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My Tennis Coach Came To A Match After A Month
I was serving up 40 – love and double faulted. He said, “I hate double faults”. Then his narrative started. “Consistency.” “You’re up and down.” So, I had to make sure coach had been tracking my progress. I told him we haven’t lost a doubles match in three weeks. I asked, “have you been talking with people about my progress?” He smiled a little. Then, I showed coach me playing better tennis.
I asked him is he using his Your Raise The Bar Primer Mental Performance Tools workbook? I’m making sure he’s doing his mental performance skills homework. He didn’t say anything. Then, I hit a few more shots. One a one-handed backhand winner with an extended “ahh” added to relieve tension. Then, I hit another winner and coach wasn’t watching. Later in the match, I hit an overhead with an “ahh” and fist pump towards my partner to acknowledge our exceptional play. Then I served an ace and said “Coach” looking at him and he gave me a thumbs up.
I realize you probably have a tennis coach, however, by using my Your Raise The Bar Primer: Mental Performance Tools workbook you will be prepared when your coach checks on you. Coach knows about the technique of tennis (“how to hit the ball and positioning”). I missed a low volley and I asked my coach what I should do. He said, “footwork”.
Since I’m the mental performance skills coach, I know it wasn’t footwork. It was because I hit the low volley without a target. In other words, just getting it back. The problem is the ball didn’t know where to go to. Keep in mind my coach is a cabinet maker. I just call him “Coach” because it’s funner and he does act like my coach.
However, for real tennis coaching both tactical/technique/tennis management and private mental performance coaching visit http://www.rajgavurla.com/diamondforwardtennis.html. Our services and my workbook are available for purchase and you can contact me if you are a professional, college, academy or aspiring tennis player looking to raise the bar in your tennis performance. Whether you already have a coach and just want to boost your play with our services and products or you want us to chart your tennis career, contact me (performance consultant and coach) and I will coordinate with my partner who works on the tactical/technique/tennis management to highly customize the best package for you.
It’s a week later and I just finished playing tennis. Coach was there and asked “How are you?” in a way that meant, “I like what I’m seeing!” Coach seems more mature in his approach. I asked him again if he’s using my workbook. I saw a gleam in his eye meaning “yes”. We played doubles together and Coach was making fist pumps towards me. Wow! He also was praising his own shots. Coach is doing my workbook. His lens and physiology and ability to play better tennis are quite obvious. I’m looking forward to seeing coach’s practical forward mobility.
What’s The Difference Between Attending A Live Event & Watching A Video?
“You’re unique, different, and in leadership of your situation. Don’t compare yourself to anyone.” – Raj Gavurla
Have you attended an event in person and watched the same event on video? There’s a huge difference!
1. In person attendance, one actually senses, feels, and experiences the ambiance of the entire event. The featured speaker(s) message is more meaningful and engaging. You see things you don’t see watching a video. You participate in select activities and network (build relationships) with attendees (people you know and those you don’t know). Also, if you are fortunate you get to interact with the speaker(s) by asking questions or attending a private dinner the night before.
You might schedule other meetings during non-event time and see a new place or experience a magnificent place again. It also serves to get you out of the office and realize how everything is in some way interconnected. You broaden your business and life story.
2. When watching a video the value is greatly reduced. The meaning of what is being said can be distorted because the connection of being there in person isn’t there. If you think, how can that be? Then, video an interaction with you participating and then watch the video in private. You’ll see the differences and meaningfulness in value decrease.
There is a time for both. Determine which is of most value for your situation.
“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.
Have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition. ” – Steve Jobs
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com, LiiiVEN.
New Resource:
Consistently achieve your business goals, break-through performance barriers, and stay motivated and inspired with my mental performance coaching workbook.
Build and grow your mental performance skills using your own thoughts with a very simple mental structure. The workbook becomes customized by you with your own thoughts because your mental challenges are unique to your level of business and what’s happening in your life. You practice the knowledge skills of business. How about the mental performance skills to consistently learn how to perform in “the zone” (optimal performance) for success? Order Now! https://www.motivateyourresults.com
How To Win Playing Better Tennis?
