Keeping Fun in the Process

Today's blog post was written by Remy Lewis.  Remy is a Psychology Major at Purdue University North Central and is a former Division One Track and Field Athlete at Indiana State University.  He is currently an intern with Play Like a Champion.  He is also a Coach, Scout, and Trainer for Sports Prep NBA.

When most people are nervous, it is because they are focusing on the results: hitting the ball or striking out, making the shot or rimming out, getting the job or not, winning or losing.  When you focus on the results, there is a big chance that you will omit very important steps along the way.  Here at Play Like a Champion Today, I've been reminded of the importance of focusing on having fun along the way. As an athlete, I've worked for years on improving the things I can control (my running form, for example) and not letting the things I can't control (the whether) affect me.  

For example when a shortstop gets a batter out at first, he has has to 

1. See the ball off he bat.
2. Move in the direction of the ball.
3. Get to the ball.  
4. Get his glove to the ball.
5. Catch the ball.
6. Plant his feet.
7. Get the ball out of the glove.
8. Point his body towards first.
9. Throw the ball to the first baseman.

After this point, the result is out of the shortstop's hands.  The first baseman then has to:

1. Get to first base.
2. Place his foot on the bag.
3. Catch the ball.

While these 12 steps need to be completed for an out, I feel like we also should add "have fun" to the overall process. The out only happens if the above 12 steps, between two people, are completed before the batter's foot touches first base.  Based on the average speed of professional baseball players, these 12 steps need to take place in between 2.8 and 3.5 seconds. If players fail to complete one step in this process, then the desired result may not occur.  But if kids aren't having fun throughout the process, then kids also won't enjoy the game. Sometimes, coaches seem to focus more on detail-oriented drills than their players would like. However, this is because coaches know that if you learn the formula for success, then success will naturally follow. My father, Rick Lewis, one of the greatest coaches I know, has always told me that "The process is more important than the answer."  As a kid, I didn't understand this, but I've learned that that because the process gets the answer, the answer is the process.

After you have found the process that will get your desired results, commit to the process.  Practice that process until that process is the way you do what you do. Become the process or "commit to the script." Trust and believe in your hard work, preparation, and commitment.  You control the process you use.  Your process will control your performance and your performance will control your results. Don't allow your performance to be affected by focusing on the results or the negativity.  Above all, make sure that your process includes fun so that you are remembering to PLAY the GAME, and games are supposed to be fun.