Feeling TRAPPED as an Athlete??? How to PLAY FREE in Your Game (and in Life)

 

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Feeling TRAPPED as an Athlete??? How to PLAY FREE in Your Game (and in Life)

Do you feel like you are underperforming?

Sometimes you feel:

• Slow
• Stuck
• Just a little bit “Off”

You know you have the potential inside you because you are able to execute highly in practice,

But when the game is on the line,

You freeze up and miss your opportunities.

And this leaves you feeling worried about how others are judging your performance, such as:

• Your coach
• Your teammates
• Your family and friends

Look, I know …

Feeling trapped as an athlete absolutely SUCKS!!!

Throughout my career as an athlete,

There were many times I felt trapped as well.

I knew I had the potential inside me as I would perform well in practice,

But there were moments I would freeze up during crunch time and I would let my opportunities slip away.

After the game, I’d berate myself:

“How could I miss my mark?!?”

However, through this process,

I discovered how I could play freely as an athlete,

And today we will talk about:

3 Areas to enable you to play FREELY in your game, and in the Larger Game of Life

Freedom in Your Craft

As an athlete, your Craft is your sport.

Master the skills of your sport.

Intentionally practice the skills and techniques to enable you to excel in your sport.

• If you play basketball, work on your shot
• If you golf, work on the mechanics of your swing
• If you play softball or baseball, work on taking grounders and fly balls

Condition your body so you can move and function optimally.

Make sure you are following a well-rounded training program that targets the energy systems and movement patterns of your sport to enhance your abilities.

Study the intricacies, nuances, and ins and outs of the strategy of your sport.

This will help you become a complete athlete and be the smartest player you can be.

Study the greats in your sport and watch your own game film to help you understand how you can improve.

Freedom in Your Mind

Train your mind so you can sink into the Zone effortlessly and at ease.

Focus on one thing at a time.

Be able to hold your attention only on the present moment.

• If you are practicing, focus only on your practice
• If you are doing chores, focus only on the task at hand
• If you are doing homework, shut off all other distractions and zone in on your homework

Remain cool, calm, and composed in pressure situations.

Slow down your breathing so you can regulate your Nervous System.

Develop your mental toughness and resilience.

Push your edges in your training and take on challenging tasks in your daily life.

Freedom to Play for a Greater Cause Beyond the Game Itself

Every time you step into practice, a training session, or a game, play for your:

• Enjoyment
• Inspiration
• Passion

And for the enjoyment, inspiration, and passion of others:

• Your team
• Your school
• Your community

3 Ways to Play Freely in Your Game

• Freedom in Your Craft
• Freedom in Your Mind
• Freedom to Play for a Greater Cause Beyond the Game Itself

And these three areas will enable you to play freely in the Larger Game of Your Life.

Freedom in Your Craft

In life, your Craft is what you absolutely love to do.

• Your calling
• Your passion
• Your purpose

Discover what it is and become the best at it you can possibly be.

Master the skills and study the nuances, intricacies, and ins and outs of it.

Freedom in Your Mind

Focus fully on the present moment.

Remain cool, calm, and composed in pressure-filled situations through the storms Life may provide.

Develop the mental toughness and resilience to become the person you were meant to be.

Freedom to Play for a Greater Cause Beyond the Game Itself

In everything you do, do it for your:

• Enjoyment
• Inspiration
• Passion

And for the enjoyment, inspiration, and passion of others:

• Your community
• Your family, friends, and coworkers
• And eventually to the world as a whole

I wish you well on your journey of playing freely in your game, and in the Larger Game of Life, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Want More Playing Time??? 4 Ways to enable your coach to trust you more and get more playing time (in your game and in Life)

 

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Want More Playing Time??? 4 Ways to enable your coach to trust you more and get more playing time (in your game and in Life)

Do you want more playing time?

I mean, you know you’re better than Joe Schmoe over there, but he is getting more playing time because the coach likes him more.

And you chalk up your lack of playing time to having a bad coach.

There’s no way around it.

COACHES DO PLAY THEIR FAVORITES.

So today, we are going to talk about:

4 Ways to Enable Your Coach to Trust You More

So you can

Get More Playing Time in Your Game

And at the end, we will see how these same tactics will

Translate to More Opportunities in Your Life

Ready???

Let’s get it!!!

1. Get Good

This is the first step to getting more playing time.

But, I bet you already knew that didn’t you 🙂 ?

Those with more skills and abilities get more playing time.

• Practice your skills
• Train your body and mind
• Hone in on your nutrition, sleep, and recovery

Assuming you are already working on these, let’s move onto the next three.

