The Truth About Psyching Up
Blood curdling, Primal Scream at the top of his voice… aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!
Slapping himself in the face with both open hands. whap, whap, whap, whap!
Punching the padded gymnasium walls until his fists were numb. pap-pap, pap-pap, pap-pap!
Sprinting full speed at a wall and then as he approaches the wall he leans back and begins sprinting UP THE WALL!
This, all in the name of getting FIRED UP!
Yep, that was me.
When I played high school football I was that kid that always seemed to be the most fired up. I would bang helmets with my teammates, shout outrageous affirmations like “I kill entire tribes and eat their young!”; I even scraped the word KILL vertically on my helmet to ensure opposing lineman that I intended to do nothing short of murdering them.
And of course, I was the shining example for the other players as to how to get psyched up… that’s why I was usually the player to lead the team onto the field carrying the Baldwin Bruins team flag.
College was different.
Completely by accident, I discovered the power of visualization.
During my rookie year of college football a movie about dinosaurs called Jurassic Park was released. In the movie were these highly skilled, quick and viscous, meat eating lizards called the Velociraptor (or Raptor for short). I fell in love with the athleticism and ferocity of these bad-ass creatures and even bought some toy models of them to play with (always a big kid!).
Well, before games I would sit in my locker and imagine that I was a Raptor!
There in my locker I would close my eyes and visualize myself as a Raptor sprinting down field on a kick-off where I honed in on my prey (the kick returner) with desperately hungry intention to literally devour him! — I could see myself sprinting, with impregnable focus, maneuvering around anything that came between me and my desire… and then as I approached my prey I’d attack him as if my life depended on it.
An example of this type of focus:
Today, as I have competed in both the business world and as a professional strongman I continue to use several motivation / inspiration techniques in order to deepen my desire, sharpen my focus and strengthen my fortitude…
But there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between how I go about getting “psyched up” as a coach, pro athlete, father and businessman… and when I was a crazy kid full of “piss and vinegar.”
And the truth is that experience had shown me that my new methods for getting fired up are far, far, FAR more effective than when I was younger… AND the tools that I am going to teach you are scientifically sound and so powerful that they’ve been used by martial artists and gurus to exhibit feats that most would insist are impossible!
First, let’s get something clear… there are two types of motivation:
Extrinsic Motivation vs. Intrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic Motivation is stimulated via an outside-of-the-body stimulus (or extrinsic).
This can be achieve by the use of something like yelling; slapping yourself; listening to high tempo / heavy beat music; watching a motivational clip; listening to a motivational speech and with stimulants such as ephedrine, cocaine or coffee.
The problem with this type of “motivation” is that it is FAKE.
- It is shallow, never penetrates the level of base emotions (anger, anxiety, rage, etc)
- It is temporary, never lasts long enough to carry you through challenges and adversity. And in the case of music and movies… what happens when the music stop or the high wares off?
- It is draining, most extrinsic motivation drains your catabolic hormones, energy and can lead to adrenal fatigue… this is BAD if you actually have a game to play after you’ve gotten your feather all ruffled!
Intrinsic Motivation rises up from within. It comes from your heart and deepest intentions.
Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It is a deep reservoir of intention that resides within AT ALL TIMES. It is always there, you never have to “turn it on”. This burning fire can be accessed by using a few simple “Jedi Mind Tricks” that I will teach you later.
The great thing about this type of REAL motivation is that, well… it’s real!
- It is calm, focused, mature YET outrageously powerful. It can be compared to a mighty river.
- It is enduring and never fades away, or can’t be taken away!
- It ENERGIZES you all the days of your life. It gives you the drive to work with no sleep; train when others are tired; focus when chaos ensues and brings all of your latent powers together in order animate your TRUE greatness.
As you can see… most athletes and high achievers are going about psyching themselves up with superficial, inferior and essentially ineffective tools. Music and Tony Robins CDs stop motivating you a few moments after your iPod battery dies.
But INTRINSIC motivation, that lives deep within your soul, can easily be accessed by using techniques such as “emotional triggering”, and NEVER DIES!
Oh, and now when I compete (and whoop ass!) in strongman or need to motivate myself for anything else, I simply stoke the “internal flames” and then use my favorite emotional trigger.
See it here:
Categories: Motivation, Recent Posts, Strong Character, Uncategorized Tags: get pumped up, inspiration, Motivation, motivational songs, psyching up
What Is Your Science For Psyching Up?
Watch this motivational video that displays the many different ways that athletes get themselves psyched up for winning! After you watch the video leave a comment about your BEST “Science For Psyching Up”
here is the link I mention in the video: http://www.hulsestrength.com/page/science-of-psych-join.html
Real Inspiration
There is no doubt that man is multidimensional. We are made up of, and are in constant interaction with, many seen (skin, bone, hair, nails, flesh and teeth) and unseen parts (thoughts, spirit and breath).
I found this video online this morning and thought that you would really enjoy it. The author of the video is a Christan pastor, so if you are offended by his language, references to the Bible or use of the word ‘God’… then I invite you to listen anyway, even if you have to ignore his spiritual references.
You need to see how he shows “the breath” or “inspiration” as more than a simple human function, but as a means for connecting with our inner essence, our creator and all that is calm and peaceful in nature. This places us in a very healthy and resourceful state of mind and physical health (remember what I taught you about Balancing The Autonomic Nervous System? — well, this is intrinsically linked to that ideal and conversations)
Watch and see how…
Does the perspective that author introduces provide you with a new idea about how vitally important our breath is to our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health?
How do you exercise and honor the “unseen” part of your reality? or How do you honor “The Breath” via physical exercise, meditation, prayer, Yoga, Chi Gung, etc?
If this is a n
ew concept to you… what are your thoughts?
