What is a BHAG? Well, it stands for “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” It was proposed by James Collins and Jerry Porras in 1996. They defined a BHAG as “… an audacious 10-to-30-year goal to progress towards an envisioned future.”

A true BHAG is clear and compelling, serves as unifying focal point of effort, and acts as a clear catalyst for team spirit. It has a clear finish line, so the organization can know when it has achieved the goal; people like to shoot for finish lines.

—Collins and Porras, 1996

We all have voices in our heads which talks to us on an almost constant basis. Our voices give us messages continually, and what they say to us affects us. ~Juliene Berk

What a person says to themselves, whether positive or negative, affects how they perform. Phrasing thoughts positively will help an athlete to feel confident and believe in their abilities. There are three main categories of that self-talk falls into.

Does an athlete make choices or sacrifices? Melody Davidson explained her views on this very topic yesterday morning at the Red Deer College Scholarship Breakfast. I think that she phrased it quite well. An athlete does not make sacrifices, they make choices. They choose to do one thing over the other because that is what will help them in their sport in the long run.

Have you ever heard someone say, “just fake it until you make it”? Well this phrase has more going for it than many people initially thought. There have been studies done on facial expressions demonstrating that if you smile long enough it will make you feel happy. Now, more recent there has been a study in regards to body language and power poses. This study found that if you can assume a ‘power pose’, one that is typically of someone in power, you can increase testosterone and decrease stress hormones.

 Communication Cycle (Be aware of where you or others tend to fall off the cycle):

•  Spoken
• Heard
• Understood
• Agreed To
• Acted On
• Implemented

Coaching: the art of applying the sciences

Many coaches are required or encouraged to complete their coach certification program. In this program, new coaches are taught by ‘expert’ coaches about how to coach. This is a valuable way for coaches to develop an understanding of basic coaching theory and practice.

“Preparation is everything to winning. It is easy to say, ‘I am going to win.’ So I don’t think about it; instead I concentrate on my training … which really determines who will make it. Then, on the day of the race … I can say with confidence, ‘I am ready.’” ~Jean-Claude Killy

Insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different outcome. ~Chinese Proverb

Why is it that athletes continually do the same thing and expect a different outcome? Sometimes it is because they were told to do it that way, other times it’s because they have always done it that way. Every once in a while it is a good exercise to look at what it is that you are satisfied with and what you are not satisfied with. Then go back further and try to figure out WHY you are satisfied with some things and not others. After that try to figure out what the root is to the actions that you are not satisfied with.