“Win playing better tennis.” – Raj Gavurla
I really understood you had a tennis match after watching the NBA Playoffs last night. How did it go? My job is to performance consult and performance coach at the professional, college, academy, high school, and recreational levels. The main difference between them is better mental performance skills. Most of the pros know how to hit the ball. It’s bettering their mental performance skills to play better tennis they need to win more.
Yes, I also play tennis and I like playing with all levels because I approach each with a different frame of mind. All levels of players pose a different challenge to me. Recently, I’ve been playing with a group of recreational players. They see me warm up beforehand, bring my water, and my chair and watch me as I warm up and say “that’s what we need to do”. Yet, week after week they come out and just start playing. They warm up without practicing their volleys and overheads. It’s as if they are enthralled with the baseline although they are playing doubles. There is no serve and volley except me.
The wild thing is it is just as competitive as a Grand Slam Final with lesser mental performance skills and tennis skills. Since I can help their mental performance skills, I do and they’ve wised up and some take lessons on tennis technique (how to hit the ball better). They haven’t wised up yet to take mental performance coaching lessons.
While playing “my coach” (I call one of them that). He tells me to “play with better players” and is very hard to please. I can hit ten “nice” or “good” shots and he’ll point out the three I didn’t hit well. He compares me to professional players like Federer and Nadal. I’m honored by the comparison as he does know what he’s talking about when I’m not consistent or don’t move into the right position. He says, “I watch them on T.V. and at live tournaments”. Obviously, I’m not as robust of a tennis player as the pros.
Recently, we were closing out a match and he was telling me not to do this and that. I called a mental performance skills coaching timeout. I said, “all this negativity isn’t helping us”. How about saying, “finish the match” or “see the ball”. A week later we were in a similar situation, and he was encouraging and motivating and for a long period silent. After we won, he actually complimented me with “good”. Wow! Then he said “you need to win a Grand Slam”. I wish he was around sooner in my tennis life.
I gave him an autographed copy of my Your Raise The Bar Primer: Mental Performance Skills workbook. He looked at it and said “that takes commitment”. My response, you can stay at status quo and go through the motions week after week or have fun and win more. Which do you want? My coach has been working on it. I already see a difference in his ability on the court. If you need cabinets installed that’s my coach’s real job.
Yes, I do need to play with better players but I enjoy playing with all levels and at the recreational level I’m able to work on shots that I’m not able to do so against better-skilled players without first honing it. Some of the guys played in high school and one in college so it’s not as if they are beginners.
For those who still are working on technique, here are six videos to watch showing the legendary, Andre Agassi. I myself am hitting better volleys, overheads, and serves after watching. Remember, you also need to work on bettering your mental performance skills. The combination helps you win playing better tennis.
“Children are wonderfully confident in their own imaginations.
Most of us lose this confidence as we grow up.” – Sir Ken Robinson
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315 or raj@rajgavurla.com, LiiiVEN.
Performance and Entrepreneurial Leadership In Management Needed for Mental Health In Your Workplace
“Win your better outcomes: High Value and Valued ROI” – Raj Gavurla
Your valued employee is missing work more often and you can tell some things aren’t making sense. As leadership and management, you think about what’s happening to them. Then, your office manager or human resource person informs you they gave them the Employee Assistant Program (EAP) phone number. Of course, something serious happened yet you’re still puzzled. However, because you don’t know what to do or policy you don’t initiate to share authentic dialogue with your valued subordinate.
Your subordinate doesn’t know what’s happening as all they think is I’ve been having very unusual thoughts and not feeling well. It’s as if the microprocessor (brain) in my computer (body) isn’t consistently functioning. They really don’t know when told they have a mental health diagnosis what that means. They just hope the doctor determines the right treatment to help/cure/exhibit teamwork to allow them to successfully continue working and living a robust life. Sometimes for a percentage of workers, this happens and they continue successfully working and living a robust life. Often times the facts are this doesn’t happen and your employee’s performance is valued for periods of time and then an episode or something happens and they miss work or they aren’t exhibiting their consistent valued performance. A mental health challenge doesn’t discriminate based on socioeconomic or sociodemographic status.
