The Mental Edge

I'm realizing how important the mental side of the game is. Yesterday, I didn't think I played very well because I wasn't confident mentally. I played scared, and I even felt like I was a little threatened by this new defenseman from Bismarck showing up. Today, I went out on the ice early and put my mind in the right place. When I tell myself I'm a good player over and over in my mind, I can tell a difference in how I play. When I go out there and worry about not being good enough, I'm not good enough. It's really a pretty straightforward concept, but I seem to have trouble believing in myself sometimes. I have to figure out how to stay strong mentally all the time. Worrying only about the things I can control will help me, but it's going to be a little hard to train my mind like that because I've been a worrier for a long time. I've started reading a few books that help with the mental side of performing higher. One of them is called The Fearless Mind by Craig Manning, and I really like it so far. It says in the first chapter, "If we truly follow what we love and not what we like, what is safe and easy, or what someone else wants us to do, we will have more passion and energy; we will achieve higher levels of performance; and we will find greater joy. This passion will spill over onto those with whom we come in contact--our families, friends, and coworkers. I truly believe that if we have the fearlessness to follow our hearts, there is not much we cannot do. Those who don't follow their hearts never find true happiness, for happiness cannot be given; we must find it for ourselves." I know that I'm following my heart for a reason, and I have to remember this when I have a moment where I don't believe in myself.