Brian Cain says this: Mental Performance is the key to unlocking unshakeable confidence, forging unbreakable mental toughness, and gaining an (almost) unfair edge over the competition. And I agree! I’ve long been aware of the role mental toughness plays in the ways we compete and perform. I’ve used many sports psychology tools as an athlete and as a coach and have seen with my own eyes the changes in demeanor, attitude, and performance that can occur when we commit to becoming mentally tough.

I’m currently taking Brian’s The Mental Performance Mastery (MPM) Certification course (more on why soon!). Taking Brian’s course, listening to his podcasts, and having conversations with him have all reminded me of the importance of controlling what I can control. So, rather than leave my day to chance, I’ve returned to keeping a better, more defined schedule.

The method I’m using is enhanced by the Productive App. This app helps me track my habits and stay on-task. Each day gives me new opportunities to achieve small wins as I complete the items I want and need to complete. Not only do I feel better about my accomplishments and the ways I’m using my time, but I also have a measurement that allows me to see and experience win after win, which is positive reinforcement after positive reinforcement.

My days have improved overall, I’m doing more of what I want and need to do, and the progress in my psychological approach to my tasks, to-do items, and personal goals has been awesome!

I’m three weeks into using this system and tweaking it as I go. I plan to continue to use this method for planning my days and weeks moving forward. One adjustment I made recently was to change a target. It just didn’t make sense to have it on the day I initially scheduled it for, so I switched things around a bit. It will still take effort for me to accomplish that target, but I’m more likely to do so now. I’m also going to add a couple of new key targets this coming week and see how that goes.

It definitely helps to do this in stages. Remember, making significant improvement is a process that requires flexibility. We need to give our attention to what’s working and think about new ways to fix what’s not working.

So, check out the Brian Cain’s Mental Performance Mastery podcast. There’s also a Success Hotline podcast with Dr. Robert Gilbert that’s been really helpful and a Success Hotline phone number that you can call each day. It’s a new service, but I appreciate my experiences with it so far.

I’d love to hear about any tools that help you manage your time and implement new habits.

Good luck as you try to make some changes that will help you be more control of your days instead of letting time slip by without getting closer to your goals and targets.

Coach DJ Taylor is an educator and strength coach. His experience as a former collegiate athlete allows him to relate to the athletes he works with. He works with athletes spanning youth sports through professional competition. He also instructs “Weight Training” at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Coach DJ is a National Strength and Conditioning Association - Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach , with Distinction (CSCS, *D).

How I'm Tracking My Habits and Staying On-Task