Continue on your the path with classes 4, 5 & 6:

Class 4 - Set goals to achieve SUCCESS!

By Prof. Stats  (c) 2020  Author of The Path to Excellence and

      From Excellence to Success

Goals for winning the gold should help you make GREAT results hapen! You can have a SUCCESSFUL sports career putting in the work and see your goals come to life!! Going for the Gold could be your goal.

NOTE: You see dream and D.R.E.A.M. used and they are for setting goals. This is a long class and Dream is the next class. 

     “Achieving a career goal will always be remembered.” When I finally shot 800 in bowling after being close at least ten times, I told myself, “I finally did it”. When I finished the 2014 Senior Masters with a perfect game and 803 for the last three games to win the title, I said to myself, “All the work I did, finally paid off”. I have had a few other career goals that I have accomplished, but these two stand out for my 50 years of competing. I remember these two like they were yesterday. I’ll detail these two goals later and why they happened.

     A goal is an end that one strives to attain, according to Webster. It is just one part of your “DREAM” of what you want from your sport. Dare to believe, dare to hope and dare to “DREAM”. Magic can happen for those who DARE TO “DREAM”. You’ll block your “DREAM” when you allow your fear of failure to grow bigger than your faith of your dream becoming a reality. You’ve heard this expression too many times, dream big. That sounds great at first, but it isn’t a goal, it’s really a vision for your future. Who didn’t believe at one point in their life that they could be the number one athlete in their sport? Now that’s dreaming big! The next question is, can you actually accomplish it? Ask all the number ones and they will give different answers. Some will feel they got lucky to be number one. Some will tell you they were hoping for it while many will say, “They knew they would be number one, because of all the work and dedication they put into their game.” Results from dreaming big usually won’t happen overnight or even the next month. Sports are about dreaming of the possibilities and having reliable routines. On the right is a routine to “DREAM” to help you achieve more of your goals you set! 

NOTE: Click on pics located to the right for this class to see a larger image. 

Make your DREAM a reality!

     Wake up! It’s not quite time to “DREAM” yet!! No day “DREAM”ing in class or you might miss something important! Surprise! Flash alert!! I’ve added graphics for the first time, so you’ll be less likely to fall asleep. This flowchart will help you understand how to advance your sports career through setting goals. 

     I know some athletes need pictures to reinforce what I’m trying to help them with to keep them interested. I’m in no way a graphic designer, so you’ll have to excuse the way the four graphics I used looks. I also have two excel sheets to determine if your goal is a “DREAM” goal and if setbacks are keeping you from your “DREAM” goal. The “DREAM” goal flowchart you just witnessed is really for those either just starting their career or want to accomplish more from their sport. You may not need to use all of the graphics I’ve included in class; they are giving athletes a structure for setting and accomplishing their goals. Staying motivated with a few setbacks can be discouraging and is the main reason that dedicated champions take the extra time to think about where they’re headed and what they want from the sport they love. Taking the time to dream, establish a couple of goals, write them down and post them are why some champions keep winning. Don't let others say you can't win! If you put in the work, almost anyone can win!

Grabbing goals helps continue CONFIDENCE!

     Achieving goals are the quickest way to gain more confidence while in competition. The five components of a “D.R.E.A.M.” Goal will help you make realistic career goals that any athlete should be able to grab several times in their career. Once you’ve reached one goal no matter how it was done or how long it took, your next career goal could happen next month. Your new goal should be significantly higher than the one you just reached and touched. Some say, it gets easier, once you’ve already done it. Depending on each athlete and their age, you never assume it will ever happen again. You should know what happens when you assume! There are a lot of athletes with just one title and think the next one is just around the corner. To do anything the second time may not require as much work as the first, but you’ll still have to put some work to see the duplicating effect. As you continue to “DREAM”, you’ll keep your head high no matter how many obstacles or setbacks occur. Sports happen and then you come back to earth to live your life. Your experiences from dreaming and competing, will be events for learning and building your confidence so you can start consistently winning. Goals help your “DREAM” become real, because the more real they are, the better chance they will happen. They motivate you to do your best at all times and enhance your career once you obtained a goal. Goals are steps to keep you focused going in the right direction and help you reach out farther for your next goal. You may never be satisfied with everything you wanted to accomplish until you retire.

     Setting and accomplishing goals are just steps you take for your overall career “DREAM”. I already have an article on goals on the website and hope you read it. It doesn’t go into a lot of detail, and I’ll expand on the few ideas that I wrote about. Every athlete usually has some type of goal, and this class will discuss what types of goals should be set, to experience the thrill of reaching a goal, so you can “DREAM” of your next goal. Some of you that have taken business classes, may have heard of “S.M.A.R.T.” goals. Well, that is all fine and dandy when companies need to look towards the future to help stay in business, but athletes need to “DREAM”. They “DREAM” about what will motivate them as their career continues. Once athletes are motivated, their dedication to excel in sports should follow. I have come up with my own “D.R.E.A.M.” goal outline for this class and the future of sports. It’s really a “SMART” goal spelt differently and is in a better order for athletes. 

      Goal setting can be as unique as the athlete. Your goals must have a purpose and are connected to that ugly word, work. If you don’t do some work, how can you achieve any goal? How do you get to that pot of gold if your career goal is not in our universe? How much is your career goal worth going after it? Will your career goal change your life? How many of your season goals will you reach this season? What will happen when your career goal seems like you’ll never reach it? Will you still remain positive after getting close several times to your career or season goal? How would you respond to these questions? There are several types of goals and depending on the goal, athletes will have a variety of answers. The only wrong answer would be, that you’re not setting goals and going after them. And in today’s busy world, time and money will always be weighed against whatever goal you set. And of course there are team goals that will be discussed later, but the first part will be only individual goals and goal setting. As you seen, I’ve included for your educational experience and enjoyment, how to “D.R.E.A.M.” and also included motivation for each letter.

     Anyone can say they have a goal. The hard part is putting in the work to MAKE IT HAPPEN! Depending on your sport, finances may determine how realistic any goal is. Technology, equipment and practice can cost some big bucks. For bowling, if you’re using a ball that is over five years old, it could produce some high scores. But the latest and greatest balls will react better and carry better but costs are around $200. I get at least one ball every other season as this is the best way to still stay competitive. For several athletes, parents and or getting patrons (sponsors) to buy shares for percentages will keep some athletes competing so they aren’t stressed out about finances. Goals are about MAKING YOUR DREAMS HAPPEN! Some goals are broad in description and are not action plans. For any goal to become reality, objectives are action plans to taking steps to achieve your goals. Objectives are specific and measureable and are more like a daily goal. Objectives are your purpose to pursue your dream and the direction you need to take to get there. It may take several objectives just to get close to your goal. This is why you don’t have ten goals for the season, unless you achieved nine goals before the season is over. Of course after all the planning to make your goal happen, you’ll start over when you reach that goal and plan out objectives for your next goal. If your goal for the season is so high that you never get close, it’s time to punt and bring your original goal down a little bit. There will be times in the future where obstacles and setbacks pop up out of nowhere. Sports can be cruel to athletes at times and surviving the downs can only make you stronger. You should be able to reach at least one goal each season, so that you have the feeling of accomplishing something and be able to celebrate the occasion. Your new season could start with something you accomplished last season, maybe your first time ever, like scoring 20 points in basketball. The reason to duplicate a season goal the following season is so it becomes more of a routine. If you did something once, you could and maybe should be able to do many more times. Remember that a season goal isn’t a life altering career goal. These celebrations of your personal goals will add to your confidence level to make future goals easier to obtain. Just because you reached your goal during a match and have a big smile, don’t celebrate too much if your team is still in a close match. You still need to keep your head in the game to help your team. Even for individual competition, save any partying until after competition is complete. I’ve seen athletes get so wrapped up thinking they won the match to lose it on the last shot of the match. GIVE 100% until it is mathematically over as you may still learn something after trying something that is just a little bit different. If the match is over before the final shot, you should experiment with an adjustment that could win a title in the future. Just being satisfied you won, won’t get you in a Hall of Fame. Champions find a way to win and making adjustments to gain more knowledge even after the match has been won, are reasons why they continue to win.