2. Energy

Bring energy to your practices and games.

In the first 15 minutes, make it a priority to give all your teammates a:

Positive Touch- A high-five or fist bump

And a

Call Out- “I see you!” “Let’s get it!” “Big day today! We got this!”

When you bring energy, you enhance and uplift your team and the environment around you.

When your coach sees this,

They will see you as a valuable asset to enhance the performance of the team.

And, with that, comes more playing time.

3. Communication

Be clear and effective in your communication.

When you leave a conversation with your coach,

Repeat what they said to you

To let them know you are on the same page.

When you are running a play with your teammates,

Be communicating what you and everyone is doing.

Clear and effective communication strengthens your coach’s trust in you because:

• They know you understand what is going on
• They know you can be an extension of the coach on the floor

This increased trust

Can get you more playing time.

4. Be Present in the Game

Shift your focus:

• Away from your coach
• Away from your playing time
• Away from your results, performance, and mistakes

And onto the game at hand.

When you react after mistakes or turn your head to your coach worried they will yank you out of the game,

This emits an aura of a lack of confidence.

And when your coach sees this lack of self-confidence,

They will be less likely to trust in you.

However, when you put all your attention and focus onto the next play,

You will paradoxically perform better.

And, subsequently, emit an aura of self-confidence that everybody can count on you.

Including your coach, who will likely give you more playing time!

4 Ways to Get More Playing Time

• Get Good
• Energy
• Communication
• Be Present

And, guess what???

These same four qualities will provide you more aligned opportunities in the Larger Game of Life

1. Get Good

Discover what you love and go all in to be the best you can at it.

2. Energy

Bring energy into everything you do.

• Give your mom a hug and tell her you love her
• Sit in the front row at class eager and ready to learn
• Bring your authenticity into every task and interaction you have

When you bring energy into every moment,

You will perform better in all you do and

You will be amazed at what opportunities open up for you.

3. Communication

Be clear and effective in your communication.

• Ask your teachers how you can implement the material in your life
• Tell your parents your visions and aspirations
• Let the world know about your goals

When you communicate clearly and effectively,

New opportunities can present themselves in ways you may never have imagined.

4. Be Present

Focus on the moment at hand.

• Bring all your attention
• Bring all your devotion
• Bring all your passion

To each and every moment.

When you move through life in this way,

YOU BRING THE FULLEST VERSION OF YOU INTO ALL YOU DO.

And Life will conspire to guide you to your Highest Potential.

I wish you well on your journey of getting more playing time in your game as well as awakening to more opportunities in Life, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Are You a Leader??? 4 Qualities to enable you to be the TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER you were BORN TO BE

 

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Are You a Leader??? 4 Qualities to enable you to be the TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER you were BORN TO BE

Am I a leader???

What is the most effective way to lead???

How do I know I am truly leading in an authentic way???

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?

Growing up, I used to ask these questions as well, so today we are going to talk about:

4 Qualities to Enable You to Be the Transformative Leader You Were Born to Be

1. Choose Who You Desire To Be

Not society!!!

Your passion!!!

Tim Tebow was always told he was going to be a linebacker.

However, he chose to be a quarterback and went all in on this dream.

As it turns out, he:

• Won the Heisman Trophy
• Led his team to a national championship
• Went to the NFL

All as a quarterback.

Let your heart show you who you desire to be.

Take some time out of your day to sit down and write out the career you want to have.

• What skills do you want to have?
• How do you want to be remembered in the game?
• What impact and legacy do you want to leave beyond the game?

2. Own Your Strengths

You have been blessed with a set of strengths nobody else possesses.

What are your strengths?

GO ALL IN on your strengths without worrying too much about your weaknesses.

Rather, have teammates who have strengths that complement your weaknesses.

Clayton Kershaw doesn’t work on much batting practice. He focuses on pitching.

If your strength is blocking, don’t worry about catching; let the receivers do that!

When teams are aligned in this way, where everybody is placed in positions to utilize their strengths and complement the weaknesses of their teammates,

Are when they win championships.

3. Appreciate, Respect, and Integrate Various Perspectives

Be open minded to and embrace different ways of training, practicing, and strategies.

Kobe Bryant took dance lessons so he could learn new ways of moving his feet to help him become a better basketball player.

Take in new ideas, integrate them into your own system, and expand on them to make them your own.

4. Innovate

Think outside the box to create new ways of doing things nobody has seen before.

James Harden invented new ways of doing the Euro Step.

