Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Be Relaxed and Be Mean

I got some strange advice today. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it made a whole lot of sense. Right now I'm working with a certain level of ability but if you asked me if I thought that ability was being maximized, I'd tell you absolutely not. Luckily, every person that knows me in an athletic capacity would agree. So, without getting any better than I already am (even though i will), what could I do to perform better at my current talent level?

Be meaner and be more relaxed. At the same time.

That might not make sense to everyone, but I believe if you're an athlete and you let that ruminate for a little while, you'll begin to understand. Maybe you'd use slightly different adjectives, but the sentiment would be the same. For me personally, the combination of those two works well. My determination and focus need to be such that people see me competing and they know I mean business... that there is nothing that is going to stand in the way of me achieving what I set out to achieve. Perhaps you'd see a person in that mindset and they look slightly intimidating. Fear and doubt is nowhere to be found. I want to be that person. And in the midst of all that, I want to stay relaxed. I want to stay in control and welcome the pressure of big time situations without letting it get the best of me.

For years I would have the song Eye of the Tiger playing on my iPod while I was warming up for competitions. I think Tigers do a great job of being mean and relaxed at the same time. They have an intensity and a focus about them that let's you know they are about taking care of business and that they are in perfect control. Tigers get it. I need to take some cues from them.







What do you think....am I close?!!

Any other word combinations you can think of that get at the same sentiment? I might have to borrow them...

18 comments:

brit brat said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

You definitely look more mean than the tiger in those pictures...it just looks sleepy. ;)I don't know of a better word combo, maybe switch aggressive with meaner?? Just stay focused and even if you don't get faster or stronger you can always get better technically because no one is perfect in my opinion...Stay Blessed.

Bubba Gump Jumping Acedemy said...

Bubba Gump Jumping Academy never gets and credit! Geeesh!

anonymousnupe said...

The philosophy of "Yin-Yang" gets at what you're describing, also.

Question for you: Do you really believe something called "luck" exists?

Anonymous said...

Be a BEAST. Not just in Words-with-Friends, but on the track as well. Tigers can be tamed, beasts cant. You a MONSTA! Kill 'em. ;)

~Letters From The Vault~ said...

Ha Bri funny how people have to write under an anonymous name to say how they feel. . . Definitely don't take after them in trying to find the "Eye of the Tiger"

Keep up the good work!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, Brianna "has bitch down in street life". . . which is why she is writing in her personal blog during her free time yet you are anonymously cussing at her during yours. Yeah, SHE'S the bitch all right. Uh, huh. . .

Bianca said...

Rawr. Get on with you bad self.

steveburks said...

Russian sprinter Valery Borzov talked about "a foundation of anger and risk." He went on to say that in the blocks, "I become angry with someone or something, and stir up the thought that I am alone and that seven people are against me." Is that what you mean by "meaner"?

Oh, and what ~Letters From The Vault~ said.

Anonymous said...

Mean or nice, it doesn't matter. You have to have the ability to do something. Right now, you haven't proven it or just don't have it. Until then, it's just rhetoric. Aka, talk is cheap, results are what you really want. Aren't you like 30? I hope it happens soon.

Tanisha in Texas

Anonymous said...

Just looked you up. Your pr was set 4 years ago this April? Why no improvement and what makes you think you deserve a sponsor? Not a joke or a troll, a serious question. If you are going to be 31 this year and you haven't improved, then why would you feel entitled to have a sponsor? I know Track and Field, both women and men. I live just outside of Eugene and have watched many track meets on Hayward Field and have run many miles on the wood chip trails throughout the area. You need to improve soon or move on. Not being mean, just being factual. You're not going to be sprinting your best when you are 35, some short four years from now. Sprinters are done by then. Possibly time for a career change.

Kyle.....Oregonian:)

Anonymous said...

Sorry Brianna, but I agree with the above poster, 100%. If you haven't run faster in 4 years, why do you think you can now? Just what have you done differently that makes you believe so? Time to hang'em up. Being mean is NOT going to make you run faster. Having a tough look on your face is ridiculous, it doesn't make you look cool or nice, and more importantly, how you could fall for that BS at your age?