      Intensify your intent to complete the mission and reach your goal. Strengthen, increase, purpose, mission, dream, persistence, confidence, determination, plan and ambition. These are the words that Webster has for goals. You see that confidence is listed as it will increase your chances of any goal happening. Confidence is really the biggest factor when champions or winning is involved. These are the same words when it comes to sports and competing. These words mean nothing if you don’t dedicate yourself to improve. Only you can determine what you want from sports, and you’ll live your life based on what your decisions are. Seeking goals is about the inner drive of an athlete. How badly do you really want to win? What if I keep coming in second or third place? I keep making the finals but fall apart when the finals start. Obviously these last three are by someone who hasn’t won. The question of the universe is: What does it take to win? Why do some seem to win a lot more often? Persistence and determination are what come up for those still waiting to win. Persistence is continuing to battle in search of a win while determination shows a NEVER QUIT attitude. Why does all this relate to you and your goals? It’s about experience and being able to dream, so your dream becomes real. Experience trumps almost all other factors in sports and the street that leads to confidence. There are few shortcuts for experience. Knowledge and decision making during defeats makes you more competent. Defeats should add fuel to the fire to compete at a higher level. Defeats for some are minor setbacks and learning experiences. Even if you chocked, you should have learned something. Remember, it’s not always the final shot or play that decided the match. Your emotions and thinking can be your worst enemy. Making goals and putting in the work will eliminate many outside influences, which keep some athletes from accomplishing their goals. Daily objectives should involve positive motivation and seeing goals where you’ll notice them every day and especially before your match. If you’re committed to your goal, the more your mind sees it, the better chance of it happening during competition. Post motivation in your car, so you’ll see it just before practice.

     I’ll tell you that no matter what your sport is, how long you been competing, what your age is, why you compete, how good you are, how good your competition is, even if turning pro isn’t in your future, you should have at least two individual goals. One of them being a career goal and the other being a season goal. Goals are something to write down and refer to from time to time. A goal should inspire you to do your best, but it can self-defeating if you let your goals eat at you because you’re not reaching them. Goals are really motivation for better performance. Once you get that taste for better performance at the next level, you’ll want to continue to the next level. Your goals should be pushing you to climb out of the level you’re at, to go after bigger and better things for your sport.

      I just thought I’d remind you that every athlete has their very own experience. What happened as a kid playing games could determine how successful you’ll be later in life. Injuries, operations, illnesses and yes just living, will definitely play a part of your success. Success will be different for each athlete as goals they shoot for will be determined on their experience and ability. Coaches and teachers can make a huge difference. Your parents can help your career due to their emotional support. The friends you hang with along with teammates can give you advice that is priceless, even more so if it works for you. Your family and significant other will add to the equation each and every week. Where you work, and of course school, can put stress on you and effect your performance. How you prepare and when you show up are a few factors on your performance. Your physical and mental ability, experience and confidence will determine what goals you set. And now for the deep-down ugly part for some, how you handled that loss, the bad scoring night, coming back from an injury or how others treated you after competition. All this shows why the mental game is a must or your game is a bust! Every idea here shows why confidence is really second to none. There will be several times when it seems that sports isn’t fair. Bad breaks keep happening or you had a brain fart and lost the match to compound the problem. So you fell down. It’s that time to get up and start over to change the result. My saying is, don’t get mad, get even. Because, once you’re mad, you can’t think straight. You need to put it behind you so you can focus on what has to change. You can make it happen because you set your sights on a few goals and now have a stronger mental game after reading some of what’s on my website and what you’ve experienced in past competition. Since I’m a bowler and golfer, I’ll be using these two sports for most examples to setting and achieving your goals. The following shows your vision for your career and the steps to get started. After answering the questions, use the D.R.E.A.M. Goal planning template to have an accurate goal based on your experience.

     The D.R.E.A.M. Goal Pyramid (just above) that you just saw is your start to creating goals for your career in sports. Start at the top and determine where you see yourself in five years. Why five years you might ask? Depending on your sport, you may only compete for 15 years. Breaking your sports career up into segments, will keep you looking forward and more focused on your goals to climb up to where you want to be five years down the road. Look at career goals as assessments or a measurement of your achievements to where you feel you should be in your career. Your vision will change as your experience continues with every match and positive outcomes happen. Five seasons or years can seem like an eternity. After the five years, you’ll reevaluate where you are and determine your next five years. Your vision will give competing insight, for the purpose of becoming a better athlete and raise your level of confidence. Based on your vision, you’ll set a career and season goal to keep you aimed for the future. Now you see three objectives which are monthly goals to achieve your season’s goal. It is possible to that you reached your career goal and would have to redo your vision statement. After your vision and goals are written down, to complete your objectives which will help accomplish your goals, planning needs to be done. Your four plans could be 1. Practice, 2. Prepare, 3. Exercise and 4. Coaching. 1. An extra practice session to work on some skills. 2. Prepare by watching video, reading a mental book or making sure you show up early for every match. 3. Exercise by getting to the gym so you’re physically ready to compete. 4. Get mental game coaching or coaching to refine your physical game to keep you ready for when the battle begins. I used these as examples and of course, you may have different needs to accomplish your goals and seek the high road of your vision.

     I hope I haven’t put you to sleep by all the prep work of why you set goals. I was showing why some athletes may set goals that are totally unrealistic and others may never set goals because of their busy schedule. Setting some time to work on the sport you love, should be a no-brainer. One hour every week could show some great results. It comes down to how badly you want to perform better every time out. Writing down goals takes the least amount of time. Post them where you’ll see them before heading to your event. You could also post them in your car so they will be reminders when you arrived to compete for your match. I’ve even wrote down my trigger word as I will change it from time to time. Even a once a week league bowler, should have at least two goals, one for the season and the other for their career. Having too many goals can dilute any achievement. Having multiple scores isn’t really having a serious goal. A bowler who has a high score of 660 and setting goals for the season at 675, 700 and 750, is just trying to shoot anything better than 660. For them, setting a goal for 750 which is 90 pins over their highest series is somewhat unrealistic for the season because they have never had a 700, but it probably has been done by someone. This goal is more of a career goal because of their highest series and experience. They should set their season goal for 675, and then after shooting above that, make their next goal higher depending on their new high score. Achieving goals after putting in the work should make you career more rewarding and want to see how you matchup against better competition. Some athletes will just show up and give their best every time, but an athlete who taken the time to write down their goals shows motivation to improve, wants to challenge themselves against better competitors, won’t let a few obstacles or setbacks get in their way and will probably learn more from their experience of competing.

