What is a MANTRA you ask? A mantra is a phrase capable of creating transformation. It is like having a mission statement for the business of your athletic career. Without a mantra it is almost impossible to stay focused on achieving your athletic goals, whatever they may be. Even Monks use mantra’s they recite over and over again to help them get closer to the Almighty.
If you want to play sports in college it will take a monumental effort both physically and mentally. The physical part won’t be easy but it will be the least difficult of the two. Putting your mind in the right frame to overcome ALL obstacles and setbacks will be challenging. My son, Coy, uses mantras everyday of his life and has mastered the technique of using them. When he was in high school one of his mantra’s was “I am a Division-I tailback”. And trust me there were many who told him otherwise. Things like, “Oh you’re good but you’re just not fast enough to be a D-I tailback”, or “No white kid can play that position at that level”. You get the idea? All this did was fuel his fire even more to work towards his goal. He would recite his mantra constantly. In his room, before he would go to sleep, on the way to school, while taking a shower, and even while driving down the road. After reciting his mantra for so long eventually he started believing that it would happen. He believed it was just a matter of time until he would receive a scholarship to play tailback at a D-I college.
On July 1, 1995, he verbally committed to Stanford University where he would go on to become the starting tailback as a redshirt freshman. Then he focused on the next phase of his athletic career and once again his mantra changed. Now it was, “I am an NFL player”. Yes. On July 1, 2002, he was drafted in the 3rdround of the NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills where he would beat out a 7 year veteran with a super bowl ring to start as strong safety as a rookie. After nine years in the NFL and being a captain of every team he has ever played on he will officially announce his retirement this spring. You have to understand something. Coy was 6’ tall and a mere 209 lbs. when he started playing linebacker in the NFL. He was tooooo small, tooooo slow, and toooo laid back to play in the NFL. What no one was able to measure was his heart, determination, and will to be the BEST! Using his mantra kept him focused like a laser beam and he is still as focused today as he was then on whatever goal he has set for himself.
YOU must find a mantra and use it to help propel you to where it is you want to go. I’m not saying it will be easy but using this technique will help. Create your MANTRA today!
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