Lebron James’ Message: There is NO Magic Pill
Do you get frustrated if you feel all your training isn’t paying off?
Are you discouraged when you can’t make a correction immediately?
Do you become irritated when you can’t seem to break a habit?
You constantly train to become better at your sport.
If you aren’t seeing progress quickly enough, do you question why you’re even playing or whether or not you’re “good enough” to continue.
Some athletes want that instant gratification.
They Want to Feel and Believe their Efforts are Worth it
In Lebron James’s post-game press conference on Sunday after the Cavs beat the Celtics, he wore a hat that read:
“THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL.”
This message James is sending couldn’t be truer…
There is no magic pill, or no one occurrence that can help you reach and play consistently at your most elite level.
Athletes make a change in their technique one day and expect to have it perfected when they wake up the very next morning. Or, an athlete may skip summer training workouts and expect their skill to match their teammates’, who attended every optional summer workout.
Nothing is Ever Awarded, Only Earned
Some of you may be familiar with Leonardo da Vinci. If not, he painted the ever-famous, Mona Lisa.
A woman approached da Vinci one evening at a restaurant and asked if he would draw her.
She was more than excited, and felt she absolutely had to have a drawing by him. She handed him paper and a pencil, and he looked at her.
After a minute or two, da Vinci was done.
She was eager to thank him. He told her, “You’re welcome, but I’m going to have to charge you $10,000 for it.”
The woman was completely taken aback and said, “How could you charge me $10,000!? This literally took you a minute to do.”
Da Vinci replied and stated, “No, ma’am, this took me 10 years to do.”
As da Vinci and Lebron expressed:
There is NO magic pill.
It takes years to achieve, accomplish, and succeed.
Focus on the process instead of the outcome to help you reach your long-term goals.
Many athletes become sidetracked and discouraged because they aren’t as good “today” as they think they should be.
Performing at your peak level takes time; like da Vinci said, it took him 10 years. As for Lebron James, he’s been playing basketball for over 20 years now.
Focus on a Small Goal or Two Each Day you Practice or Play
Working toward and accomplishing these small goals will lead to bigger ones.
Remember:
“THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL.”
For more information on focusing on the process, check out our cd and workbook program “The Focused Athlete:”
Related Sports Psychology Articles:
- Setting Goals to Overcome Injury
- Creating Goals to Stay Focused
- Letting Go of Mistakes in Competition
Boost Your Self-Confidence With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Expert mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues in sports with personal coaching. We do mental training with athletes of all levels and ages–about 12 years and up. And mental training is not just for elite or professional athletes.
You can work with us in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone from anywhere in the world. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer
If you are interested in mental coaching, try our free 15-minute introductory session. Contact Peak Performance Sports today with your name, sport, and what mental game challenges you are having.
You can learn more about our mental coaching programs for athletes here.