    So before you start writing down 5 goals for your career and season and think that you set your goals, you’re forgetting the purpose of goal setting. Goals are made to focus on your individual vision and keep your aim on track, instead of a hit and miss method for goals. Go back to the goal pyramid and start looking where you could be in at least five years into the future. Your vision isn’t a goal, it’s just a realization of what you should accomplish to get there. Let’s say you’re in High School and want to become a professional athlete. Your vision should include being a top athlete in college to be a draft pick. Your vision should take you to the next level, not several levels. Visions also need to be realistic and in line with your experience. Having a vision of being a G.O.A.T. when still in High School is not seeing 20/20. Dreams are made where some athletes will chase them even if they know, that their dream may never materialize. Remember that a G.O.A.T. didn’t get named that for what they did in High School or even college, it’s what they accomplished as a pro and usually has several championship seasons. Your vision should change as you step up to more difficult challenges and accomplish more each and every season. Review your vision after every season to see if you’re still headed in the right direction and getting closer to where you think you should be. Your vision will also change due to any injury as rehab needs to happen before your 100% again. There is also a possibility that being 100% healthy may never happen depending on your age and the severity of your injury. Other than the injury to my fingers at age five, my injuries over my lifetime have been minor. But even minor injuries can disrupt your vision for the future or at least postpone part of a season till you’re able to get back to the enjoyment of competition. Should you have an injury and need to refocus on your vision for the future, once you’re back competing, your goal for the season may also have to be adjusted. Sports is about adjustments, both physical and mental. Accept any adjustment, so you can start to refocus on what needs to be accomplished and work on obtaining your goals.

     Now break time’s over and it’s time to do a little work. Determine your career goal by answering the questions on the “DREAM” Goal pyramid for goals, objectives and plans based on you five-year vision. After writing down your answers, see if your “D.R.E.A.M.” Goal is realistic by using the “DREAM” Goal Planning template and analyze the five components.

      Each component asks questions and have statements, so your goal is clear on what needs to happen. It will help you develop as an athlete and what you expect from yourself so all future challenges will be welcomed, and you won’t be afraid to fail. Most goals occur due to proper planning and being motivated for the direction you’re headed. The physical training you put in will be work, but setting goals, planning so you can achieve them and accomplishing your goal is the fun part. Depending on your sport, accomplishments may include prize money if you did well, so why wouldn’t you want to make goals to go after? Athletes who have put in more work than you, may be the athletes you meet in competition.

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Your DREAMing is on your way to SUCCESS!

     After using the template (above) to plan your career goal, you’ll now know what to expect when using it for your season’s goal. The five components, D, R, E, A and M, creates a more realistic chance of any goal to happen. Your final goal may change after your five-component evaluation. If you had a “DREAM” Goal, that’s great. It’s probably not your first rodeo, and it shouldn’t be your last. What you wrote for your career, could be what’s holding you back. I’ll explain. If you wrote that you wanted to win the Triple Crown, but you haven’t even won a major yet, you set a complex goal. These are several goals combined into one. It can’t be a “DREAM” Goal because it won’t pass the relevant analysis. Goals should be steppingstones for improvement and not two or three goals wrapped in one. Your career goal should first be, to win a major title. Then after winning a major, your next career goal is to win another major or a different major title. After you have won two different majors, then set your sights on the Triple Crown, but only then. Your career goal should be something that isn’t so easy that you set and reached your goal three or four times. Of course, there will be athletes that have career seasons, and this is the exception.

      I already told you about two of my bowling career goals to start this class. Starting out, I had quite a few 700’s as you can see in my photo collection on the website. They are the patches at the top of the wall between several plaques. After having a 799 in 1994 and missing the ultimate score of 800, I didn’t have any goals at that time. The reason was that I loved the sport of bowling and having fun competing. I had several games above 280 with a high game for league being 289. I did have a perfect 300 in pot games against John Cook and Dewey Yoho who are both in the Tucson and Arizona State Hall of Fames. I started to shoot several 750 or better sets after that 799. In 1996, I shot my highest score in league with a 297. Some of you realize that my highest scores, 297 and 799 are one pin short of receiving an honor award from A.B.C. It was my 297 that I felt I could be shooting even better. In 1992, I had the first 10 strikes twice in the same night. Dewey who was bowling in the league, walked over to me and said, “Don’t worry, you’ll shoot your 300.” I’m now shooting some great scores in competition without a sanctioned 300 or 800, I realized that at times small mistakes and not being fully focused kept me from an honor score and the ring that goes with it. So in the year 1997, I went to the book store to try to understand what I needed to do better. The Inner Game of Tennis by Galloway which was first published in 1982 was on a shelf with other sports books. Pirozzolo & Pate wrote the Mental Game Companion for Golf in 1996 and a cassette tape in 1997 of Bruce Jenner’s Finding the Champion Within make up three of the first mental game guidance in my library. These three books, that were not about bowling, taught me to relax while still having fun bowling. People say that certain things happen for a reason and being close so many times, was my reason to seek advice and get to the next level. It was these three books that got me started in setting goals.  It was less than two years later when I recorded my first sanctioned 300. For 3 and 1/3 year, I held the unpublished A. B.C. record for the highest sanctioned scores without an honor score ring. It took some mental game information to unlock my potential to get even better and achieve greater accomplishments. But I still felt that an 800 series should have been checked off my to do list. It was 2003 and I found out about a mental game coach. “The name of the game is focus” and performance enhancement caught my eye in the brochure. Beth Haggerty, my mental coach asked me if I kept a journal when I competed. At that time, I wasn’t and she said I should start again and grade each shot based on how focused I was for the shot.

      Would you believe within two weeks later after just my first session, I started league shooting 268 and 269? My final game started with a spare, strike and another spare. For my career goal of 800 to materialize, I need to throw the next eight strikes to make it happen. Eight in a row is something I don’t do every month. Well, I threw the next five and it was in the 9th frame that I told myself, I need a turkey. I punched out for a 270 and a stair step 268, 269 and 270 for 807. The ultimate award as A.B.C. puts it, stands as my only sanctioned 800 for the first three games. I finally achieved success as most would say who bowl. It took some time and without getting help for my mental game, it may never have happened. I didn’t give up and my drive to accomplish even better things is why my “DREAM” of 800 came into existence. The expression of how badly you want it, is the reason why I accomplished it. It is one reason for writing my book and these lessons. I want more athletes like me to have fun competing in the sport they love. Not knowing about the mental game and not setting a goal until my 297, I felt kept me from accomplishing more, but I’m satisfied with my achievements. 

      An 800 series can be a lifetime achievement for many bowlers and some good bowlers may not ever get there. My career goal to shoot 800 didn’t happen until I was 48 years old. But experience, hard work both physically and mentally and my persistence to keep improving finally became a reality. The 800, being a career goal is for league play as you receive a ring for the accomplishment. My other career goal is for bowling tournaments and winning a title, the Tucson City Masters. In 2010, due to my age of being 55, I was now able to just bowl against other seniors in the Tucson City Senior Masters. In my fifth Senior Masters, I finally won the Senior Masters trophy. My mom taught me right with never giving up and she was able to see me accomplish a perfect 300 game with the title just before she passed away. Her inspiration and being there to see me achieve a lifelong goal was the greatest experience of my life. I still believe things happen for a reason, and my positive attitude and her being there to watch made it very special.

