Mind Gym, An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence – Selected Quotes

Mind Gym, Selected Quotes: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence, by Gary Mack with David Casstevens, Forward by Alex Rodriguez, published by McGraw-Hill in 2001, Selected Quotes

Begins with pull quotes,

Ninety percent of the game is half mental, Yogi Berra, p. 3

You have to train your mind like you train your body, Bruce Jenner, p 3

Under Pressure you can perform fifteen percent better or worse. Scott Hamilton, p 18

When you have fun, it changes all the pressure into pleasure. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. p 18

“Sports Illustrated described [Sarah Hughes] performance as “uninhibited joy.” [winning Gold in the 2002 Winter Games]” p 22

“Sports psychology doesn’t create talent. It only can help release it.” p 36

“Ozzie Smith said, “Show me a guy who is afraid of looking bad and I can beat him every time.”” p 43

“Perfectionism [is self-defeating] Self-critical, negative perfectionist can never do enough. Their mind-set often is fueled by a fear of failure.” p 43

“”You never stop learning in this game,” said Randy Johnson, ace of the Arizona Diamondback’s pitching staff.”

[pullquote]Show me a guy who is afraid of looking bad and I can beat him every time.[/pullquote]

“ACT, A stands for accept your present state…C stands for create your desired state. T stands for take action steps to get you there.” p 59

“If you are of legal age and drink alcohol, follow Knute Rockne’s rule: Drink the first, sip the second and refuse the third.” p 75

“Motivation is a popular word, especially in sports. It comes from a Latin word meaning “to move.”” p 88

“Playing sports as a kid should be an enjoyable, positive and rewarding experience.” p 90

“Arnold Schwarzenegger also had a mission. His vision created what he called “want power.”” p 90

“Someone said that people who have no fear either are in mental institutions or on special teams.” 93

“Talent being equal, players with a positive, optimistic attitude will outperform those with a negative, pessimistic one.” 100

An athlete is “one play away from being the starter…stay involved and ready…a good attitude…work hard…is coachable…a real team player.” p 106

“Ted Williams offered some sage advice: “If you don’t think too good, then don’t think too much.”” p 117

Learn to control your emotions or they will control you. Edgar Martinez, p 119

“Breathe and Focus…growing anxious, breathe in energy. Breathe out negativity. Breathe in relaxation. Breathe out stress.” 133

“Lou Piniella said, “be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” p 133′

“Pitcher Orel Hershiser: “Once my catcher and I determine the pitch, that’s all there is. There’s nobody standing there then…There’s only the next pitch. It’s the only job I have.” p 152

“What do you think is the most important part of the mental game?…Confidence.” p 156

“Confidence is the emotional knowing that you are prepared, mind, body and spirit for anything.” p 156

“Doubts cause intellectual confusion.” p 165

“Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers said it is better to throw a poor pitch wholeheartedly than to throw the so-called right pitch with a feeling of doubt.” p 165

“”Chance” Louis Pasteur said , “favors the prepared mind.” p 157

To succeed in baseball, as in life, you must make adjustments. Ken Griffey Sr. p 180

“Athletes require rest and recovery time. Without it they become stale, burned out and more susceptible to injuries.” p 182

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender, Vince Lombardi, p 182

My baseball career was a long, long initiation into a single secret: At the heart of all things is love. Sadaharu Oh

A hero is no braver than the ordinary person. He is just braver five minutes longer. Ralph Waldo Emerson. p 197

“Sports is more than a contest of physical ability. As the ancient Greeks knew, sports also test courage, which comes from the Latin word meaning heart. ” p 197

“For a performer, love is the most basic ingredient for success.” p 215

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