There is a highly customized fluid solution for your valued subordinate. An example is:
1. You (Boss) initiating and sharing private authentic dialogue with your employee. It takes research better outcomes, preparation, interaction, and communication to deliver better outcomes for your subordinate (employee).
2. Understanding what his or her treatment plan is and the teamwork needed.
3. Forming a “small individual/personal matters team/group” to help your subordinate by involving a select group of trained employees as this employee’s support system in your workplace.
4. Understanding the high-value importance/urgency of their family, work, and financial sustainability to your subordinate’s wellness is essential. Their family is experiencing similar uncertainty as you about the well-being of your employee.
5. By taking the initiative and being proactive with a process your employee becomes better and your costs tremendously decrease because your employee is still able to work although it might be scaled back and is given the review and evaluation of their work during this time to continue being a forward performing valued successful employee.
Yes, taking these steps are asking for more effort on your part as Boss and employer. However, the following are some of the better outcomes (results) from taking initiative:
1. I know as employer, Boss, team, and employee each is doing everything they can to see each other succeed and your clients succeed. As an employer, you don’t have to do the bare minimum to be in compliance. There are value-add resources that can help you. As a strong mental health advocate, performance consultant/coach, and entrepreneurial leadership expert, my services might be a value-add to your current protocol for this situation.
2. Donating to charity is important and I encourage you to continue doing so to make your business and community stronger. However, a lot of times companies donate to non-profits (a humanitarian cause/need) without knowing the person they are helping to receive support services. By allocating funds for mental health in your company, you are essentially creating “charity in the workplace” and seeing your dollars actually being put to use for your valued employee and receive quality work completed for your efforts.
3. The sensation of having this humanitarian lens is very fulfilling, highly satisfying, and delivers a win for all (your business and community). Businesses are here to contribute to family and societal progress. Being a humanitarian to me means more than “spiritual brothers and sisters have to eat”. Being a humanitarian means “spiritual brothers and sisters have to thrive”. We are very capable of this mission and aspiration being a reality because of the forward progress we consistently make in employer/employee relationships and societal progress.
4. Most likely your employee becomes more loyal and continues to make forward progress in your company. Also, you now have an employee with high-value empathy skills and is part of your succession planning for your “small personal matters team(s)/group(s). Although most of your employees don’t have a mental health diagnosis, they do have mental health challenges whether spurred from a workplace issue or life issue that sharing authentic dialogue with select people in a “small personal matters team/group” would greatly benefit your business.
5. Mental health is our current major employer/social health challenge to the robust viability of our workplace we have to triumph along with cancer (you could imagine this affects a person’s mental health).
6. I’ve heard too many personal stories of talented, skilled, and educated people who are underemployed and not doing meaningful work. Because of this, there might be relationship problems because of the stigma associated with mental health and the individual might lose hope.
Sports often is at the forefront of employer and societal progress. An example is Lebron James addressing the Cavaliers in the locker room, welcoming, and helping Larry Sanders (mental health challenge) join the team and continue to progress in his NBA career. Yes, there are a lot of small business owners who are also helping and supporting individuals with a mental health challenge. How about your Fortune 500, mid-size, or over 50 employees small business?
Remember, being a humanitarian is more than “spiritual brothers and sisters have to eat”. Being a humanitarian is “spiritual brothers and sisters have to thrive”. It’s a win for all. It’s worth it!
If you are an executive, in management, or are a workplace leader, who is challenged by mental health in your business, please contact me to share authentic dialogue. Your leadership is needed and wanted.
“One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.” Henry Miller
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com, LiiiVEN.