       Anytime you accomplished something special, you need to treat yourself so it feels special and so that you’ll want to duplicate this experience again. With all that is going on now with COVID-19, being in the wrong place at the wrong time and being able to compete may be a thing of the past. As you get closer to my 65 years old, injuries can keep you from repeating remembrances just ten years ago. Just because you set a career goal and certain situations happen, changing your goal could be your best decision of the season. Your sport should give you better direction after schedule changes and the amount of practice you can participate in safely. Because of several concerns later in life, you’ll have to make tough choices about how to handle each situation that comes along. Others that make decisions best for them may alter your decision. And of course, your decision may affect other athletes making their choice about the situation. You should always feel that your decision is best for your career and life. If all your friends were jumping off a bridge into a river or lake, that that mean you should as well? Your decision will be based on whatever the situation dictates.

      I’ve covered individual career goals and included two of my greatest days competing. I’ve told that you can still do good things without setting goals. I’ve also told that you can do great things once you’re more dedicated because of the goals you’re going after. The power your mind has in trying to become better is no match to someone who just thinks they can be better. The graphics I’ve used in this lesson are really for those thinking of turning pro, and for those not interested in turning pro, goals should still happen.

       B. Now it’s time to plan your work with your season goals. You’ll do the same goal setting as you did for your career goal with the paragraph starting with A. The season goal you decide on should help you get closer to your career goal. The season goal you start with the first week of the season should require a little work, but should happen before the season ends. You need to reach two season goals, so you feel the season had meaning for your career. A season where no goals happened and you may start questioning your vision for your career. If you’re not having fun, are you sure you want to continue? If you question your ability to win, can winning even happen? Doubt is why quitters quit before being successful. If you’re still reading my lesson, you’re not a quitter and you want improve you game. Only after you know which direction you’re headed in, can you begin your destination. Make sure you have the auto pilot to enjoy the adventure and learn from all experiences! Motivation is all around us if we just look and I’m trying to break up some of your short assignments to keep you interested so great accomplishments can happen.

       C. But each and every week, whether you are scheduled for one or two matches for the week, you should have an objective written in your journal or logbook. Objectives are really weekly goals to help you focus for your match and the situation surrounding the event, so your season and career goals will be closer to reaching. One of my objectives for bowling will be to stay clean for the night and is harder these days because of the equipment. I’ll usually have only one or two opens, and then after an open, change my goal to have a five bagger. Determining your objective is something you have done about every month. Celebrating after you’ve completed your objective is up to you. Since most objectives should be obtained, shooting just over your average isn’t a reason to celebrate. I’ll change my objective every week and write it in my logbook so it will be fresh and energizing. At times, I’ll wait until practice is over to determine my objective for that night. With injuries and other activities, I never know how well physically I’ll be ready each day. Knees and shoulders that are painful from time to time can and will have an impact on performance.

TIME OUT.

      Here’s the reason I go to Dr. “Steve” Watson who gave testimonial for my book. He is a chiropractor who keeps me in battle ready shape, but because of age, the wrong twist or turn and pain may reoccur right before a match. If I was a pro athlete with a contract, I’d see him once a week. But since I’m retired, I can only afford every other week. Those pinched nerves can lead to serious problems if you don’t get adjustments on a timely schedule. I want to warn you that chiropractors have different ways to do the same job. Ever since my accident and totaled my van, I have been seeing them almost every month. My job as a carpenter and electrician required twisting, turning and pulling. I was thrown on my back in the service 30 years ago. As you get older, arthritis sets in and limits some mobility. Even if you have never been involved in a bad accident, you should seek a chiropractor who can help you feel years younger by their adjustments. I have seen seven since my accident and three that were very good retired. Three of them had a different way with tables that had no adjustment spring sections. Dr. Steve was the first chiropractor to adjust my feet as I developed plantus and got arch supports. It might take two or three chiropractors until you find a good one to keep you competition ready. They help with migraines and other occasional pain. If you can compete in any sport or you’re in your 60’s, you really want to be pain free. Talk to friends who go to chiropractors as most know the advantages of getting help from them. They are a big help for golf with twisting to hit the ball.

 TIME IN.

      As you try to decide your goal for the upcoming session, go grab a glass of water and drink it. Athletes being dehydrated lead to muscle cramps even during the day, and isn’t the ideal situation when performing. If you’re tired, coffee may not be the best drink as it promotes dehydration, as does sodas loaded with sugar. To go after your goals, you need to watch your health closer so you can perform at your best. Also as you age, your health will be more important. Your balance may determine how much longer you compete. I’ve seen some retire where it came too late. An accident at work and now sports will be now be watching instead of competing and enjoying the thrills of victory. Staying active as you grow old isn’t a goal. It’s a requirement for a healthy athlete who enjoys sports. Even if you’re past 50, you should have goals to shoot for. There isn’t anything better than being competitive after retirement as it helps you not only keep your weight down, but also makes you feel alive. Having goals will psyche you up and keeps your head in the match for a better chance of winning. Don’t make your weekly goal so easy that you achieve it every week. Reaching you career or season’s goal can actually make you let up and lose the game or the match. When bowling 35 weeks in a league, completing your objective six times is what you should be aiming at. That’s one for every six weeks or month and a half. Your objectives for any match, is to get you more committed when you perform. If on a team, you can change up your individual objectives with team goals for the match. If your team needs a win to make the playoffs, then you should put more weight into what is best for the team, rather than your own agenda. After all, you still have your individual season and career goals you can accomplish and go after if the situation occurs. But don’t let any opportunity slip away because you were so focused on your individual goal that you didn’t let your team help win the match. Another player may have had a better opportunity to score, but in the heat of the battle, you didn’t realize how open they were. Experience plays a part of goals and where you are headed. Ask 100 amateur athletes of their goals and you’ll get 100 different answers. Some of them will not be turning pro and just want to compete with other good amateurs. Most seniors just want to have fun and have a shot to win the championship. When I won the club championship in golf, my final round objective was making nine fairways out of 14 to have the best shot at the greens on a windy and cold day in December. I had a four stroke lead after the two rounds used. Because I completed my objective, I had just two double bogeys and achieved my goal to win the club championship by one stroke. Determining goals keep you focused and make it fun when you reach one.

      Well it’s up to you now as you plan your work to work your plan and achieve great things from your sport. With the coronavirus, one goal accomplished for this upcoming season would be huge. But sports will have bad bounces and the breaks will not go your way every time. The following worksheet is overcome obstacles and setbacks to help you understand the corrections to get back on the road headed for your destination. It can also be used when you didn’t reach your original season goal when the season started. To keep your “DREAM” alive, reassess where you are half way through the season. No matter what happens, you have less than 12 months to start a fresh new season full of opportunities if no major incidents happen.

- - - - - - 

Missing your goal maybe a reality!

      Some of you may have D.R.E.A.M.ed a little too big for your monthly goal. The worksheet on the upper right will help you fine tune the goal you are going after!