Confused in Colorado

Anonymous said...

Confused in Colorado again. By the way, what is the mean look suppose to accomplish? Obviously you can't see your face, so you are intending for others to look at you, correct? Then what, the top Americans in front of you are going to be scared? I'm serious. I hope your blog was a joke, because if you are serious then you have to take a step back. Looking mean won't slow down those in front of you or make you faster, so you gain what? Think about it like this. Are they faster than you because "they" have a mean look on their face? The answer is no. But...good luck and I'm still confused.

Brianna said...

@Oregon...Texas...Colorado...and any other state you might want to be from. I'm sure it's obvious to more than me that you're the same person, but thanks for trying to make it seem like I have an abundance of blog commenters. You didn't do your research all that well, otherwise ALL of you would have seen that I set my personal best in the long jump (which is now my main event) this past season at age 30...along with many other accomplishments these last couple years. Nice try though..

Anonymous said...

You are 100% wrong. I am from Colorado and not the other posters you are referring to, but if it makes you feel better to believe that, go ahead. I was talking about your 100 meter best, not your long jump. Most long jumpers do not jump their best in their 30's, whether you believe it or not. I actually live near Culpepper's store in Colorado, but you probably don't know who he is. You are going to have to accept the fact that not everyone agrees with you. Honestly, it's called life. Since you brought it up, if you pr'd in the long jump, how good was it? I ask because if it was that good, then someone should be calling you, no? Still Confused in Colorado, but not posting anymore because you don't answer any fair questions but instead go on about yourself. Ba Bye.

Anonymous said...

@Confused in Colorado: Lack of sponsorship does not directly correlate with poor performances or lack of achievements. Track athletes, especially the ones who specialize in field events (let alone if they are also a woman) do not get the sponsorship or endorsements as other athletes in different sports do. There are maybe 5 in the WORLD that do, and even that is a generous estimate and their income still comes in far under what other professional sports rack in (ie: basketball, football, baseball, etc.). Age can be a limiting factor, but it can also be an excuse to not try. If Brianna has the potential to be ranked amongst the top in the world (currently she is ranked amongst the top in the nation) then she should continue to follow her dreams. There is no other reason not to, except age, which is not a good enough reason to quit. She is single, doesn't have kids, and can focus on whatever the hell she wants while she is STILL young! Women do NOT peak at 30 in track and can compete longer than the men because of this fact. The blog entry wasn't stating that one should have a mean facial expression to run faster. It was stating that the mind needs to be just as fit as the body and mentally sharp/ focused. Lack of critical thinking/reading skills lends to the "confusion" and poor argument. You can't look at only results without looking at the whole picture of the athlete in order to determine if they need to "hang it up" or not. WHY did an athlete perform the way they did or not? Was there injury? Was there sickness? Poor coaching, nutrition, sleep habits, confidence, lack of solid competition, etc., etc. I find that this sport tends to have more nay-sayers than other sports. Not sure if it's bc anyone can buy running shoes and run the wood-chipped trails of Oregon or enter their local 5K, making them believe they are qualified to put their two cents in. Not sure if it's bc track meets are so darn long and people sit for hours in the stands gossiping. Not sure if it's bc there is no team and just a clock . . . making some think that the skill required to do the sport is simplified or based solely on "natural talent". Not sure if it's bc the sport is littered with unqualified coaches and misinformation. Anyway. . . Tired of the negativity in these comment threads lately. Stop tearing someone down because they want to do something that brings them joy and purpose. Don't we all want to get paid to do what we love and are talented at? Btw, one of us needs to remind Dara Torres that she is too old to still be swimming in the Olympics.
-J.L.

Brianna said...

J... Well said. I think you spoke well on my behalf and there really isn't anything I need to add. Thank you.

As for the rest of what others have to say, i have no problems answering legitimate questions from people, but that wasn't your questions were. You obviously completely missed the point of the blog, but that's besides the point. Youre going out of your way to be rude and then expect someone to respectfully respond. My pr in the long jump is 6.81. Thanks

Daniel - Eye of Newt said...

I like tigers ...