Sunday, September 20, 2009

THE MOST IMPORTANT 45 MINUTES OF THE DAY

The following comes from Jack Canfield titled the "The Most Important 45 Minutes Of The Day." I'm a big believe in this philosophy. From the management standpoint, Don Meyer has taught us all the value of plan the next day the night before. From the standpoint of attitude and motivation, I can recall in the 2007 NCAA Tournament in the Fresno Regional that our team was up against a talented and powerful UConn team. Dr. Kevin Elko who helped guide our team to the Final Four gave me the following instructions to give to our team. He told me the night before we played, following our scouting and motivational video, to give our team this assignment:

"When you climb into bed, close your eyes and think back to the best game you have ever played in your career. If could've been in college, high school, AAU or any other time or place. Think about how you felt during that game -- being in the zone. Do you recall in sounds or smells from that came? What was it like know that you were playing at the highest level you have every played before? Think about how you felt after the game knowing you had reached such a great level. Let all those thoughts take you to sleep.

The result was a stunning 20 point victory which sent us to another Final Four. Here is Jack Canfield's take on such an exercise and why it works:

An important part of any focusing regimen is to set aside time at the end of the day -- just before going to sleep -- to acknowledge your successes, review your goals, focus on your successful future, and make specific plans for what you want to accomplish the next day.

Why do I suggest the end of the day? Because whatever you read, see, listen to, talk about, and experience during the last 45 minutes of the day has a huge influence on your sleep and your next day. During the night, you unconscious mind replays and processes this late-night input up to six times more often than anything else you experienced during the day. This is why cramming for school exams late at night can work and why watching a scary moving before bed will give you nightmares.

As you drift off to sleep, you enter into the alpha brain wave state of consciousness -- a state in which you are very suggestable. If you drift off to sleep while watching the 11 PM news, that is what you'll be imprinting into your consciousness -- war, crime, automobile accidents, rape, murder, executions, gangs wars, drive-by shootings, kidnappings, and scandals in the boardroom and on Wall Street.

Think how much better it would be to read an inspirational autobiography or a self-improvement book instead. Imagine the power of meditating, listening to a self-help audio program, or taking the time to plan the next day right before you go to sleep.