      For those of you who golf, are you pro bound? What, you say? The one part of my golf game that is closest to being a pro is putting. Of course, we don’t normally have razor fast greens and amateurs like me, are happier to use the flat stick than to chip it to the dance floor. So, us amateurs most of the time, are putting from farther distances away from the cup. Laura Beahring, a PGA coach at Sewailo Golf Club taught me the best system for dialing in on distances. After her session for the group lesson, my putting vastly improved. Before, I was around 35 putts per round, one under par. I’m now down to 32 putts a round, four under par. Three strokes under par better, is one reason why I won the Club Championship. I had 31 putts in the final round. Four under par for putting makes for a better day on the course and takes some pressure off on approach shots. There are days that even pros wished they had only 32 putts in their round. My best was 27 putts for nine under par. If only the rest of my game was that good. Since Laura gave me lessons on the short game, my ability to chip in from off the green has also happened more and of course, zero putts for that hole. Every round in the men’s club, for my objective, I decide on the number of putts for the round based on the practice green. I’ll try to be six under putting and usually be off by one stroke. Even though the actual greens may vary slightly, putting requires speed and accuracy. For me, if I can dial in on the speed of the putts, I’ll have a good day on the greens. Lagging putts for amateurs is a usual occurrence as we’re not as close to the pin on most holes. Eliminating three putts is what she taught us and it will happen once in a while. Being 50 feet away are what cause of most my three putts. Another objective for a different week, will be to chip to within four feet of the stick twice in the round. So you can see, I change things up to not only have fun, but to focus on achieving my objective for that round. These objectives I mentioned, are why I was able to bring to bring home the hardware after the final round. 

       Well, I think I gave some of you, more than you wanted going after any “DREAM”. I just wanted to make sure you know how valuable setting goals are! Once you know your destination, there are several ways to get there. All my “DREAM”s happened because of having a positive attitude, I tried my best all the time, wrote my dreams down, wrote my objectives in my log book to help focus on what I wanted to accomplish to give my “DREAM”s a chance to happen, enjoyed competing no matter the outcome because I learned from almost every experience, got help with both my physical and mental games (the double whammy for competition), having teammates who enjoyed competing as much as winning and always having as much fun as possible. Doing 360’s and running shots out not only help to keep stress and pressure away, it helps me involved and helps psyches me up. Should I say it again? If you’re not having fun, it may be time to quit. Well too late, I just wanted everyone to know that sports is supposed to be fun and what’s more fun than seeing your “DREAM” come true. 

      And now, I’ll give you, the rest of the story. As promised, I’ll let you in on the bigger picture, sports where you’ll be a team member. There are no one rule that apply to all sports. Golf is about having the lowest score. Racing and track events are seeing who can complete laps in the fastest time. Bowling, golf, archery and you could throw in darts, has no defense, at least not now. Bowling, golf and tennis, just to name three, are considered individual sports, even though there are doubles and team events. Some field events require the longest distances. Some positions in sports aren’t custom to scoring points, such as a defensive player in football, the goalie in both soccer and hockey and the player holding the broom in curling. Not everyone on a team will have a chance to score. Some players will see limited playing time and therefore less scoring opportunities. Every baseball stadium is different including the first and third base lines. Some sports is about strategy, while others is about matching up to your opponent. Basketball, baseball and tennis are the three biggest sports where players are on both offense and defense. Most team sports have a head coach who determines playing time. And tiddlywinks aren’t a sport, it’s a game. So as far as team goals, there really is only seasonal goals. Most coaches determine where their team should be halfway through the season. Team chemistry plays a huge part in how the team responds to any situation and what the team goal may be. Not always is the team goal going to be to win the championship.

       Not always is the best team going to win the championship. The team members and how they contribute to the overall concept of the team will determine how successful the team will be. Individual accomplishments can be diluted because the team is trying to make the playoffs. All players should be focused on the big picture if you compete as a team. In bowling, I’ve seen a lot of teams lose by a few pins when a bowler throws a 300 game. The other team members are more focused on his 300 and somehow forget the game is close and can’t close the door. Depending on your sport, they may pause the game for someone who just reached a goal so the fans can show their appreciation and the player handed the game ball. Any individual career goal could be somewhat passed over if your team lost the championship. More distractions because of the fans, will happen during team situations and you need to prepare for them. When you’re on a new team, you’ll need to understand how you’ll benefit the team and what is expected from you. The team goal may be simple, to make the playoffs or win a specific number of games. You may even sit on the bench more than you ever thought. Going from high school to college will be an adjustment and most will have a handle on the new situation. Adapt and conquer makes athletes stronger and is what makes most sports fun to watch.

     Planning to succeed by choosing which goals you’re going after, will help raise your level of confidence after accomplishing several goals. It’s your “DREAM”, now go out there and shoot for it!!

     Goals are about setting your sights on achieving great things. Obviously, injuries and age can affect your goals and make them harder to accomplish. Without any major injury, most goals should involve work so when you accomplish them, you'll know it was worth the time, effort and experience to reach out and grab it.

     WOW, you made it through my longest class! Congrats! This should tell you how important dreaming about your goals to reach SUCCESS is. When you have a GREAT mental game, going after your goals is the next logical step. Now for your homework.

      HOMEWORK: Dare to dream! Use my graphics to set a career goal and a seasonal 

goal to solidify having a GREAT career!

Now, answer these three questions:

       A: At the start of the season, you made a short-term and a long-term goal.

           It's now slightly over halfway through the season and you came close to

           your short-term goal once. What should you do to have more confidence

           in the future?

      B: How often should your change your long-term goals during your career?

      C: How often should you use the “DREAM” goal worksheet during the season? 

5th Class - DREAM (Dare to DREAM!)

By Prof. Stats (c) 2024  Author of The Path to Excellence and From Excellence to Success

      Dare to DREAM, why wouldn't you? If you compete, you also need to take the DARE! I’m not sure how many of you heard the expression, dare to DREAM. It’s your challenge to do something GREAT! The last class about goals could be your overall DREAM, but this class is about your overall career DREAM. Many athletes that have DREAMED have accomplished their DREAM before they retired. This shows that DREAMS have come true, and I know because they have happened to me on several occasions. Dreams are for chasing as well as catching. The phase Dare to DREAM is about going after one of your career goals, that you’ll feel will justify your existence in your sport. Going after your DREAMS will show others that you won’t be an easy target. As with any new DREAM, work must happen as you’ll need to decide HOW TO schedule ways to make it happen. Accomplishing smaller goals is how you acquire more confidence and the possibility of your DREAM getting closer. DREAMS can be about accepting tougher challenges and will show you if you’re ready to compete at a higher level. DREAMS that eventually come true are because of the work you put in, as they will take time with some will requiring practice, setting up a schedule, keeping a logbook and gaining experience from competing. Having a DREAM is more about wanting something bigger than what you’ve already accomplished. I know that if you’re having fun, any DREAM will keep you motivated to achieve something new. If you’re just starting your career in sports, make your first DREAM realistic, more like a goal for the season. You’ll need to enjoy the celebration when you achieve it, so you’ll want to start going after higher goals and of course bigger DREAMS.  WRITE DOWN YOUR DREAMS and post them where you’ll see them every day. Keeping a positive attitude will give you the best chance to see your dream come to life. 

      Most DREAMS will usually take several goals to accomplish, so you can almost touch it.

