5 Free & Simple Habits to Boost Your Performance Today! 🌟

Hello there!

You're here because you're all about that action, right? No fluff, no filler, just straight-to-the-point tips that make you a better athlete. We get you. So let's cut to the chase.

In today's newsletter, we're revealing 5 Free and Simple Ways to Improve Your Performance Today. Yep, you read that right—improvements you can make with nothing more than pen & paper (those still exist, right?) 🏁

1. Journal Your Best Performances

📝 How It Works:
Reflect on the best games/competitions that you remember. Jot down how you felt, what you remember, and why it was significant. This exercise helps solidify the memory, making it easier to replicate that top-notch performance later. Do this any time you feel you performed above and beyond - you can come back to these any time to regain a bit of that feeling!

🎯 Quick Tip:
Use your phone's notes app if you're always on the go. Technology, ain't it grand?

2. Create Your Personal Highlight Reel

📝 How It Works:
As a follow up to habit number 1, write down the moments that made you go "Wow, did I just do that?!" Come back to these weekly to re-inspire yourself and remember what you're capable of. Bonus points if you have game tape you can put to use here too!

🎯 Quick Tip:
Create a 'Hall of Fame' folder in your notes for easy access and add to it regularly.

3. Write Down Your Pre-Practice & Pre-Performance Rituals

📝 How It Works:
Consistency is key in sports. Writing down your pre-practice and pre-performance rituals helps cement them in your mind. And let's be real, having a ritual is like having a pre-game hype song—it gets you in the zone. Writing it down can also help you identify what is and isn’t helping you get ready to perform.

🎯 Quick Tip:
The simpler the ritual, the easier it is to perform it consistently. No need to prepare a 5-course meal before hitting the court. You may also want to have different versions of your rituals to adapt to the time available - don’t get tripped up if you’re running late!

4. Post-Practice and Post-Performance Reflection

📝 How It Works:
After each practice, jot down three things that went well and one thing that didn't. Then, identify one change you can make to improve next time. It's like your own little performance review, but without the awkwardness of sitting across from your boss. Humans tend to weigh negatives more heavily than positives, so picking 3 things that went well and only one that didn’t helps even out your perception of your performance that day. You’ll something to focus on improving next time without feeling like you have nothing right!

🎯 Quick Tip:
Keep a dedicated notebook just for practice reflections. It'll serve as a roadmap to your improvement.

5. Deep Breathing for Relaxation

📝 How It Works:
Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds. This simple breathing technique helps relax your mind and body, and best of all—it's free as air! Focus on breathing in through your nose and into your center, which is a couple inches below your belly button. You can do this for as few as 5 breaths or as long as you want - whatever floats your boat.

🎯 Quick Tip:
Use this technique before a big play or even during downtime. Hey, if it's good enough for Navy SEALs, it's good enough for you.

Wrap-up

That's it for this week's newsletter! We've served you a buffet of actionable tips—now it's time to feast. 🍽️

Got feedback? Questions? We're all ears. Reply to this email and let us know how we can make the next newsletter even better for you.

Till next Wednesday,

Your Minerva Mental Team