tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97934212008-08-14T20:36:06.484-06:00Don M. Terrillnoreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-85969667643113715592008-08-14T20:26:00.003-06:002008-08-14T20:36:06.497-06:00

It is official, I really have Olympic Fever. In fact, it is hard to want to do anything but watch the Olympics. Even sports I didn't know anything about such as synchronized diving are suddenly my new favorite sport! OK, drag racing and auto racing will always be my favorite sport, but you have to admit that the swimming has been very exciting to watch. And if you have been watching the Olympics

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-56393092905861487782008-08-02T19:54:00.002-06:002008-08-02T20:06:30.395-06:00

Of course auto racing and drag racing in particular is my favorite sport, but I actually like almost any sport. In the fall I love watching the World Series, in the winter I love watching the Super Bowl, and during the entire year there is always some interesting college or professional sport to watch. Psychologists say that a lot of us love sport because we can "bask in the reflected glory"

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-23803482556646092892008-06-30T21:13:00.002-06:002008-06-30T21:22:34.469-06:00

Most of the time I post sort of "fun" "teamwork" have a "good, positive attitude" on my Blogs and in my articles. And 99% of the time I am a pretty positive, upbeat person. But sometimes bad things happen to really good people. And sometimes it is hard to see the glass as half full. In the past few months I have seen floods and tornadoes hit the Midwest, innocent people have died, and homes

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-21228673702103603632008-05-09T18:08:00.003-06:002008-05-09T18:35:35.730-06:00

Ask any drag racer in the world when they are the happiest to get a bye run and the answer is always, "at three cars." A few weekends ago at the Gateway International Raceway Spring NHRA Open, we were running super comp and I was able to take a look at the ladder. I quickly saw that if Mike could keep cutting good lights and if the car wanted to keep cooperating, then we had a chance at a bye

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-79311993734702332022008-04-07T21:19:00.003-06:002008-04-08T10:26:54.264-06:00

In the movie "A League of their Own," Tom Hanks playing a coach says to his softball players, "There is no crying in baseball!" Well, the same thing applies to all sports in my opinion. I am not saying that sometimes really bad things happen in sports, there is bad weather, there are bad officials, there are annoying opponents, but you know what? Great athletes know how to learn from things,

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-62805130433892414282008-02-23T13:50:00.002-06:002008-02-23T13:58:14.782-06:00

Every year I conduct a workshop at the Drag News Magazine Expo. In January, 2008 I did a workshop called, "the Mental Tool Box." We all have a tool box we take to the race track full of tools we need to work on the race car, but we also need to make sure our mental tool box has the right tools. At the Expo I asked the racers who attended my seminar and completed the survey the following

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-43873021475688762672007-11-23T11:39:00.000-06:002007-11-23T11:46:25.212-06:00

Doesn't it just seem like the world keeps going faster and faster (and I am not talking about the race cars!)....With so much to do and so little time to do it, sometimes it seems like the world just won't slow down. I constantly hear people say that they need more hours in the day! Well, guess what, we won't get more hours in a day and this life we have is all we have. I am encouraging

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-13759336148872342932007-10-11T21:10:00.000-06:002007-10-11T21:23:13.803-06:00

I was recently working with a bowler and she explained that sometimes at the last second right before she releases the bowling ball she will sort of hold on or flinch at the last second. She says she does this if her gut instinct is telling her to do something right before she bowls (like move to the left, etc.). I have talked with golfers and they call this the Yips. And I think auto racers

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-65857395322241362972007-08-19T13:08:00.000-06:002007-08-19T13:32:21.497-06:00

The weather this summer has been crazy--scorching hot temperatures, rain, wind, hot and sunny, cold and rainy, fog, storms, and just about everything in between. But as racers that is just part of the deal. You can't control the weather but you can do your best to deal with the weather. In your tow rig or in your trailer you really need to think about dealing with the weather so

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-10444509447892063672007-07-31T13:35:00.000-06:002007-07-31T13:53:32.283-06:00

OK, I know drag racing has been on prime time TV for quite a while--but when you think about what they show on TV it is basically JUST the NHRA professionals (heck they don't even show the winners of super comp, super gas, etc. on TV). I understand that the pros are what bring in the fans and thus bring in the money, and I love watching the pros too. But it is interesting that thanks to

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-80145469332277304762007-06-08T10:08:00.000-06:002007-06-08T10:20:30.476-06:00

So the Tuff Paw Dragster started off the season HOT and we hit quite a few races in April and May, but then life just got in the way. Mike started to get really busy with the Tuff Paw Aluminum Products. And I got really busy with teaching at McKendree College, presenting at a psychology conference, attending a sport psychology conference, and being asked to do some sport psychology sessions with

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-84167430532587005532007-05-05T15:27:00.000-06:002007-05-05T15:42:51.061-06:00

The http://www.tuffpaw.com/ and http://www.racingsecrets.com/ dragster landed in the winner's circle again with another runner up finish. We have raced 3 times this year and have been in the finals twice, I am OK with that. Now some of our friends are asking us what are we going to change to put together a win, and here is what I say we are going to change: Nothing! Things are going really well,