I just covered goals in class four and your DREAM should include several goals, so you’ll be able to obtain your DREAM. Your experiences while going after your goals, should align for your DREAM to happen. Don’t ever let anyone tell you it can’t be done, no matter what the circumstances are. Some athletes have done amazing things after being told it couldn’t happen. You may need to have a secondary dream, to keep you on track for your first dream. Setting goals is the steppingstone for achieving DREAMS. Remember back to

being a kid and dreaming about world championships. This is before you even had some skills to do GREAT things. Most DREAMS happen because you have enough experience and talent to make them happen. Your years of training and all the hard work required to achieve a little SUCCESS, should show that you’re ready for new challenges. These new challenges should motivate you to keep your DREAM alive! Whatever happens, don’t be

too hard on yourself if you just missed grabbing your DREAM. You can’t expect it to

happen on your first attempt. It also may not happen on your second attempt. Or your third. Champions keep going through thick and thin and learn a few things before their next try. Relax, so whatever happens, you can enjoy the adventure on your way to your DREAM! It’s not life or death, as some will swear its not, but their actions say it is. Life still goes on and weekly events should keep you mentally sharp. When competing, FOCUS on your event and not on your DREAM. Most DREAMS that do happen are because of what

you learned in the many events before your biggest event. Some DREAMS could be a total surprise, while others are because you’ve put in the work, were ready for the event and then you carried out your game plan. Game plans occur by making correct decisions at the correct time and having one or two strategy concepts for how the match progresses. Your knowledge of past results could result in changing past game plans for your upcoming match.

      My DREAM of winning a major championship would only happen if I didn’t quit. When I look back now at how I won the Tucson USBC Senior Masters, I was bowling great four months before it. My high average in any league was the 230 I averaged for the summer, six weeks before the tournament. It was at the center where the tournament would be contested on. I was averaging 221 in league at the same center and felt that I should

make a deep run at the title. Confidence is a skill based on your knowledge of what works for you, that no one can squeeze out of you. Confidence helps you handle those MUST HAVE moments. A confident athlete won’t care who their match is against, as they know their experience will keep them in the match with a very good chance to win. There are many reasons why some athletes win tournaments to see their dream come true. Luck can play a part of it, but with your experiences being on top of the list, it’s still your knowledge of knowing HOW TO compete. Athletes that believe it’s their time, have a great mental game to make the correct decisions at the correct time, are confident in

repeating GREAT shots, staying focused and managing thoughts. I did all of them when I won! It was my fifth try for the Senior Masters after at least 20 times for the regular

Masters. My last two tries in the Senior Masters, I had equipment failure. Both interchangeable thumb slug systems broke, and I had to use a different ball to finish the tournament. Roy Tietz, who drilled my balls after my first failure, suggested ovals and now

I know that problem will never happen again. It was a SUPER weekend as I was focused only on the match, I was currently evolved in.

      Going after your DREAM won’t be the same journey as other athletes in your sport. Experiences and how athletes live to compete won’t be the same, which will make confidence levels for each athlete different. I know that most DREAMS are about winning events you see on TV, but if you compete, YOU STILL NEED TO DREAM, as this is why you do compete. DREAMS are career goals that can be winning a championship. But before you win a championship, you need to win some titles that qualify you for the championship event. Your DREAM will only happen when your physically able to compete without much pain as accidents do happen. Something I didn’t have to worry about earlier in my career is social media. Social media can be GREAT, but it has a big downside as well. What you see on it can affect every athlete that doesn’t have a GREAT mental game. For your

DREAM to possibly become reality, having a GREAT mental game will GREATLY increase your chance of creating your GREAT event to celebrate it. If you’re not DREAMING, you probably won’t show others your true potential to be a top athlete.

      This may be a short class, but I can’t cover every athlete’s DREAM in just one article. Going after DREAMS comes down to what do you want to accomplish in your sport? And it’s about HOW TO accomplish your GREATEST EVENT ever? Depending on your age, how long you have played your sport, and how you’ve challenged yourself will help determine

if your DREAM is possible without having to do a lot of extra work. But going after your DREAM, should make competing FUN and keep you more FOCUSED on your match. 

See my persistence and magic weekend article about my DREAM. Your DREAMS will determine WHO YOU ARE. 

My qustions to you are:

    A. What does your DREAM say about you?

    B. How successful can you be if you just missed your DREAM several times?

6th Class - FUN (Better start having some!)

By Prof. Stats (c) 2024  Author of The Path to Excellence and From Excellence to Success

It helps reduce pressure in pressure situations! It helps you make more correct 

decisions!

      I can only hope you’ll have as much FUN reading this article as I had writing it. I just bowled a no-tap tournament and some appeared to not having any FUN competing. Why not enjoy sports, instead of putting more pressure on you to cash. There are a few things in sports that are consistent with almost every athlete, including champions. One of the BIGGEST constants is having FUN. Why do you think they put FUN in “FUN”da”Mental”?  Well, how much FUN do have when competing? Oh, I see. You only have FUN when you’re winning. What’s wrong with that picture? What is FUN and why would you not want it? FUN is according to Webster, playfulness, pleasure and a source of amusement. The dictionary never said you could buy it at any store. It should be the consequence of just wanting to show others who you are. How about your consistency? Are your routines consistent? Consistency helps you evaluate your game and when adjustments are needed. Showing up for pre-game warmups and practice should also be FUN and also consistent. I realize some athletes don’t realize how FUNor consistency can help them. When I started sports at age 6, I really wasn’t that good. I had an accident where my fingertips were chopped off at the very start of my sports career. It could have possibly kept me from accomplishing many more GREAT results. As I said before in other articles on my HOW TO website, my mom taught me the two GREATEST lessons that I still believe in today and will adhere to the day I can no longer compete. Never quit and have FUN. And to think that she didn’t play sports, when she told me this. No one ever said you can’t learn something from everyone you crossed paths with. Athletes the same age and competing for the same number of years may have a huge difference in what they have accomplished. There are too many variables to discuss at why one may be a champion, and the other has never had the chance. Could it be that the champion was having more FUN? It could seem logical.

      FUN is a friend of positive attitude, confidence, success and of course LIFE. And you don’t need to act like a kid to have FUN! If you get a few butterflies when competing, you’re putting too much thought into the situation and making it more important then other shots you just threw. Instrumental is fun’s cousin! That makes “FUN”da”Mental” and instru”Mental” brothers that hang around together 😊! When you look at having FUN, can you ever have too much FUN? Read my summary to see why it can be.

      HOW TO HAVE FUN and enjoy the competition? By not underestimating the many advantages of having FUN! How many advantages of having FUN will make you a better competitor, you might ask? If you need to ask, YOU NEED TO FINISH READING THIS ARTICLE! Your quality of life and seeing positive results competing in sports is at stake. You NEED TO UNDERSTAND the importance of having FUN and why it matters. The amount of FUN should increase if you approach competing in any event, a way to embrace having FUN, instead of being too focused on winning or cashing in the event. 

      Any good athlete with just a good mental game, Competes knowing that FUN…

      1. …will give you more vitality to increase positive results! Reducing any factors that

        can negatively impact your positive results should be a no-brainer. Anticipation,

        anxiety and stress can change the dynamics of any match, and eliminating them

        completely may not be entirely possible. Every game is different and games that

        can determine who claims playoff spots can change the way some look at these

        games. Of course, you want to make the playoffs and a win in the final regular

        season game would secure your spot. That would make the game more important

        and special. But at what cost? It’s easier said than done, but every game needs to

        be treated the same. Your goal is the same. Adjustments during the game will

        almost be the same. Approaching a must win game like this can show your

        deficiencies when you put an urgency on winning. And any injuries would make the

        problem worse. It is consistency that is usually rewarded in most sports.

