Elizabeth Pospisil takes the Crown & the Gold!

I am still such a novice with my Mental Management program. However I am reaping the benefits for both my Competitive figure skating and pageantry. I recently competed in the National Teenager Texas state pageant and was not only awarded the Miss Tx Jr Sweetheart 2008 Title but also won a $10,000 scholarship for my highest Academic Achievement and the Supermodel for the junior division. I also took the talent award with my Tap dance Footloose. I will compete in Nashville this summer for the National Title. This has been a winning year – I am currently Miss Texas Preteen 2007 for the prestigious National American Miss and was also formerly Miss Texas Junior Teen America 2007. With the Mental Management System I feel unstoppable!

The very next month I was scheduled for Intermediate track program competition in the Skate Dallas Invitational. It was my first time to skate my program in a competition and I had not had it choreographed very long. I was the first on the ice and my nerves almost got the best of me – but these are the moments that your Mental Management program helps to reduce the stress. I was so excited when I checked the standing and had won the Gold. Because of my improvements, I have shortened the learning curve using the Mental Management System. I will be testing on my third level in a 1 and ½ years, the usual time spent at each level is 1 to 2 years. I am moving up like gang busters and have attained a gold medal at every level.

I just do not know where I would be had I not found Lanny Bassham’s Mental Management Systems and Heather Sumlin. I have come from a pretty good competitor to the winning circle! Thanks so much for taking me on and being so patient with me. I look forward to increasing my Mental Management program and my winnings.

Thanks for Everything,

Elizabeth Pospisil

(Liz has attended several training sessions with Heather Sumlin for Mental Management preparation for pageantry and skating. She also keeps a Performance Analysis, reads "With Winning in Mind" and listens to "What Every Pageant Contestant Should Know First About the Mental Game". She was only 11 when she attended her first session and is the youngest One on One student we have taught. It is amazing the growth she has been able to attain at such a young age. Her maturity today at only 13 years of age is remarkable - a true winner in every way. Congratulations to Liz for sticking her her mental program and for being a champion inside & out!)

Golfer sends us a note of thanks after accomplishing his goal

(Here is an email we received about the book "With Winning in Mind")

Thank you for writing With Winning in Mind. I firmly believe golf (and life) is a game played mostly between the ears. After reading your book, and adopting your strategies for changing my self-image as a golfer, I have taken my game to another level almost overnight.

I am an accomplished player (4 handicap) who has long struggled with how to shave those last few strokes from my game. I knew I had the physical skills to shoot par, and finally admitted to myself that my fear and anxiety were holding me back.

My search for answers led me to With Winning in Mind. Your book helped me to see that I was suffering under a destructive misconception. Because I had not been playing golf for very long, I (wrongly) believed I hadn't "earned the right" to be a par shooter. I knew I had to replace that image with a better one, if I was going to reach my goals in golf. Your solution is deceptively simple, yet powerful: Become the golfer you want to be by believing you are that golfer now, not in the future. Inhabit that reality, make it a part of who you are, so no matter what happens during a round of golf, you can count on yourself to perform at least to that level. I knew intuitively that you had given me the key to unlocking my potential, and I couldn't wait to put it to the test.

The very next day, I shot even par. And just yesterday, I shot one-under, beating par over 18 holes for the first time. These were not perfect rounds of golf, by any means. I made some bad swings, and got into some tough spots. But I was unflappable, and that made all the difference.

Needless to say, I am recommending your book to everyone who will listen.
Thank you again.


Greg Newman

How Do You Begin to Develop Your Mental System?

This article was printed in the Clay Shooting USA Magazine written by Lanny Bassham

What percentage of your shooting success is mental? I’ve asked this question to countless champions in my career as both an elite competitor and as a coach. Most say that the mental game is 90% mental or higher. If you agree, are you spending 90% of your time, money and effort on your mental game? No? If not what are you doing and more importantly what should you be doing?