Patrick Mahomes has an unorthodox way of playing quarterback nobody has seen before.

Steve Jobs once said:

“People don’t know what they want until you make it and give it to them.”

Allow your creativity, your Inner Genius, to bring about a masterpiece nobody has seen before.

Recap

• Choose Who You Desire To Be: Take time out of your day to write out the career you choose to have. What skills do you want and how do you want to be remembered in the game and beyond the game?
• Own Your Strengths: Go all in on your strengths and allow your teammates to complement your weaknesses with their strengths.
• Appreciate, Respect, and Integrate Various Perspectives: Take in new ideas, integrate them into your own system, and expand on them to make them your own.
• Innovate: Think outside the box to create new ways of doing things nobody has seen before.

I wish you well on your journey of being the transformative leader you were born to be, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

What Does Your Posture Say About YOU??? How posture effects your body, mind, and Purpose

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What Does Your Posture Say About YOU??? How posture effects your body, mind, and Purpose

“Stop slouching!!! Stand up straight!”

“You’re too rigid, hang loose a little bit.”

Have you ever been judged on your posture before?

They say never judge a book by its cover,

But you can actually tell a lot about someone based on their posture.

In fact, when I would design exercise programs for people as a health/fitness coach, posture was one of the first components I looked at.

Posture is vital for our health.

For example, when someone’s head is forward, since the head is one of the heaviest body parts, the neck muscles are under a lot of stress to hold it upright.

This creates migraines and the tension eventually contributes to a response in the body that will elicit hormones that end up storing body fat!

Now, I’m not saying that if you have a forward head you are going to get fat … I believe there are a few more variables than that :) !

But, posture is important and the body is beautifully interconnected.

With that in mind, today we will talk about:

3 Types of Posture, How They Impact Your Mental/Emotional State, and How That Impacts Carrying Out Your Purpose

I recently read the book “Safe Movement for All Spines” by Gwen Miller (you can click the title to order it on Amazon).

This book reminded me of how important posture is for your physical health.

But posture is also vital for your mental/emotional health.

Try this exercise:

Look down with your head, roll your shoulders forward, like you are rolling into a ball, and look all “doom and gloom.” Notice how this makes you feel mentally and emotionally.

Now, keep your head up and open your chest like Superman, acting all powerful. Notice how this makes you feel mentally and emotionally.

I bet you could notice a shift in your state almost instantly between the two postures.

So today, we will talk about:

3 Types of Posture, How They Impact Your Mental/Emotional State, and How That Impacts Carrying Out Your Purpose

1. Slouched Posture

In this posture, your shoulders are rounded, your head is forward, and you are shutting off your chest cavity.

This can cause you to feel less confident mentally and emotionally.

And, if you lack confidence, it can keep you from taking risks that are necessary for you to carry out your purpose.

2. Military Posture

In this posture, you are erect and uptight.

This can cause your body to become rigid, and in turn, your mind and emotions to become rigid.

This rigidity can keep you from being adaptable when “things don’t go according to plan.” And this lack of adaptability can keep you from seeing opportunities Life is providing you to guide you to your Highest Potential.

3. Open Posture

In this posture, you are upright and aligned, yet relaxed and mobile at the same time.

This alignment and mobility throughout your posture can translate to alignment and mobility throughout your mind and emotions.

When you are in alignment, you perform actions that are in line with your Highest Truth.

When you are mobile, you can navigate the Path Life is guiding you on.

And when you continue to act in alignment, and having the ability to move with Life,

You will be guided to the area where you can make your greatest impact and carry out your Purpose.

Recap

Posture is extremely important for your physical health, but it is also important for your mental and emotional health.

There were 3 different types of posture we discussed:

• Slouched Posture, which can create a lack of confidence, and in turn an inability to take risks necessary to carry out your Purpose.
• Military Posture, which can cause rigidity, and in turn an inability to adapt to opportunities Life is guiding you to carry out your Purpose.
• Open Posture, which enables you to act in alignment with your Truth while remaining mobile to navigate the Path Life is guiding you on to carry out your Purpose.

I wish you well on your journey of being open, aligned, and mobile, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

THE BIG-GER DANCE: 3 Major lessons basketball has taught me for the game of Life

 

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THE BIG-GER DANCE: 3 Major lessons basketball has taught me for the game of Life

This weekend marks the Final Four.

The end of the NCAA basketball tournament,

A time when:

• Brackets are busted
• Madness is in the air

Throughout my life, I have been obsessed with the game of basketball:

• As a player
• As a trainer
• As a coach

The game of basketball has taught me many lessons, so today I am going to provide you with:

3 Major Lessons the Game of Basketball Has Taught Me

So you can get buckets and ball out in the Game of Life.