        Consistently seeing positive results, add to your experience of knowing what it takes

        to finish near the top and to win. It definitely reduces the stress and pressure you’ll

        feel in competition. And when your teammates are on the same page, it can be a

        beautiful thing to watch. The cost of treating this game different could be not

        winning, getting over emotional and maybe penalized, missing the playoffs,

        adding more stress, and being physical and mentally drained after the game has

        been decided. Why would you not want to have more FUN, enjoy every moment

        competing and show why you compete? My challenge to you is to try having more

        FUN and see what happens!

      2. …will help you get a good night’s sleep, so you’ll be less stressed and fully rested

        before competition! Some athletes can function with only a little sleep, but then it

        turns into two nights and so on. You need to stay focused to keep your composure

        in the heat of the battle. Getting the needed hours of sleep for any event is one of

        the most important things an athlete can do. Being tired isn’t going to help you

        focus better or to help you make correct decisions during the game. And what if the

        game goes to overtime? It will be worse if you’re sleepwalking to decide the winner.

        Once again, you need to turn off the event is coming light the night before the event.

        The beauty behind having a GREAT mental game is that once at home, you can

        relax to save focusing on the match, until the day of the match and just make sure

        your equipment is ready for the event. 

      3. …can eliminate most stress and pressure situations by focusing on what has to

        happen! The benefits that come with competing is because you’re in a mindset of

        having FUN, and will accept whatever results happen. When you accept the results,

        positively or negatively, you can help yourself bypass several health risks. Being

        judge”Mental” about any result, can take you out of your Mental game, even though

        “Mental” is part of this word 😊. With all the FUN you’re having, it helps your overall

        health by reducing your chance of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and

        having a stroke. Having FUN is like having an apple every day to keep the doctor

        away! Most athletes feel that the end of any game is where pressure sets in. If you

        used your GREAT mental game from the start of the match, there might not be a

        sense of urgency at the end. Be smarter than the situation! 

      4. …can open your mind to notice changes in your match! With a GREAT mental

        game, you should notice the momentum changing and make correct decisions to

        turn things around before it is too late. You need to pay attention to any transition

        so you can jump on the opportunity to take command of the match you’re in.

        Having FUN will keep you more focused on what is happening now when correct

        adjustments need to be made. You may be on your Path to Excellence, but you

        don’t want your mind to wonder down those side streets, lose your concentration or

        deviate from obtaining your goals. Keep your head in the game, your foot on the

        gas and learn from every situation that happens! The knowledge learned from your

        open mind may help you win events in the future!

      5. …can help you when changes are needed to improve results during any event.

          Whoever said change isn’t a good thing probably didn’t participate in sports. Almost

        every sport has gone through several changes and athletes have to adapt to those

        changes if they want to stay competitive. Some changes may help you acquire

        more FUN when competing in a match. When you look back at some of your events

        and their effect on your sports career, how much FUN did you have back then? Was

        your “good” mental game, “good” enough to win the match? What could you do to

        change your game? Some of you are worried that FUN isn’t about winning. FUN is

        what actually keeps you focused on making those correct decisions that can help

        you win matches. FUN will help you from over thinking situations. Losing sucks so

        why not have FUN when trying to accomplish GREAT results? But being too serious

        about winning will cause a lot more problems than just having FUN! I have

        accomplished some GREAT things in my sports career and having FUN helped me

        in creating perfection in two different sports and winning Championships in those

        sports. Having FUN, not only helped create a positive memory, but it helped me

        solve an issue with my thumb inserts to win the Senior Masters the following year. It

        can also help you realize the importance of many things that could help you find

        solutions for some of your troubles and struggles, and allow for a positive change

        in your game. FUNshould eliminate your worrying and help you to focus on making

        correct choices when competing! (See Eye on the Prize!)

      6. …should be your new lifestyle which includes sports. I have already told you some

        of the benefits that FUN brings with it. The biggest is a stress-free lifestyle until

        finances come into play. I just juggled my bills around so I will have more financial

        freedom, and a good example for #5 and making a change. Having the finances to

        cover entry fees for tournaments MUST BE included in your new sports lifestyle. Of

        course, watching can be FUN, but you’re a competitor and you need to keep track

        to finance future events. When the FUNstarts, make sure you don’t go overboard

        and lose your momentum. Being emotional is one thing, but having too much will

        bring anxiety and anticipation into the equation that can lead to rushed decisions

        and more negative results. Open up your world by making it about the FUN you

        have competing and continue it in your personal life! Go ahead and act like a kid

        for a day. See what happens and let others know so they may enjoy their “special”

        day as well. Your “special” day can be very invigorating, as your focus now isn’t on

        sports, it’s about making use of personal time to refuel your batteries and just enjoy

        what life will bring you that day. 

      7. …helps you be more relaxed and can inspire GREATNESS! Athletes that are more

        relaxed and not stressed out will make more correct decisions during situations in

        any match. Why do champions practice? To strengthen their weaknesses, to

        reprogram their routine and to master a new task for competition. Practice can also

        show how much more work is ahead or will tell you the change you just made

        should bring more positive results. Remember back to being a kid, and you enjoyed

        sports you played. Learning tasks as a kid was easy as you were living life having

        FUN. HAVING FUN and being more relaxed will also make learning new tasks easier

        and quicker to use them. Practicing outside your comfort level while still having FUN,

        will increase your comfort level and can build up your confidence. Isn’t it

        confidence that you want to gain and are reading this article? You post event

        analysis is better the day after, so you can calmly make correct decisions at

        changes that may be necessary before the next match. You should give five

        minutes into thinking what could have been better or why your correct decisions

        won the match. Then write them down in your sports journal while it’s fresh in your

        mind and can refer back to it in later matches. 

      8. …starts with consistent routines and should prevent mental burnout. There is one

        constant when competing. If you compete to win as most of us do, you need a

        routine or two. The routine may not be considered fun, but it is necessary. One being

        the day before, so you get equipment and jerseys ready for the event. A game day

        routine will help you plan your time better and be more productive. Having

        consistency is a big help to make sure your event has very little problems. Problems

        on game day create stress as it has to be fixed or find a substitute. Now time comes

        into play and maybe practice won’t be as long as normal. The event started and

        you’re not warmed up yet. How is this helping you or your team? Sometimes it may

        not matter, but why not show you care by showing up early? A lot of variables and

        practice for whatever sport you participate in will have time limits. When you go

        through your routine, you need to keep it the same, unless you just tweaked it.

        Rushing through it can be a recipe for disaster. Start the FUN going by writing down

        your routine.

      9. …should help team chemistry and communication. Just because your team wants

        to have more FUN when competing, doesn’t mean other teams will walk all over your

        team. Having FUN while having a GREAT mental game is what your teammates

        should also choose. When your whole team is on the same page, it can be a

        beautiful thing to watch. Some of the best pros have said that FUN has to be the

        way they compete. Good team chemistry will make it easier to build on the team’s

        skills and improve communication among teammates. 

      10. …should create better relationships, outside of sports. FUN isn’t just for sports and

        having FUN should touch everyone you have contact with. But having FUN outside of

        sports means you can live in a relaxed state to boost your overall health. Your

        partner or friend shouldn’t take life too seriously so both of you can take a few trips to

        just have FUN and enjoy life. A healthy athlete with a GREAT mental game should

        worry opponents as they may HAVE TO perform above their potential to accumulate

        a win. But to live life enjoying most every moment with passion and the willingness to

        learn to be playful at times can benefit both life and sports. I’ll say again, a happy

        wife makes for a happy life. And of course, if your spouse is happy, you’ll have a

        better chance of competing in holiday events and take home extra cash.  