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-66550849962002839162007-04-07T12:52:00.000-06:002007-04-07T13:04:33.880-06:00

In March, the www.tuffpaw.com and www.racingsecrets.com Dragster landed in the winner's circle by getting runner-up at the Gateway Super Comp Open. A close 8.88 to a 8.89 led to double brake-out loss, but it was still a GREAT way to start the season. It always feels good to start off the season on the right foot. Once you get the momentum going, you have to keep it. Now, as a psychologist, I

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-86557895351095966952007-03-18T18:51:00.000-06:002007-03-18T19:07:38.912-06:00

I love auto racing...but I also love other sports. I like to see the skill, the passion, the competition, and the lessons that can be learned from other sports...here is what I have learned from watching college basketball and how I think it applies to auto racing: Don't ever, and I mean ever, think you know who is going to win! It doesn't matter what the record, what the rank, what the skill

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-91467360439401494902007-02-25T13:06:00.000-06:002007-02-25T13:12:46.101-06:00

Here are a few questons to wake you up and get you thinking! Race season has started for some of the lucky racers who live in warm temperatures and it is just around the corner for many of us. So here are some questions to get you thinking..... 1.) If you could wake up tomorrow morning and things could be different for you in terms of your racing, how would they be different? 2.) Think of

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-78453851817407864722007-02-11T13:24:00.000-06:002007-02-11T13:33:08.064-06:00

My primary interest as a sport psychologist is the field of auto racing, but I also meet with a variety of other athletes including softball players, bowlers, golfers, volleyball players, and a few soccer and basketball players. I was working with a very good bowler the other day and he talked about how sometimes the pressure really gets to him, sometimes his coach can make him nervous,

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-20273630316742580202007-01-27T19:44:00.000-06:002007-01-27T19:56:50.766-06:00

Thank you to everyone who attended my Drag News Expo Seminar in Chicago or stopped by the Tuff Paw Aluminum Products booth. It was wonderful to get to talk to so many racers that read my articles in Drag News Magazine or have purchased my products. I appreciate getting to meet the racers and also I appreciate your ideas, questions, and suggestions. One of the many very good questions I received

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-21666592563432054272006-12-10T06:26:00.000-06:002006-12-10T06:59:11.006-06:00

In addition to writing articles and working with racers, I also work with college athletes. Currently I am working with soccer players, basketball players, softball players, golfers, and the bowling team. The more I work with different sports, the more similarities I find between athletes and some simple things that can help all athletes. Here are some sport psychology techniques that I have

Don M. Terrillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-1155008090639036312006-08-07T21:17:00.000-06:002006-08-07T21:34:50.730-06:00

So what really motivates you? What really gets your motor running? (Pun intended) To be successful in auto racing or in life, you have to find something that you are really passionate about, something that really gets your blood pumping, something that you just love. I am currently watching the new reality series "Driving Force" on A & E. If you haven't watched it, you should check it out. First

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-1152040554922916172006-07-04T13:06:00.000-06:002006-07-04T13:15:54.933-06:00

The middle of the race season is the time of the year that really separates the winners from the, well let's just call them the non-winners. This is the time of the year that racing can really start to feel like work. If you aren't willing to work, then you really can't plan on being a successful racer. During this time of the season is when a lot of general upkeep and repairs are probably

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-1149364295948501262006-06-03T13:51:00.000-06:002006-06-03T13:51:35.956-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/videos/tegglest Nothing gets you more motivated than the sound of thunder!

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-1148957857911195812006-05-29T20:48:00.000-06:002006-05-29T20:57:37.923-06:00

The end of May and we have already had the tranny out of the car more times than I car to count, we have had some odd electrical problems, we have had some carb issues to deal with...Yes, it has been a pretty busy racing season with more mechanical problems that we would like. But anything in life worth having is never easy, and drag racing is no different. In fact, if racing was easy, everybody

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-1146342115405390502006-04-29T14:07:00.000-06:002006-04-29T14:23:32.863-06:00

In my last post I introduced the Myers-Briggs personality type survey. If you didn't try it then because you didn't care if you were a Judger or Perceiver, well now I want you to think about one of the other categories in the MB--The Thinker or Feeler. For some people whenever they make a decision they want to think, they want to analyze, know the facts, and use logic to come to their decision.

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-1142112463400721642006-03-11T14:24:00.000-06:002006-03-11T15:33:57.606-06:00

Did you know that your personality helps you in many ways to be a successful racer and successful person? But these same personality traits may also make you prone to doing things that get in the way of your success and being all that you can be. Of course we can try to change our personality, but this is very difficult. Instead it is usually better to figure out what strengths we have and what

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9793421.post-1140907209065483702006-02-25T16:27:00.000-06:002006-02-25T16:40:09.076-06:00

The winter months are flying by and it will be spring before you know it! This weekend Mike is off picking up the engine from our engine man, "Big Block Shawn!" For some people they think of the start of spring when they see birds or flowers, but for most racers we think of the start of spring when we get our new or freshened engines in the cars! So it is time to really "get it in gear" (pun

tamihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02669813221364338191noreply@blogger.com