Don’t feel too bad if you are neglecting your mental game as you are in good company. Most shooters do not have a defined mental system. They can tell you how they mount the shotgun, how they approach each target and why it is done just their way. They have their technique down and might even go to a coach occasionally for a tune up. But, it is highly likely, the mental game is not something that we have a good handle on and here is why. It is much more difficult to duplicate a proper mental program than to duplicate a proper move on a target. One reason is that you can watch your coach shoot and do it the same way but how do you determine what he is thinking? It is not easy.

Have You Done Your Research?

So, how do you develop the mental game? First, do your homework. You might want to learn the mental fundamentals the same way you learned the technical or physical ones. Find someone who is an expert or in your opinion has this down and ask them what they do. This could be a coach or elite shooter or perhaps a sport psychologist. I would prepare you in advance that this is no easy task. Many good shooters who appear to be mentally tough are not capable or not willing to explain what they are doing mentally. They can do it and might not really know how or why. Also, some think they have it down when they do not. I thought I had complete mental control prior to my mental meltdown at the Olympics in 1972 that resulted in the Silver instead of a Gold Medal. Also, I have yet to find a psychologist that is a winning shooter or has ever personally used the advice he offers to win a really big shoot. Psychologists are educated in feelings and relationships but you do not have to win at anything to get a PHD. But, they are normally good at explaining what they do know which is valuable. OK, so it might not be easy to get answers about the mental game but I still feel that interviewing the best experts that you can find should be a vital part of your strategy to gather information. This is what I did for several years and I used the information as a basis for my Mental Management System.

Next, I suggest that you do a review of the books, magazine articles and CD/Video recordings that are recommended by people that you respect in the sport. What are the winners reading, watching and listening to? If you go to the book store or library you will find tons of books. I can tell you that almost all of them have something of value to offer you. But, why not narrow down the ones that people recommend and read those first.

Another important step is to investigate the opportunities to attend seminars where discussions of the mental game are a part of the curriculum. These courses are offered by professional trainers and by your shooting associations. If possible, I recommend that you personally talk to the persons making the presentations prior to signing up to make certain that the information is targeted toward your skill level. Appropriate advice varies greatly based on the participation level of the shooter.

Determine Your Participation Level

There appears to be a subtle but important division among shooters. I call it their Participation Level. There are three levels or groups. The first group is made up of people that are training to learn the sport or talent. The second group trains to compete and the third group is training to win. Advice given to one group might be inappropriate for another. For example, if one would ask me if taking food supplementation was important I would suggest no for group one, maybe for group two and absolutely for group three. Is having a backup gun essential? For group one, probably not, perhaps for group two and absolutely for group three. Everything gets more important the higher the level of achievement.

It is much the same with the mental skills. You can get away with a negative attitude if you want to just learn a sport. But, if you wish to dominate the sport you must abandon your negative ways and discipline yourself to certain principles. Here are some examples:

Principle Number One – What you think about matters. Every time you picture or talk about missing a target your Self Image thinks you have just missed it again, you’ve created an imprint and you’ve dramatically improved the chances of missing it in the future. So, if you wish to dominate your sport you cannot afford to think about your non-hits.

Principle Number Two – Your Self Image needs positive nourishment. When you do something correctly, like running a stand, give yourself some recognition. Reward yourself. Think, “That’s like me!” Remember, staying positive is only essential if you desire to win. If you can handle not winning you can afford to stay negative. But, if you wish to win, you must get positive and stay positive. It is a matter of degree.

You should make certain that you filter the advice collected in your research based on your level of participation. Again, this is not so easy and this is another example of just how important a professional coach can be in aiding you in these types of instances.

Analyze Your Current Program

Begin by grabbing a pen and paper and honestly answer some questions about your current mental system. You cannot effectively change a system if you do not know the current state of the system. Here are some good questions to ask to get you started:

• How do I train my mind now?

• What principles do I believe and follow about mental performance?

• Do I have a mental system, if so what is it?