      11. …can be financially rewarding and help pay for future events on your calendar.

        Financial commitments can be a concern to some athletes and can also reward

        you having FUN should you place high enough to get a check. I don’t mind not 

        cashing in an event, as sports award those who perform better than the rest of the

        field. What I try to avoid is donating. Not all situations of events you enter will be the

        same and always check out the rules and prize fund ratio. 

      As I’ve shown why FUN should be your middle name, I’ve also shown why FUN should be at least a weekly routine to reduce stress and it is beneficial to stay healthy! Start scheduling a few hours a week to stop the normal weekly grind and unwind so you’ll have better focus in your next event. Of course, having FUN will look a little different to each athlete. FUN may be the secret to competing in sports. Sports isn’t life or death so you should relax and enjoy life with sports, because you only have one life to live. One thing to note: listening to your favorite music when having FUN can make the time simply fly by and where your correct decisions seem to sink in 😊. 

      Now for the GREAT and

      the NOT SO FAST summary, that everyone expects from Mr. Stats! (NOTE- I don’t

      want to disappoint anyone!): 

      WHAT IS GREAT about having FUN is that you’ll usually see more positive results. Having FUN will be different for athletes because of family life outside of sports, their gyn routine, their taste for music, if they like to travel, their hobbies and their friends. Having FUN really comes when you do it responsibly, so it can continue to happen and help minimize opponents' opportunities at winning the game or match. Your opponents will have more trouble trying to flip your switch for maintaining FUN and turn on their own switch for FUN! FUN can be a direct proportion in the good breaks a team or individual gets because they are competing in a more relaxed state of mind.

      WHAT IS GREAT about bowling, and you’ll have FUN doing it? I knew you would ask so I’m giving you my expert advice to tell you HOW TO HAVE FUN! Bowl in a No-tap tournament where you don’t have to throw any actual strikes to have a GREAT SCORE! Because any nine count on your first shot is a strike, you have two ways to record your “X” on the score sheet. Of course, repeating GREAT shots is still the number one result you need to focus on. No-tap isn’t about needing strikes to see GREAT results, it’s about throwing your ball and consistently hitting the pocket to get nine or better for your string of strikes. This is why the format works well for my game. Just hit the pocket and 95% of the time, it’s a strike. WHAT CAN BE BETTER THAN THAT? How about getting rewarded with some cash as you make money from your entry fee? How about cashing when you think your score won’t be high enough to cash? Who said I couldn’t answer a question with a question, just because I want to show everyone that having FUN is really a choice you make? All these questions POINT TO how to make bowling a sport you want to participate in. When you start leaving the 10 pin and get rewarded a strike (or seven pin for lefties), you have eliminated stress as you don’t have to shoot the spare. Bowling in No-tap tournaments or leagues will help show consistency at hitting the pocket. Spare shooting is still the game as spares will be at least two pins you have to knock over. Splits is something you want to avoid. Well, a few days ago in the Dec 31st tournament, I was the cut shooting 753 for 3 games. I bring this up because I picked up the 5-7 split in the last game. Had I missed the split, I would have left earlier than I wanted. Now everyone making the cut, bowls 2 games with total pins determining place money. The lanes I went to were slightly slicker and I moved right a little. I left another 5-7 in the second frame of the 2nd game and picked it up. After leaving it in the 5th and just missing picking it up, I didn’t think I had a chance of cashing. Of course, I made another small adjustment and went off the sheet for 528. Someone thought I would cash because his pair of lanes was more centered on the bowlers in our division and saw more scores than I could see as I bowled on the higher end of the center. The cut was 511 with the cut the previous week, being 554. I cashed for $100 and profited $60. This is a GREAT example of just bowling your own game and let the results speak for themselves. Knowing why No-taps are GREAT, should help you when you have to knock all ten down to strike. Your GREAT mental game will become the reason why you’ll start cashing consistently in No-taps. (Check it out, Eye on the prize! I have two examples of bowling in No-taps and one reason why I continue to bowl in them. Can you say, less stress, more FUN and having a better chance of cashing?)

      NOT SO FAST, as the truth can hurt. What’s not so GREAT about having FUN is because several athletes, who I’ll call idiots, put too much of their effort into winning, that they not only let themselves down, but also their team. They seem to not have much FUN, unless they are winning and don’t see why having FUN will help their game. Some athletes today are now making FUN, the next extreme sport. They act like idiots and don’t respect opponents. One word of caution is that when these idiots lose, they blame everyone else for the team’s loss and it’s never their fault. Why would this surprise you. I’ve been on a team with a bowler like this. He wouldn’t know how to have FUN, even if it hit him in the face. In contact sports, these idiots can get super aggressive being excessively physical or try to intimidate opponents. They get too wrapped up in winning that they will miss opportunities to win matches. It can seem like they compete, to just act like idiots as they won’t care what their opponents think .about them. These idiots let emotions control them and can come up short at the finish line. They throw logic out the window by making thoughtless decisions that are not the correct decisions. If you get too caught up in winning, what’s the stress you put on yourself doing to you? And for my final questionS: If you are one of these idiots, are you winning by what you do or is it because of having some good luck? And what happens when your good luck disappears? Having a GREAT mental game doesn’t rely on luck, it prepares you for most situations you’ll face when competing!

- - - - - - 

     HOW TO have FUN and start winning shouldn’t be underrated? Just because it may seem FUN, that doesn’t mean it won’t appear as a challenge. There are more positive attributes when having FUNcompeting. You should welcome a more stress free culture to put your GREATmental game on display. Having FUN may get you to think outside the box and expand your comfort level in competition. Another positive for having FUNwill be determining future goals and cashing in on the FUN may make your wait time to achieve your goals might be shorter! It may be the secret weapon as to why you cashed in an event or stayed on course to win it.

ONE FINAL NOTE: I told teammates and others, who didn’t seem to be having FUN, why continue to be frustrated and not enjoy competing, if you’re not having FUN? If you work on Committing to Excellence to get a GREAT mental game and see more positive results, you should start having FUN.

Now you’ll get to have FUN taking the test for all the FUN you had taking my FUN class,

Just don’t have too much FUN 😊!

I shouldn't have a test for FUN, but I wouldn't be a Prof. if I didn't give you one!

A. Why should you limit the amount of FUN you’ll have during competition?

   1. So you can save some fun for after the match.

   2. To keep your mental game focused on the match.

   3. So fun doesn’t get in the way of achieving your goal.

B. Why does having fun help your team?

   1. It provides the team the chance to change the momentum of the match.

   2. It relaxes the team so positive outcomes can be experienced.

   3. It takes the team’s focus off winning the match.

    I’m just checking with you to make sure you’re still having FUN. All work and no play

isn’t my definition of FUN 😊. And now my final question that you don’t want to overthink about:

C. How do you have FUN when nothing seems to go right?

   1. When you stop worrying about results.

   2. When your opponent just got a bad break.

   3. When you start making decisions that generate positive results.

You survived my FUN class and most will get 100% because they had FUN in this class! 

Was it you who said you can't have enough FUN? Well, you might be right, at least this time!