person.
  • A hug can simply be lending an ear to one in need of a listener.
  • But a hug starts by sharing your good fortune or a gift that you have with another without expectations of getting something in return.
  • “Hugs” whether physical or verbal always involve two people with their arms and ears wide open.

Contagious Courage

  • According to research, people feel worse in a crowd – if a friend is shaking in fear, the calmest person may start shaking.
  • Courage is also contagious – watch someone do something brave and others will jump in.
  • That happened recently when a woman got her leg caught under her car when failing to put it in park as she exited.
  • A group of courageous people lifted the car allowing the woman to be pulled out – she survived with injuries, but survived.
  • How we think matters – if we live in fear, we will assuredly spread it to others (and vice versa) but if we emphasize our courage, not fear, we spread it to others and they to us.

Aiming for Great

  • My friend, the talented morning show personality Jerry Puffer told me he once worked for a program director who wanted one GREAT show from him a week, a few more good ones and some wiggle room for an off day.
  • When we aim high, we accomplish more.
  • To have that great day, it requires the belief that no person can be perfect every day but they can sure try.
  • When presented like this, most people will up their game and say “yeah, I CAN do that”.

Adapting to Change

  • Politicians get elected by selling the voters change but most people fear change – what they want is better.
  • New rules, new bosses, new routines and new people in your life can add to the anxiety of not knowing what the future brings.
  • “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished” said Ben Franklin.
  • Think back to changes in your life – not all of them were bad, in fact most were good or needed to happen.
  • The strong aren’t best suited to survive, it’s the ones who can best manage change who are.