You Don’t Need To Live A Double Life In Your Workplace
“You Don’t Need To Live A Double Life In Your Workplace.” – Raj Gavurla
Do you come to your job or the playing field leading a double life? You don’t need to. How is this possible? I’m there to work (complete tasks, etc.). That’s what they pay me to do. Years ago there was a job I inquired about with someone who worked for the company. He proceeded to tell me “you have to set up equipment”. I waited to see if he had more to say. He didn’t. I wasn’t interested in the job. Why? Because work is more to me than completing tasks (it’s part of the job) and receiving benefits. I understand you have family and friends outside of work you have fun, rewarding, and enjoyable camaraderie with. How about having fun, rewarding, and enjoyable camaraderie with your colleagues or teammates?
Camaraderie is one of the keys that keeps employees performing, retains, and recruits. It also plays a major role in wellness (well-being), motivation, inspiration, engagement, a positive attitude, leadership, and execution.
What’s a solution to nurture camaraderie in the workplace? By using a small group personal team matters approach. Do you have thousands, hundreds, less than fifty, ten to twenty, five or fewer employees or teammates? The larger the business, organization, or team the harder it is to have camaraderie with everyone. Regardless of size test the following:
Break up into “small personal teams”. A “small personal team” is a group that discusses (has dialogue) about personal matters not directly related to your job. For example, your family, what you’re doing this weekend, what you did this past weekend, your health, nutrition, fitness, your parents, kids aspirations, your non-work challenges, crisis, someone passing, accident, hobbies, movie, best place to get something, book you’re reading, mountains, sports, festivals, etc. Apply the learning.
A Customized Structure Might Look Like:
1. Ask people to participate sharing why. Do not require them to participate.
2. For those who join a personal matters team, make what’s discussed confidential. That doesn’t mean you can’t share your situation with someone outside of your group. Use your discretion.
3. Meet once a week for 45 minutes to an hour in a quiet place (conference room, courtyard, etc.)
4. Talk about and share personal matters important to each group member
5. Close the meeting
Use Metrics and Collect Data On The Outcomes:
Are employees mentally performing better?
Is employee retention increasing?
Is it easier to recruit?
What effect does it have on wellness (well-being), motivation, and inspiration?
What effect does it have on engagement, a positive attitude, leadership, and execution?
Small Personal Matters Team Examples:
Look at an amazing family
Look at a business team. One of the things employees, athletes, investors, donors, and philanthropists look at is the teamwork exhibited.
Look at our military. They have tremendous camaraderie protecting each other, to survive, and protect us. They know each other and have nicknames for each other making it easier to accomplish their mission.
Look at a sports team and you hear athletes talk about the camaraderie or if retired the camaraderie is what they miss.
I remember from reading Oscar Robertson’s biography he worked with people of a different skin color and they never had time for camaraderie. Just do the work because in those times that’s how it was. People didn’t know each other at work and never met outside of work with people of a different skin color. He said, “that hurt”. I’m sure some people of the other skin color had the same thought and feeling, “that hurt”. Thankfully, we the people have made tremendous cultural and societal progress.
Another example, I went to college to graduate/get an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. That was the main goal. It’s the camaraderie with a few friends I remember and miss most. Although we don’t talk often or see each other as often I know, feel, sense, and believe we are connected forever.
My final example are my friends from Leadership Greenville. I shared with a small personal matters group my mom had a stroke. One told me his dad passed away from a stroke and another told me they had a family member who had a stroke and it’s a slow process. People get better. Until the emergency personnel told me your mom had a stroke, I’ve heard of the word stroke but knew nothing about it. Learning about a stroke and talking with my small personal matters team gave me lived experience insights I couldn’t get from a textbook that helped me to mentally perform to be a caregiver for my mom to make her well. She is talking better and she needs and wants to walk better and drive a car.
Implementing small personal matters teams in your businesses, organizations, and teams might transform the narratives, conversations, and outcomes. It should be helpful too and take pressure off and inhibit the performance anxiety your employees, team leaders, supervisors, managers, bosses, management, executives, and owners are experiencing. Yes, conventions, conferences, and special events are still needed and wanted for all your employees or sports team to participate in.
“A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.”
