Dallas Ice Jets

Creating good habits are a must if you plan to be a great athlete and hockey player. Sports require a tremendous amount of discipline and part of that discipline is forming strong habits.

There is an old cliché that says, ''Your habits will make you or break you.'' That is definitely true in the sport of hockey and the game of life. A player will only be as good as his habits on and off the ice. Just about everything we do in sports is a habit. Our preparation is based on habit, our practice is based on habit, our technique is based on habit, and even strategy can be habitual.

The key point is habits encompass every part of athletic performance. Yet one of the major areas of poor performance is poor work ethic. Players must come to realize this: Working hard is a talent and it's formed through habit.

Hard work is what allows you to reach your potential. Most things that are worthwhile are difficult, and your willingness to work through those difficulties will set you apart from the competition. You need to get habits corrected to the point where you don’t think about it. One of the wisest things a person can do is practice good habits until the habits become instinctive. Average players lack personal discipline and work habits.

Playing hockey is a game and it's meant to be fun. But to play at a competitive level requires effort and concentration. The input (work) is what leads to the enjoyment and success (rewards). So it’s called work for a reason.

What is work? It’s putting forth high levels of effort and concentrating with purpose on the task at hand. You will know you are doing a good job when you’re tired from doing it. You will know you are working when you break a sweat – either physically or mentally. It’s being productive. It’s getting results. We must focus on the process instead of the accomplishment. Don’t confuse busy or activity with how much work has transpired. It’s not how many hours you put into the work, but how much work you put into the hours.

Any time you don’t give your best effort, you’re stealing from yourself, your teammates and your coaches. Don’t ever take the easy road instead of the right road. Letting things slide will lead to a habit of mediocrity instead of excellence. Think no one notices? It doesn’t matter. Because even if they don’t, you will know. You will know you didn’t do your best. And you will suffer the consequences. Guilt, resentment, frustration, unhappiness will surface. This will take a toll on your self-esteem, your mindset and your performance. When your opportunity comes you will fail.

Just as a player must form good habits when it comes to executing technical skills such as skating, stickhandling, and shooting, he must also work to create sound habits in the department of work ethic. In the end, this one habit is the foundation to building and excelling in all the other aspects of hockey. So when you’re working on your talents over the summer - don't forget that. Work ethic is a talent!