3 Major Lessons to Maximize Yourself as a Player in the Game of Life

1. Trust Your Coach

In the game of basketball, great players trust their coach.

Coaches have an expanded vision and a plan to help the team succeed.

And YOU have a GREATER COACH for your life.

You have a GREATER COACH with an expanded vision and who has a plan to enable you to succeed.

Do you trust your Coach?

Do you trust your Coach’s expanded vision and plan to help you succeed?

2. Enhance Yourself as a Player

In the game of basketball, great players improve their ability to perform at their highest capacity.

They work on their:

• Skills
• Conditioning
• Mind

Then, during the game,

They let their opportunities come to them.

Rather than forcing up tough shots,

They sink into the rhythm of the game and wait for their opportunities.

And when those opportunities present themselves,

They take advantage of them and cash in.

How are you enhancing yourself?

How are you working on your craft?

Are you sinking into the flow of Life and allowing Life bring your opportunities to you …

Or are you forcing up tough shots?

And then, when those opportunities do come,

How are you cashing in and taking advantage of them?

3. Contribute to the Success of a Team

In the game of basketball, great players contribute to the overall success of their team.

They utilize their strengths to enhance the team’s performance:

• Some players are knock-down shooters
• Some players handle the ball
• Some are lock-down defenders
• Some get rebounds

Additionally,

Great players bring energy and communication to increase the cohesiveness and chemistry of the team.

How are you utilizing your strengths to contribute to your team in life?

To your family?

To your community?

And are you bringing energy and communication to increase your cohesiveness and chemistry?

Recap

Do you trust your Coach in Life?

Do you trust their expanded vision and plan for you to succeed?

Are you enhancing yourself as an individual player?

Are you working on your craft and allowing opportunities to come to you, cashing in when they present themselves?

Are you contributing to a Team?

Are you utilizing your strengths, energy, and communication to uplift them?

I wish you well on your journey of balling out and getting buckets in the Game of Life, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

The Process of Resurrection: How to transcend your pain and evolve into a heightened stage of Being

 

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The Process of Resurrection: How to transcend your pain and evolve into a heightened stage of Being

Do you ever feel like you just want to start over in life?

It’s as if you are going through a painful period, where you feel like you are dying:

• Physically
• Mentally
• Emotionally

And you so desperately want to overcome your pain and be reborn into a higher version of you.

Happy Easter!

Another name for Easter is Resurrection Day.

And the term “Resurrection” can be translated into:

A revival of life …

A RESURGENCE into a heightened stage of being.

Today, we are going to talk about

The Resurrection Process

And

How you can transcend your pain and evolve into a heightened stage of being.

There are 3 phases of the Resurrection Process:

1. The Dying Phase

This is when Christ died on the cross.

This is when a caterpillar goes into its chrysalis, never to be a caterpillar again.

This dying phase is marked by:

A sense of feeling hopeless and powerless compared to your circumstances.

The way to transcend this phase is through …

SURRENDER

Surrender to the situations you are experiencing in your life, and allow them to transform you into a heightened stage of Being.

I recall a time in my life when I felt hopeless and powerless to my circumstances in life:

• My dream was being washed away
• My physical health was being washed away
• Opportunities I thought were coming into fruition were being washed away

Eventually, I was left with no choice but to surrender.

And when I did, I entered into the second phase of the Resurrection Process.

2. The Transformation Phase

This is when Christ was in the tomb for three days.

This is when the caterpillar is liquefying into a goopy mess in the chrysalis.

This transformation phase is marked by:

A sense of dissolving.

The way to transcend this phase is through …

Resilience

Those who are resilient through their painful situations, are the ones who are able to allow the transformation to complete its work and refine you into a heightened stage of Being.

After I finally surrendered to my situations, I went out to the middle of a field one night and prayed underneath the stars:

“Life, you’ve taken away my dream, my health, and my opportunities.

What do you have next for me???”

Once I said this, I had a surreal experience where it felt like every part of my being was dissolving and melting away:

• My skin
• My bones
• My muscles

Until there was nothing left but …

A bundle of fire.

A ball of energy.

Deep inside me.

And after I felt this dissolving and the emergence of this energy, I entered the final phase of the Resurrection Process.

3. The Resurrection Phase

This is when Christ came out of the tomb.

This is when the caterpillar emerges out of the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly.

This resurrection phase is marked by:

A sense of freedom and liberation.

