Your Peak Performance Portal

By now you may have watched the video of Al Leiter talking with Rick Peterson. In it Al strongly expresses his belief that ‘hard work’ --- dedication --- is where it all begins for serious athletes. I agree entirely. But a beginning is not ‘an end.’ Effective mental efforts must accompany your physical work on the path that ends at peak performance. It’s my intention --- and the intention of all the people associated with 3P Sports --- to provide necessary and complete information for players at all levels --- on topics related to self improvement, both physical and mental.

So let me repeat what I said above: hard work is certainly essential, but the quality of the effort is just as important. I’m sure you’ve already heard the cliché: “Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.” A cliché is a time-worn phrase; and this one also has lasted over time because it’s true. If you wish to be an elite pitcher, you must go about your preparation in a special way. You must pay attention to how effective your workouts are, not how much sweat you produce.

A great amount of energy spent without a great amount of thought will create two habits. One will be the habit of work; the other will be the habit of poor work. Your goal should be the development of a work ethic based on specific tasks and skills. Work with a sense of direction. Know what you’re working at and know why you’re working at it. Your mental approach must be in harmony with your physical program. Do not confuse activity with achievement.

A goal of 3P Sports is to help you create that harmony --- the shared health of mind and body. As I suggested, your sweat without a clear sense of purpose will be washed down the shower drain. Mindless muscle is not an acceptable goal when peak performance is the objective.

So, in a form of introduction to what I hope to provide in future writings, I’ll say here that my intention is to take 3P Sports members to the same level of mental performance that I have asked professional athletes to strive for over the past 25 years.

It’s important to understand that a pitcher is somewhat limited by his natural developmental stages of human growth. But anyone --- the little leaguer and the professional --- is capable of developing the appropriate mental skills.

I’m tempted to say, “It just takes ….” But that would be misleading. It isn’t that easy to develop good mental habits. One reason is that, if you are old enough to read these words, you have probably already developed poor mental habits. And, as Mark Twain said about bad habits, “It is easier to stay out than get out.” That is why 3P Sports hopes to reach many young and relatively ‘innocent’ pitchers and have them work on creating thought patterns and behaviors --- on and off the mound --- that will be in tune with their physical training, and which will thereby enhance their performance. Your performance.

Let me add something here: ‘Normal’ people do not apply the same mental discipline that highly successful athletes do. That’s why they’re ‘normal’ --- which is a polite word for ‘mediocre.’ It’s probably safe to say that those who have sought out the 3P Sports Program wish to be extraordinary, rather than ordinary. But here is a warning: experience has shown me that it’s easier for athletes to work very hard on physical conditioning than on mental conditioning. There’s a reason.

Research has shown that people are more likely to work harder when they are supervised. Physical workouts can be supervised. But who supervises your mind --- your emotions and thoughts? You alone.

I have often said to the athletes I’ve worked with, “You define yourself by what you do when no one is watching.” It is, therefore, ‘normal’ to be less accountable when your behavior is unobservable. But, as I suspect, you don’t want to be ordinary. Your involvement with 3P Sports will help you go beyond the limitations of ordinariness.

Think about this: You’re a product of all the coaching you have already gotten --- from parents and coaches and other well-meaning contributors. These people have offered advice, opinions and guidance based on what they have seen you do – the ‘observable behavior’ I mentioned above. But behind every act is a reason for the act. A motive, a thought, an uncertainty, a fear --- all of which are unseen. Unkown by observers. (Do you even know?)

For example, a well-intentioned coach watches you over-throwing in a game --- trying too hard. He says, “Just relax!” (Has he said it in a relaxed tone? I heard a college coach scream those words to a hitter in the batter’s box. Needless to say, player’s tension increased.) But fine, your coach has offered the advice in a calm tone of voice. Still, he doesn’t know why you can’t relax, so his words have limited value.

Years ago, a MLB 19-game winner came up to me the day after his pitching performance and said, “Harv, he (the pitching coach) told me what to do when he came to the mound yesterday, but he didn’t tell me how to do it.”

Not only didn’t the pitcher know why he needed to make an adjustment, he didn’t know how to make it. I’ll say again what I said earlier; it deserves repeating. We at 3P Sports intend to tell you what to do, why you should do it and how that can be accomplished.

The three-step process includes 1) an awareness of the issue or problem or whatever is preventing you from achieving peak performance; 2) a strategy for attacking and solving that issue; 3) the execution plan for success.

This final step is your responsibility. It’s the hardest of the three to achieve. It takes a number of strong traits of behavior. You don’t ‘just do it’ as the Nike ads so casually say --- and as I almost said above. The process requires commitment, mental discipline, courage, perseverance, the assertion of will, self-coaching, positive, functional self-talk (the what-to-do, rather than the what-not-to do) --- and more. That ‘more’ will be coming in future articles.

This is an introduction sample of what will be discussed in the future. It pleases me to have the opportunity to reach so many young athletes with performance based subjects --- ‘equipment’ --- that should be found in every elite athlete’s mental tool box.


Performance Behavior Coaching Introduction by Harvey Dorfman, 3P Sports


By now you may have watched the video of Al Leiter talking with Rick Peterson. In it Al strongly expresses his belief that ‘hard work’ --- dedication --- is where it all begins for serious athletes. I agree entirely. But a beginning is not ‘an end.’ Effective mental efforts must accompany your physical work on the path that ends at peak performance. It’s my intention --- and the intention of all the people associated with 3P Sports --- to provide necessary and complete information for players at all levels --- on topics related to self improvement, both physical and mental. So let me repeat what I said above: hard work is certainly essential, but the quality of the effort is just as important. I’m sure you’ve already heard the cliché: “Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.” A cliché is a time-worn phrase; and this one also has lasted over time because it’s true. If you wish to be an elite pitcher, you must go about your preparation in a special way. You must pay attention to how effective your workouts are, not how much sweat you produce. A great amount of energy spent without a great amount of thought will create two habits. One will be the habit of work; the other will be the habit of poor work. Your goal should be the development of a work ethic based on specific tasks and skills. Work with a sense of direction. Know what you’re working at and know why you’re working at it. Your mental approach must be in harmony with your physical program. Do not confuse activity with achievement. A goal of 3P Sports is to help you create that harmony --- the shared health of mind and body. As I suggested, your sweat without a clear sense of purpose will be washed down the shower drain. Mindless muscle is not an acceptable goal when peak performance is the objective. So, in a form of introduction to what I hope to provide in future writings, I’ll say here that my intention is to take 3P Sports members to the same level of mental performance that I have asked professional athletes to strive for over the past 25 years. It’s important to understand that a pitcher is somewhat limited by his natural developmental stages of human growth. But anyone --- the little leaguer and the professional --- is capable of developing the appropriate mental skills. I’m tempted to say, “It just takes ….” But that would be misleading. It isn’t that easy to develop good mental habits. One reason is that, if you are old enough to read these words, you have probably already developed poor mental habits. And, as Mark Twain said about bad habits, “It is easier to stay out than get out.” That is why 3P Sports hopes to reach many young and relatively ‘innocent’ pitchers and have them work on creating thought patterns and behaviors --- on and off the mound --- that will be in tune with their physical training, and which will thereby enhance their performance. Your performance. Let me add something here: ‘Normal’ people do not apply the same mental discipline that highly successful athletes do. That’s why they’re ‘normal’ --- which is a polite word for ‘mediocre.’ It’s probably safe to say that those who have sought out the 3P Sports Program wish to be extraordinary, rather than ordinary. But here is a warning: experience has shown me that it’s easier for athletes to work very hard on physical conditioning than on mental conditioning. There’s a reason. Research has shown that people are more likely to work harder when they are supervised. Physical workouts can be supervised. But who supervises your mind --- your emotions and thoughts? You alone. I have often said to the athletes I’ve worked with, “You define yourself by what you do when no one is watching.” It is, therefore, ‘normal’ to be less accountable when your behavior is unobservable. But, as I suspect, you don’t want to be ordinary. Your involvement with 3P Sports will help you go beyond the limitations of ordinariness. Think about this: You’re a product of all the coaching you have already gotten --- from parents and coaches and other well-meaning contributors. These people have offered advice, opinions and guidance based on what they have seen you do – the ‘observable behavior’ I mentioned above. But behind every act is a reason for the act. A motive, a thought, an uncertainty, a fear --- all of which are unseen. Unkown by observers. (Do you even know?) For example, a well-intentioned coach watches you over-throwing in a game --- trying too hard. He says, “Just relax!” (Has he said it in a relaxed tone? I heard a college coach scream those words to a hitter in the batter’s box. Needless to say, player’s tension increased.) But fine, your coach has offered the advice in a calm tone of voice. Still, he doesn’t know why you can’t relax, so his words have limited value. Years ago, a MLB 19-game winner came up to me the day after his pitching performance and said, “Harv, he (the pitching coach) told me what to do when he came to the mound yesterday, but he didn’t tell me how to do it.” Not only didn’t the pitcher know why he needed to make an adjustment, he didn’t know how to make it. I’ll say again what I said earlier; it deserves repeating. We at 3P Sports intend to tell you what to do, why you should do it and how that can be accomplished. The three-step process includes 1) an awareness of the issue or problem or whatever is preventing you from achieving peak performance; 2) a strategy for attacking and solving that issue; 3) the execution plan for success. This final step is your responsibility. It’s the hardest of the three to achieve. It takes a number of strong traits of behavior. You don’t ‘just do it’ as the Nike ads so casually say --- and as I almost said above. The process requires commitment, mental discipline, courage, perseverance, the assertion of will, self-coaching, positive, functional self-talk (the what-to-do, rather than the what-not-to do) --- and more. That ‘more’ will be coming in future articles. This is an introduction sample of what will be discussed in the future. It pleases me to have the opportunity to reach so many young athletes with performance based subjects --- ‘equipment’ --- that should be found in every elite athlete’s mental tool box.


The Performance Coaching Advice	Back
	Back