• What do I think about at the beginning of a competition to prepare my mind to shoot well?

• What do I think about while I am actually shooting?

• What do I think about just after I shoot?

• What system do I use to record my shooting progress?

• What recovery strategies do I have to use if things need to turn around for me in a competition?

• What are my shooting goals?

• What goal setting system do I use?

• How do I focus and refocus my Conscious mind?

• How do I train my Self Image?

• Are my competition scores and training scores the same or is there a big difference in them?

• I do I handle pressure well?

• How do I monitor and control my emotions when competing?

• Who do I consult with about these issues?

Determine If You Are Willing to Go It Alone

Once you’ve determined your participation level, done your research and evaluated your current program you have at least one more thing to do and you will be out of the starting gates and well on your way to designing an effective mental program. Determine if you will seek counsel on mental issues or will you go it alone. I offer three suggestions. First, if you are going it alone make certain you do your research well as it is all you will have to guide you in your decision making. Secondly, if you decide to seek help, find someone that has either been where you want to go or has trained someone that has made it. Everyone has an opinion and most are untested under fire. Finally, if you are at participation level three, training to win, then I feel that you have little choice but to hire the best help you can afford as it may happen that your competition is doing just that.

(for information on products and seminars for shooters click here You can also call our office at 800-879-5079 or 972-899-9640 for assistance.)

To reach the Mental Management main website click here You may also submit email questions to info@mentalmanagement.com

Eagle U Grad Proves to be Quite a Survivor!

Eagle U grad Amanda Kimmel is proving to be quite a Survivor! On the 5-1-08 episode, she was targeted as the biggest threat in the final Tribal Council. When it came time to vote, all eyes were on Amanda. Before the votes were read, and to everyone's surprise, Amanda pulled out the Hidden Immunity Idol she had uncovered earlier. In doing so, she cancelled all four votes against her and sent Alexis home with only two votes. Now it's down to 4 girls and 1 guy...who will earn the right to be called Sole Survivor? Our vote's on Amanda- good luck!

Amanda has made the final 4! Watch the Finale TONIGHT Sunday May 11th to see if she can win the Million.

(Eagle U is a Leadership Camp where Lanny Bassham and Troy Bassham are speakers. Eagle U also offers the Mental Toughness Session with Lanny Bassham this summer July 21-26 at TWU in Denton, TX)

Agility Handler Mental Management Seminar - Last Call to Register!

May 31 & June 1st is a 2 day Mental Management for Dog Agility Handlers Seminar with Olympic Gold Medalist, Lanny Bassham (author of the books "With Winning in Mind" and "Freedom Flight"). Webb Anderson will also be assisting with this seminar as the resident expert on agility. As a student of Mental Management, Webb will help answer agility related questions as it pertains to applying Mental Management to your sport. Due to our location we are not able to run dogs during this seminar. The focus of the class is to improve your mental approach to training and competition. This is a 2 day seminar starting at 8:30am and ending at 5pm each day. (This is the ONLY Dog Handler Seminar on the Calendar at this time)

The course will take place at the Marriott Courtyard in Lewisville, TX (near DFW Airport).

Lanny Bassham will address the following topics and much more:

Principles of Mental Management
Mental Management Model
Performance under Pressure
Preparing for Competition
Performance Analysis - (performance evaluation)
How Self Image Changes
3 Phases of Performance
Goal Getting
Mastering Self Image Change
Directive Affirmations
How to Handle Distractions


Get 2 days of Lanny Bassham for a fraction of the cost of his Individual training.

Cost is $650 per person - limited to the first 20 people to register. (still a few spots open but call quickly to reserve your seat!)

A $150 deposit is require to hold your spot. This deposit is non-refundable but is transferable to products or seminars as long as you give at least a weeks notice if you are unable to attend. If you cancel within a week of the seminar you forfeit your deposit.

Call 972-899-9640 or 800-879-5079 to register today.

Receiving wonderful emails from our customers is a highlight for all of us at Mental Management Systems!. This email we received a while back from a gentleman who ordered "With Winning in Mind".


