Watching Plays of the Day on ESPN SportsCenter is a staple for many American sports fans. The sheer majesty of the dunks, kicks, throws, and catches is amazing to behold, and for the casual fan, it is easy to surmise that supreme athleticism is what propels these players to the top of their sport.
It’s interesting then to hear GameChange co-founder Jack Baric’s perspective on what sets elite players apart. On the company’s digital Training Camp, Becoming a GameChange Athlete, he stated, “Quite often the difference between the player sitting on the end of the bench and the MVP is their mindset.”
Baric teaches the Training Camp with his fellow GameChange co-founder, Paul McDonald, a former All-American and NFL quarterback. McDonald switches sports analogies to golf when describing the importance that confidence plays in an athlete’s performance. He said, “The belief component is massively important. When you stand over a putt, if you don’t believe it’s going in, it’s not going in.”
The Becoming a GameChange Athlete class outlines many of the principles of living an elite life that can be found in Thru the Tunnel, the book that McDonald and Baric wrote together. It all starts with building a positive mindset.
Building a strong and positive mindset is the most important ingredient in not only having a successful sports career but in all aspects of life. McDonald and Baric are keen to point out that GameChange was not just created for elite athletes who hope to play at the next level. The class and the company is for everyone because we can all do things that contribute to our team, family, and community, and we should all strive to become the best version of ourselves.
In the Training Camp, McDonald and Baric outline various things to consider when working on creating a positive mindset and building belief. Here are a few key points:
Dive Inward
Become a student of yourself. Take the time to think about your life. What is it that you love? What is it that you want? Who do you want to do it with?
Change is Possible
None of us are perfect, but we can all make the necessary changes to be better. Give yourself grace and do the work to be better.
Trust the Process
Great things aren’t typically accomplished quickly. They take time and lots of hard work. Embrace the fact that you will get better one step at a time. Confidence comes with doing the work.
Trust the Flow / Be Gritty
Sometimes things don’t work out the way we want. Accept and trust that negative outcomes are opportunities that will ultimately help you grow. With resilience, you will be better because of the challenges you’ve overcome.
McDonald points out that making necessary changes, doing the work to get better, and staying resilient when things get tough are all much easier when you’ve taken the time to figure out if the thing you are pursuing is something you really want. He asked, “Do you really love what you do? And do you love it so much that when things get tough and challenging…that you keep going?”
