When you fear. Make sure to think of all the training you have put into your craft. My guess is there have been a lot of lonely nights, some blood, some sweat, some tears, and some triumphs. Let those triumphs and trainings marinate in your mind. Trust those experiences. Have Faith in your abilities. Doubt your doubts. There are good things coming.

The science is clear, without rest and recovery…you are more likely to get fatigued. There is an increase of stress and tension. Overall, you will process things slower. All of these can lead to decreased performance. It can also lead to injury and illness. And we all know that in sport and in the workplace, your best ability is availability. Make sure you know and learn how to rest and recover. It can make all the difference.

You need to pick someone who is further along the path to mentor you. You need to find someone who is behind you on the path to teach and advise, and you need to find an equal to compete with to help you to reach deeper within.

Seek the good. Just like your diet, garbage in the body means garbage out. When you seek and find and put positive things into your mind, the result is going to be better self-talk. The result of better self-talk will be better confidence. The result of better confidence is better outcomes. And when you start seeing better outcomes, your motivation will feed itself.

Add an intention of enthusiasm to everything you do today. If you are working out, put a little more enthusiasm into it. If you are working, put a little more enthusiasm into it. If you are playing, put a little more enthusiasm into it. It will not only change you, it will change those that are around you for good.

In essence, the phrase “go first” allows you to practice being uncomfortable. Getting comfortable being uncomfortable is one of the best ways to build confidence. The phrase “go first” allows you to be authentic, vulnerable, and courageous. Going first causes people to want to follow you and to work with you. The phrase “go first” will allow you to have a positive influence on your teammates, your co-workers, and your family. Going first creates a successful mindset. And if you can control your mind, you can control your performance.

In times of adversity, there are many places to turn. There are quotes, scriptures, and books written about this subject that can be tremendously helpful. Seek them out. Read them. Embrace them. They help. All of them.

God can’t steer a parked car. So start driving. There is help, there is guidance, there are good things to come. Trust your training. Trust your gut. It may be the very thing that keeps your wings from being weighed down with mist and humidity, and the very thing that gets you to where you need to be.

Come home with your sword or on it. In other words, be all in with your actions! Leave nothing for the journey back.

Work hard at being good to yourself with good self talk habits. It can make all the difference.