Issue 8
Quote of the month
"Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one's levels of aspiration and expectation."
~
Jack Nicklaus
Take AIM principle of the month
The Take AIM system for optimal performance came from working with athletes and business professionals who were seeking improved performance. What I found was that these individuals had the "physical skills" to perform at the highest level; they lacked the mental and emotional skills to apply their skills under pressure.
Each month I will introduce you to the key principles of the Take AIM system. This month we are going to cover Evaluation. Part of the Assessment stage is evaluating your performance for the year. As New Year is here we get wrapped into setting goals and resolutions without learning from our past performance. I look at evaluation as a general assessment in all parts of performance. High achievers sit back and take the time to not only evaluate the obvious, but spend the time evaluating why some performances/goals were met, while others were not. Unfortunately too many people evaluate with broad terms like; didn’t meet expectations, down turn in the economy caused poor company performance, etc. This says very little about how you plan on improving for the next year. Business plans are written to give a clear path for the expected achievement of goals. However, very few people go back after the year is completed and evaluate if they performed up to the expectations of the plan. Take the necessary time to see what was in your control that can be improved on and what was out of your control that affected performance. The evaluation stage should look at skill set, mindset, and resources to get the expected performance.
This year start with an honest evaluation of your past performance and look for ways to implement assessment tools on a regular basis (every two weeks) to measure your performance. Many people wait way too long to assess progress. The more you do it, the less you leave to chance.
Professional athletes I work with will evaluate every season, game, play, practice, and plan to see what can be improved. They also rely on coaches to help them evaluate accurately. They utilize video to breakdown each movement. Evaluation is about learning and one has to be honest with oneself, neither too critical nor too easy to get the most out of this vital step. Check in at the end of your day and ask yourself two questions.
- What did I do well today and how can I repeat it again?
- What did I do today that needs work and how can I fix it?
You want these to be questions that illicit an answer that is in your control. Take responsibility for your performance for both the good and the bad.
Evaluate 2007 in terms of what you did well and what fell below your expectations. Now look ahead in 2008 and implement those learnings.
Product of the Month
My long awaited book Golf: The Ultimate Mind Game was just released by Advantage Media. In this book I have synthesized my 20 years of experience both playing and coaching golf into an easy to read plan to improve your mental and emotional skills on the golf course. I write about the many tools and techniques that I learned from both playing and earning my doctorate degree in Applied Sports Psychology. If you want to play great golf now, order at www.RickSessinghaus.com. 
What Rick is up to
Rick will be in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida from Feb. 10-15 giving seminars on Performance Mindset for both golfers and executives. Rick will then be in Austin, Texas from Feb. 16-18th and giving Mental Game Seminars at Teravista golf course.
To see Rick on YouTube search Rick Sessinghaus and you can view two golf clips or click here.
Who is Rick Sessinghaus
Rick is a peak performance expert. He is a member of the PGA and earned his Doctorate degree in Applied Sports Psychology. Rick specializes in improving the performance of athletes, executives, and businesses through his coaching and speaking programs. His unique programs allow the client to apply Rick's system and receive immediate results. Check out how Rick can help you at www.RickSessinghaus.com.
Email to a friend who would benefit from performance information.