On Saturday your book "With Winning In Mind" showed up and with much anticipation I sat down and read it cover to cover. I was amazed.

For the last 31 years I have been a recreational shooter, 4 years ago both of my children graduated from college and I felt that I now had some time to get involved with some type of competitive rifle shooting (better late than never). NRA Highpower was the sport that I became involved with. I had most of the equipment but lacked the know how.

I began buying books on the sport from people like Tubb and Owens which was a good start and soon I was on my way to good technique and fundamentals. No matter how many times I would review their books and practiced, my scores hit a plateau, I always knew that I was missing something.

The captain of my 4 man team is a retired marine who in practice would take notes and experiment with his sights and loads, but would not shoot good scores. However, when the weekend matches came he would continually win the matches. His military training had taught him the power of the mind. How was I going to get this training?

"With Winning In Mind" Is my first step. Over the weekend I continued to review your book and worked on implementing all the steps. Monday I had my first rifle practice of the week and my scores jumped higher dramatically. My concentration and focus amazed me. I was able to stop thinking about what I was doing and let my skills take over, with the reinforcement each following shot felt better than the last. Boy did that feel good.

I know I have a lot of hard work in front of me but with victory in hand the work will be a pleasure.

Thank you

John

If you have a story to share on your success with a product or seminar please email Heather@mentalmanagement.com we would love to hear from you!

Kris Hurley enjoys a successful competition in Freestyle!

After a successful 2007 competition year in which we earned 13 freestyle titles, this year has also started off very well. I was a little anxious going into our first competition this year. Although I knew when I set my goals out for the year, that this competition was only to get a benchmark on my routines so that we would have a clearer understanding on what we needed to incorporate into our training, as the competition approached – I began to feel quite a bit of pressure.

Fortunately, the mental management techniques I have learned allowed me to realize that my focus was not on my original goal; and I was able to refer back to my original goal statements and training logs going into this competition and was reassured that we were exactly where we had planned to be, if not slightly ahead in our training plan.



When the competition weekend arrived, I had successfully managed the pressure I had been feeling to qualify and/or to win, and was able to just go into each performance with just the goal of doing the best we could. I was excited when things went well, and even more excited when I found little areas we could tweak in training to make the routines even better.

The only struggle during the weekend was when our brace routine performance was less than we had hoped it would be. However, it was so nice to not be frustrated by our less than stellar performance. I was merely motivated to re-evaluate our goals and get back into training to see if we could find a solution for what we experienced.



The results of the weekend were really surprising. Shelby qualified both of her individual routines in the Intermediate level. She just finished her Novice title in December, so this was a pretty big jump for her. Even more exciting was the fact that Roxie qualified both of her Heelwork To Music (HTM) routines in Advanced, and also managed to qualify one of her Musical Freestyle routines also in the Advanced level. Roxie and I earned our highest score to date – a 9.4 in both Technical and Artistic. Roxie’s HTM routine tied for the High Score of the competition both days, and her MF routine had the third highest score each day. Shelby also had the second highest HTM score each day.

Competing in the Intermediate and Advanced levels is way beyond where I have ever competed before. Over the years, I have hesitated to push myself to these more challenging divisions because of my own fears of failure and my own doubts on whether we were capable of performing at that level. It was easier not to try, than to try and risk failing. My experience with the mental management system over the last couple years has really changed my approach to competition. I’m competing at levels I never thought we’d achieve, and I’m having a lot more fun doing it!

I’m attaching a couple pictures of the girls with their awards from the weekend! Thanks again for all your help!

Kris

Kris Hurley has attended 2 group seminars - one for Performance Under Pressure in Kansas in 2006 and a 2 day seminar for dog handlers in March 2008. We will be holding another 2 day seminar for dog agility handlers on May 31 - call for details 800-879-5079

We have products available for dog sports competitors in Dog Agility, Freestyle and Obedience.