Professional sports people would never dream of turning up to an event without a specific gameplan in place - so neither should you!

What is a gameplan?

A gameplan is a strategy and an approach of what you are going to do during the event to maximise your chances of performing to the very best of your ability.

In order to construct a gameplan you need to know three vital things:

• Know thyself!
• Know the opposition
• External factors/conditions

Know thyself!

When I say "know thyself" I predominately mean your strengths and weaknesses either as an individual or a team.

What are you good at? What are your strengths?

Have you got a crushing backhand? A booming serve? Are you an excellent putter? Are you best at setting the pace or coming from behind? Can you shoot lay-ups for with your eyes closed?

Analyse your game and write down below your main strengths:

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Next, I'd like to write down your main weaknesses.

Do you lose your cool if someone ruffles your feathers? Your chipping isn't that hot? You can't play spin bowling all that well? You are not a good header of the ball? You can't shoot 3 pointers all that well.

Analyse your game and write down below your main weaknesses:

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So, how can you use this first piece of information and put it into your gameplan?

Well, the whole point of "knowing thyself" is in order to maximise your strengths and minimise your weaknesses.

For example, if you can shoot baskets for fun at close range but your 3 point shooting is not so good, limit yourself to either a handful of attempts at the longer range shots or just eradicate them from you game.

And stick to the plan!

The team would rather have you shoot 19 out of 20 close range baskets than have you shoot 9 out of 20, three pointers.

If you have got no length in your golf game but you are an excellent 8 or 9 iron man, then don't try and do something you are not so good at i.e take a driver off the tee. Instead play for position so that you can maximise your 9 iron play and get the ball 6 feet away for a birdie.

Know your opponent

It is very important to know your opponent's strengths weaknesses.

What do they do well?

What are they not so good at?

Whilst you have to play to your strengths and minimise your weaknesses, at the same time you have to minimise your opponents strengths and expose his weaknesses.

This can only be done through analysing what they do and how they do it through observation, video tape and the word on the street!

The beauty of this analysis is when your strength is your opponents weakness!

For example, if you have got a thunderbolt serve at tennis and you know that your opponent's forehand isn't so good, you should be aiming for hard and fast serves to his forehand for the majority of your serves.
Let him worry about trying to combat this. It will make him think and may make him to lose his concentration.

Right now for an example, think of an opponent that you will be coming up against shortly.

Write down below what his strengths and weaknesses are then formulate an action plan of what your strategy will be to minimise his strengths and expose his weaknesses.

Strengths:

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Weaknesses

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External factors/conditions

The last thing you need to take into consideration are the conditions and any external factors.

For example if you are playing tennis on grass instead of clay, you may think about a serve and volley game instead of baseline action all of the time as grass is suited to this type of play.

If you are a driver and it is wet, you will probably need to change your tactics compared to when it is boiling hot and humid.

If you are playing cricket and the surface is soft you may think about playing forward to the majority of the delivery's as the ball will invariably stay low.

If it is a hot day, how are you going to keep your fluids and food intake up throughout the match?

All of these factors need to be put into the melting pot when deciding your game plan.

In summary

There is an old saying that goes:

"You must do to the opposition what they would like the least"

Think about this when constructing your gameplan.

Think about how to play to your strengths and hide your weaknesses.

Think about how to minimise your opponents strengths and expose their weaknesses.

Think about the conditions, any external factors and bear these in mind - you may need to change your approach.

Put your gameplan together based upon all of this information and then STICK TO IT!

Life Coach