Mental Practice VI

The Mental Practice book series evolved out of Dr. Chandon's experience coaching athletes. He found that athletes develop in their mental games in predictable stages. The speed of their development depends on how vigorously they apply themselves in their mental practices, physical practices and competitions. When motivated athletes are open to learning, practicing the right things in the right sequences and in the right ways, they rapidly progress.

The Mental Practice series reflects the ideas of progressive development modeled by the martial arts. Mental Practice books I-VII have different color covers to signify that they are modeled after martial arts development and the wearing of different color belts. The different color belts in the martial arts indicate mastery levels of the students and teachers.

The Mental Practice book covers are yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown and black. As you develop in your mastery of each book, you earn that color "belt" in Mental Practice. You'll find that as you progress through the books, you'll be challenged to use your imaginative and creative abilities more. Imagination and creativity are key components of a well-developed mental practice.

Mental Practice VI includes a chapter on performing in The Zone. The book also includes updated mental practice retreats.You'll learn the following mental practices and more:

• The conditions required for performing in the zone
• Using music to perform in the zone
• How to "Bookmark" the zone
• Using progressive relaxation
• Using expectations effectively
• Trusting your body and why that's important
• Using challenges, skill and feedback
• Creating a warm up routine
• Recognizing the zone state
• Recognizing unconscious power words
• Recognizing unconscious dis-empowering words
• The importance of active acceptance
• Feeling zone energy
• Link between mindfulness and the zone

The most significant barriers to success, breakthroughs and the fulfillment of our potential are ourselves. Sports serve us an unending number of challenges. How we respond to our internal and external challenges is the essential part of whether we ultimately succeed or fail. The key isn't whether we have success or failures, what matters most is how we understand them, learn from them, and keep moving advancing toward our goals. Life and sports can subtly erode our confidence, skill and motivation unless we are actively working to build them.

Now you can have a simple and effective way of mentally practicing. You have a way of discovering and correcting the ways in which you are limiting or sabotaging yourself. You have a way of learning to know what you don't know. You can start to practice mentally in as little as 15 minutes per day.

This book is for athletes who are serious about fulfilling their potential. Development of a strong mental game takes practice and persistence. Development of a strong mental game is similar in scope to the development of physical skills in sports. Think of this book as working out. You're working out your mind and training yourself to perform your best.

The individual mental practices are grouped by topics.

• The Zone
• Mental Toughness
• Developing Mental Skills
• Being a Champion
• Handling Challenges
• Planning for Success
• Being Healthy
• Training Well
• Confidence
• Motivation
• Being a Leader
• Being a Free Spirit
• Designing Your Sanctuary
• Mental Practice Retreats

Each mental practice has some reflections for you to consider and unique "Power Words" after the reflections. Power words are a simple sentence, phrase or individual words that you use to engage your imagination and help you focus as you mentally practice, physically train and compete.

See how good you can be.