And you feel compelled to …

Share your experience to uplift the world.

After I connected with that ball of fire within me,

I REALIZED I WAS UNSTOPPABLE!!!

Nothing could take that energy away from me,

And that fire would inspire the world around me.

To Recap

There are 3 Phases of the Resurrection Process:

• Dying
  • Where you feel hopeless and powerless to your circumstances
  • You transcend this phase through surrendering to what Life wants to bring about through you
• Transformation
  • Where you feel like you are dissolving
  • You transcend this phase through remaining resilient as Life is refining you
• Resurrection
  • Where you feel freedom and liberation
  • You have the revival of life and the resurgence into a heightened stage of being
  • And you have a compelling conviction to share your new awareness to uplift those around you

I wish you well on your journey of resurrection and transcending your pain to evolve into a heightened stage of being, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Are You Holding Yourself Back? How to transform SABOTAGE to SUCCESS in 4 steps

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Are You Holding Yourself Back? How to transform SABOTAGE to SUCCESS in 4 steps

Does it ever seem like you are somehow holding yourself back from the success you deeply desire?

It’s as if you feel like you have so much potential but something is keeping you from unleashing it?

And this leaves you feeling shaken, perplexed, and perhaps you eventually begin to lack confidence in yourself and in your abilities?

If this sounds like something you’ve experienced, don’t worry because you are not alone.

In fact, despite our greatest intentions,

Most of us subconsciously sabotage ourselves and hold ourselves back from experiencing success and realizing our Highest Potential.

That is why today I am going to share with you:

Why We Subconsciously Sabotage Our Success

And

A 4 Step Process to Transform Your Sabotage Into Success

Ready???

Of course you are, let’s after it!

Why We Subconsciously Sabotage Our Success

It’s natural that we sabotage ourselves.

In fact, it’s actually a good thing (or at least perceived to be a good thing).

Sabotage is actually a subconscious survival mechanism that is keeping us alive.

You see, our nervous systems are wired in a way that helps us to survive.

When we begin to experience success, expand, and evolve,

Our subconscious perceives this as a threat because

It is a DEATH to who we once thought we were.

So to keep us alive, our subconscious trips us up to perform actions that keep us from becoming a heightened being.

With this in mind, how can we work with our subconscious so that we actually can expand into who we desire to be and experience success along with it?

Well, I will provide you with a:

A 4 Step Process to Transform Your Sabotage Into Success

1. Awareness

Become aware of the moments in your life when you are sabotaging yourself.

With this awareness, you provide yourself the platform to consciously decide to transform into a new being.

2. Welcome

Welcome these subconscious parts of you that are holding you back rather than repressing them.

Remember, these subconscious parts are not trying to harm you.

In fact, they are trying to help you survive.

So gladly welcome them and allow them to feel seen, heard, and known.

3. Receive The Messages

Once you have welcomed these subconscious parts,

Listen to them and allow them to tell you why they are trying to hold you back.

(Note: This can be an extremely weird step at first, but extremely powerful when done authentically)

And once these parts do tell you,

Offer them gratitude because, well, it’s just a nice thing to do!

4. Consciously Execute

Once you have heard these subconscious parts and you have received their messages about why they want to keep you from expanding and experiencing the success you desire,

Let them know who you CHOOSE to be.

Let them know why this will enhance your survival.

And let them know how this will help you thrive.

Do this by feeling the emotions of the being you desire to become.

What does it feel like to have already succeeded?

Then, take deliberate action to initiate the process of transformation

From the same emotional state as if you have already achieved it.

Focus on actions rather than the results because …

When you do this consistently over time,

Performing deliberate actions from the emotional state as already having succeeded:

• Your subconscious will begin to trust you
• The results will begin to follow
• You will experience the success you desire and transform into an expanded stage of being

To Recap

Despite our greatest intentions, we often sabotage our success as a subconscious survival mechanism to keep us from dying to who we once were.

However, there is a 4 Step Process to Transform Sabotage to Success:

• Become AWARE of the moments in your life where you feel like you are sabotaging your success
• WELCOME the parts of you that are holding you back
• RECEIVE THE MESSAGES from these parts and offer them gratitude for looking out for your survival
• CONSCIOUSLY EXECUTE on deliberate actions in the same emotional state as if you have already succeeded

And when you do this process consistently, over and over again:

• Your subconscious will begin to trust in you
• The results will begin to come
• You will begin to experience the success you desire and transform into an expanded stage of being

I wish you well on your journey of transforming sabotage into success, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle