As you prepare and arrive at the gym, rink, or field for your training sessions this weekend, keep one thing in mind: the Dojo.
Dojo is a Japanese word meaning "a room or hall in which judo and other martial arts are practiced". It is where warriors train & compete. It is where they develop themselves and each other.
A key principle in many forms of martial arts is leaving the outside world outside the Dojo.
The same should be for us as goaltenders. When we enter into the space that we'll train in, we should leave everything else outside. Nothing else should enter the arena, gym, or field with us. Instead, we should always enter with a clean slate.
On the ice, nothing else matters. Your homework doesn't matter. The bullies at school don't matter. The exams or job don't matter. You can just play.
When you take off your street clothes and don your armor, think of yourself as a new person. You are literally shedding the outside world and entering the rink as a warrior. Consciously visualize and think of yourself in this way. Purposefully imagine yourself as a warrior every time you prepare for practice, training, or a game.
For me, this transformation can be powerful. Growing up the rink was my place where I could be Patrick Roy (haha), and the outside world didn't matter for an hour. We can create ourselves into any type of goalie we want when we step between the glass.
But most of all, leave the outside world at the door. Enter your Dojo with a clear, fresh mind, ready for whatever you'll encounter that day!
Your Tasks this Week:
Before each training session or game, consciously shed the outside world. Turn your phone off, lock-out distractions, start fresh. Before each training session, imagine yourself as a new warrior, ready for battle.
After each training session, review your behavior from before. Did you effectively leave the outside world outside the Dojo? Think of other ways you could leave the outside world outside...maybe prepare yourself by taking a couple moments of absolute silence and visualization. Be present in your training sessions and games!
The rest of the world melts away.
Stay Frosty,
Josh
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