**ALSO, I am thinking about sharing a method of Anabolic Energizing (breathing) exercises that I learned several years ago that I have begun to use again recently, with you.
It may be some videos or a live webinar… if this sounds like something that you may be interested in, please let me know in the comments section below (just say that it sounds like a cool idea… or not)
I’m very interested in your comments 
Categories: Podcasts, Recent Posts Tags: breathing, chi gung, exericse, god, health, inspiration, meditation, prayer, rob bell, yoga
Strength & Wisdom Journal part 9
Wake up, we NEED you!
In my most recent Strength & Wisdom Tribe video lesson, titled Effortless Success, I gave you a few examples of how to effectively remove the self-imposed mental roadblocks that have been holding you back from tackling your dreams. These roadblocks typically manifest themselves in the form of Fear, Doubt and Anxiety.
Let me tell you an honest story… Although I may present with a posture of solid self-confidence and purpose, I have battled with the sin of self doubt for my entire life. Still today, as you actively observe me shift my main focus in teaching, from the building of mere physical strength towards FULL personal development and the building of character and life strength, I have tremendous self doubt. (but from all the recent registrations for our new Strength & Wisdom Tribe membership, I think I am finally on the right path)
Tell me if this sounds familiar. Have you ever thought of a great idea for a new business or project that involves the enrollment of other people, then you think about or physically map out the entire plan… only to sit on it and never bring it to fruition?
I have done this COUNTLESS times. In fact, last weekend while packing up our belongings to move our growing tribe to a bigger “hut”, I found several old fitness and lifestyle manuals that I created over 4 years ago, that I never built up the balls to actually sell to people! — And here is the REALLY bad part… the information that was in these manuals are life changing! There was really some great stuff in these books, that I created, that were just sitting on a shelf in my daughters closet.
Why would anyone do this?
Why would someone be gifted with a great idea, talent, faculty or passion and just SIT on it… letting it collect dust?
Why wouldn’t they just get off their butts and bring their POWER to the world? — Serving perhaps millions of people with their gift!?!?
I personally think it is because of 2 nasty, insidious, little *sins that tackle us while we’re on our path towards creative servitude and SUCCESS.
*NOTE: Unlike how Christian conditioning has totally destroyed the root meaning of the word “sin”, where it is professed that sin is some sort of possession by “the devil” that makes us bad or “sinful”, I use it here in its original context derived from an Archery term meaning “to miss.” When I say “sin”, I simply mean that we’ve “missed” the point. We’re still good people, we just missed something and can always go back to correct it.
Like I mentioned in my last video, Fear and Doubt act as inhibitors that disallow God’s work to be completed through your hands. THIS is a very powerful paradigm to adopt!
God fulfills His work, His plans, His-tory through the hands of men!
When we begin to remove the focus from ourselves, when we stop asking “what will people think of me?”, or “what if I fail?”, and begin to consider that the seed that God has planted in you… whether it is to start your own coaching business, open a gym, begin writing novels, play the harp, become a stay-at-home mom (or dad) OR… begin a blog where you can share your stories, ideas and deepest convictions with your readers for the sole intention of seeing them take action and living up to their TRUE potential — it is Gods plan, not ours.
God loves beautiful, stronger bodies that are disease resistant. God loves football. God loves great stories and literature. God WANTS you to be home to care for your children, and God NEEDS you to share your wisdom and experiences with others in order to inspire them.
It is NOT about me. It is NOT about you… and if you ask God, it really isn’t about Him either.
God want you to SERVE his children. He wants all of the beautiful things described above, not for himself, but for us to share with one another.
When we let fear and doubt stop us from quitting a job that is unfulfilling in order to pursue our dream of opening a warehouse gym where we can train young athletes and build their character. When we ignore the “Still, Small Voice” within, that is urging us to pick up the guitar we once loved to play so joyfully, but “life” got in the way of it’s practice, we are not only letting ourselves down… we are letting God down and even worse, we are letting each other down.
When this becomes our habit we are no better than the apple tree in the orchard that yields no fruit. We are, for all intents and purposes, functionally useless. Perhaps the apple tree still creates shade
with its leaves, but it’s true function… is dead. It is functionally useless.
What kind of legacy do you want to leave when you die?
How do you want to be remembered by others, especially your loved ones?
Will they say that you were “a giver”? — You freely gave of your BEST parts? — Or did you let your BEST parts die and wither away like the once fertile buds of a now useless apple tree.
If you are stirred by what I am saying… then continue to THINK about it. Awareness effortlessly breeds change.
And when you Wake Up, we’ll still NEED you.
Categories: Recent Posts, Strong Character Tags: inspiration, Personal Development, strength journal, we need you
Pain = Growth, in Strength & Conditioning and life
We live in an age and in a culture where is it admissible to attempt a life void of any discomfort or pain.
We shelter our children from challenges.
We avoid adversity in all regards.
We numb our psychological and spiritual challenges with prescription medication and alcohol.
We seek physical comfort and most are unwilling to test “the flesh” with the virtues of HARD WORK and DISCIPLINE.
Little do most of us understand that we are VIOLATING several Laws Of Nature.
Like Brian Tracey explains in his audio program, “The Luck Factor” – you can not violate the laws of nature without paying the penalty.
These penalties manifest themselves in many of our so-called “Mental Illnesses” and “Diseases”. These man-made afflictions are nothing more than our frustrated and flustered souls seeking refuge by escaping our lifeless, cold and uninspired bodies.
Feel the pain NOW or feel the pain LATER.
Look, if you are comfortable living below your potential and content by never challenging yourself mentally or physically… then this is ABSOLUTLY NOT FOR YOU ==> http://www.StrengthCampDVD.com
Categories: Motivation Tags: growth, inspiration, Motivation, pain, self help, self improvement