– Bruce Lee
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com
Win: A Sense of Respect Should Be Automatic, Not Earned
“A sense of respect should be automatic, not earned.” – Raj Gavurla
“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” – James Cameron
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com
Preview Video: Transform Your Performance & Leadership
“Transform your performance and entrepreneurial leadership in business, work, sports, and life.”
– Raj Gavurla
“The way you tell your story to yourself matters.” Amy Cuddy
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com
CHANGE ISN’T A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: WHAT IS?
“Fortunately world-class business occurs with preparation and communication.” – Raj Gavurla
Since change isn’t a competitive advantage, how are businesses, organizations, and teams solving their need(s) for performing (high value/value add) better results (better ROI/higher margins) in a faster time?
Answer: Transform Performance
Examples:
1. Most organization development shows a top-down flow. Whether their competitive advantage starts at the top (trickle down) to the bottom or from the bottom (grassroots) to the top. How about transforming your performance lens to organization development showing forward performance (—–> timeline fashion): Founder-Board-President/CEO – Each Colleague (Teammate) – Business Unit – Division – Department – etc. as they came into existence in a win forward performance for your competitive advantage? Forward performance mentality is essential to living (doing) for each person to thrive.
2. Sometimes when I shoot baskets kids are also shooting on the same basket. When they make a shot and I grab the rebound they are quick to say “change” meaning they want me to pass them the ball as a return for making their shot. Since I’m also a performance consultant and private performance mental skills coach, I want to tell them “Change isn’t a competitive advantage. I would have thrown the ball to you without you saying change.” Instead, they need to shoot the ball from the same spot the same way (“repetitions – keep going to the well”). If an adult paid my fee, the kids win forward performance.
3. The better tennis player you are the more mental tennis is. What differentiates the number one players and teams in men’s and women’s tennis is their mentality. What are you doing to work on your private performance mental skills so you consistently become a better tennis player.
4. In business, work, sports, and life identify your need(s) to win forward performance whether experiencing success (fun) or negativity. Most likely you know what to live (do) and/or you might need to pay for support service(s) to work with you to solve your need(s) to win forward performance.
5. How do you accomplish any endeavor in life (i.e. your dreams, vision, goals, and/or mission)? By living (doing) it.
“You cannot start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.”
– Michael McMillan
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com
Learn The Habits of Win Forward Performance
“Learn the habits of win forward performance.” – Raj Gavurla
I was featured on this tennis blog talk radio show as a substitute for Allen Fox. It’s for tennis players, coaches, fans, and enthusiasts, Coach Danise’s Blog Talk Radio program is forward performing. I’m glad to create and share my expertise inspiring dialogue with Coach Danise.
For those who want to contact me for Performance Coaching & Consulting or for me to deliver a Keynote & Workshop visit: http://www.rajgavurla.com/privatementalperformance.html
For those who want to buy my workbook, Your Raise The Bar Primer: Mental Performance Tools mentioned in the radio program for all levels of play visit: http://rajgavurla.com/tennisworkbooksandprograms.html
Click Here To Learn From The Radio Program:
Learn The Habits of Win Forward Performance
“Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” – Unknown
For programs and services, contact Raj at 864.569.2315, raj@rajgavurla.com
THE NEW TALENT POOL: WORKFORCE FOR HUMANITY
“Do prosperity work: create inspiring authentic dialogue.
Be a good listener: Personally, we the people (everyone), want each person to thrive.”
– Raj Gavurla
Where is the new talent pool? It’s within you! Take a look at these professions:
Engineer, Entrepreneur, Public Service, Doctor, Writer, Professional Speaker, Professional Athlete, Actor, Model, Musician, Professor, and add any profession(s) to your liking.
Is it within you? Be and/or become any of the professions of your liking and you will be able to forward practical perform winning valued money doing so. For example, you might work for a few minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, quarters, seasonally, or years doing one or any combination of the profession(s).
Your reply to “what do you do?” might be, “I’m an entrepreneur, engineer, professional speaker, writer, professional athlete, politician, doctor, actor, consultant, and coach.” They might give you an uncertain look. You reply, “I’m paid (valued money) doing each”.
What combination will you use to thrive?
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou
