Finding and generating intrinsic motivation is not always easy. You have to be intentional about finding ways to the light the fire in your belly. However, if you can follow these four recommendations they will provide you with a solid starting point, or a fuel of sorts, to ignite you and propel you forward.

Hockey players are willing to endure hell. Leon Draisaitl played with a sprained ankle in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. Erik Karlsson played with two fractured feet and damaged ankle tendons in the 2017 playoffs and Jonathan Quick played with a herniated disk in the 2012 playoffs. The list goes on and on.

The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been invigorating as usual this year. I love how the pace quickens and the pressure mounts where every game matters. One of the most enjoyable outcomes are the number of overtime games which emerge.

Understanding the dynamics of being the predator versus the prey is essential to success in hockey. With all that being said, it is always going to be in a team and player's best interest to activate a predator mindset because aggression and proactiveness wins in hockey. Is it okay to have a prey mindset? Yes, but only in certain scenarios where you need the agility of a bunny or alertness of a gazelle to avoid trouble.

Americans are stressed out. According to the American Insitute of Stress, 55% of the U.S. population feels stress on a daily basis. In addition, 63% of the American workforce is ready to quit their jobs because of stress. In other words, stress is showing up at people's doors every single day. It is a constant.

As a hockey coach, you share the same resonsibility for building and maintaining an inclusive team culture. The change starts with you and here is how to start making it a reality.

Giving up should never be considered as an option. There is always a workaround. You just have to be more aware of your feelings and attitude and then be be proactive with implementing the above solutions. You can change. You can preservere. You can succeed at this game.

By focusing on creating a positive team climate that values diversity and inclusion, you can help to build a more successful and effective team. Just like my experience with the publishing company, a positive mission and purpose can be overshadowed by an unhealthy work climate.

Your desire to level up your inclusive leadership skills demonstrates your passion to grow personally and professionally. As a hockey coach, you have the opportunity to make a difference in your community by helping the marginalized, oppressed, and providing a voice to those who do not possess one.

While mentoring and coaching may seem similar on the surface, they have distinct objectives and outcomes. Mentoring is a long-term practice that helps you develop a range of skills and competencies, while coaching is a short-term intervention that helps you overcome a specific challenge or achieve a particular outcome.

Transparency and vulnerability are often used interchangeably, but they are very different concepts. As a hockey coach, it's important to choose vulnerability over transparency in order to build a deeper connection with your team and create a culture of openness and growth.

In hockey, engaged players are essential to winning games. All three drivers of engagement must be functioning properly, or players are vulnerable to disengagement. Disengagement leads to lower productivity - something no hockey team desires. On the other hand, engaged players lead to skyrocketing productivity and performance which leads to wins.

Hockey coaching is difficult. Not only do you need to know how to instruct players on drills and best processes, you also need to know how to manage complex emotional issues. These topics can include conversations around motivation, anger management, and in today's modern world - navigating around issues of inclusion and belonging.

The science of motivation is a powerful tool for coaches and players in hockey. By understanding the drivers of motivation and applying insights from experts like Dan Pink, players can stay motivated, work towards their goals, and perform at their best on the ice. By fostering autonomy, mastery, and purpose, coaches can create a culture of motivation and success which can end losing streaks and drive their team towards greatness.

Overtraining occurs when a hockey player trains excessively, without adequate rest and recovery time. This can result in physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, as well as decreased performance on the ice. While hard work is necessary to succeed in hockey, too much of it can lead to serious problems.

Freedom from discipline is a powerful philosophy which can be applied to many areas of life, including the sport of hockey. It requires a proactive spirit and when followed it can produce amazing results. Take inspiration from the Navy SEALs and let discipline create freedom in hockey and your life.

Finding your purpose in hockey in a valuable component of a healthy hockey mindset. It can serve as your compass and guide when you feel like you are starting to lose your way. Think of it as the foundation in your thinking and planning, and let it serve as your homebase and guiding star with as you make decisions on and off the ice.

I have quit many things in my life. This includes three start-ups, one salaried position, and one sport which I competed in competitively. I ached over each decision and some were easier to walk away from than others. All were still painful.

Anger can have a significant impact on your hockey performance, leading to poor decision-making, lack of focus, and unsportsmanlike behavior. None of these outcomes are good for you or your teammates.

Here is a sad reality: you will fail. You will makes mistakes. You will let down yourself. You will let down your teammates. You will let down your coach. What matters in the end is how you emerge from those failures. Do you use those setbacks to learn lessons or do you them to send you several steps back in your athletic and emotional development? The choice is yours.