Dr. Terry Orlick was a world-renowned sport psychologist, professor, and author who dedicated his life to understanding the mental skills that lead to excellence in sport and life. His practical, humanistic approach has influenced countless athletes, coaches, and high-achievers across various fields. His work emphasizes the power of focus, commitment, and a positive mindset.

Infographic for "Lessons from Terry Orlick".

On the Nature of Excellence

  1. "The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion."[1]
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Link: A-Z Quotes
  2. "Excellence is a choice—choose to excel."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: This simple but profound statement underscores that achieving excellence is not a matter of chance but a conscious decision that requires dedicated action.
  3. "Nobody hands you excellence on a silver platter. You earn it through planning, preparing, and persisting in the face of all obstacles."[1]
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Link: A-Z Quotes
  4. "Belief is the mother of reality. Excellence is a state of mind."[1]
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Link: A-Z Quotes
  5. In the Wheel of Excellence essay on his official site, Orlick states this idea directly rather than as an aphorism about habit: you must not only commit yourself to the goal of excelling, but also commit yourself to act on a daily basis in ways that lead you to excel. [18]

The Wheel of Excellence: Core Learnings

Orlick's "Wheel of Excellence" is a model outlining the seven key psychological components necessary for achieving peak performance.

  1. Learning: Excellence is guided by seven critical elements. These are Commitment, Belief, Full Focus, Positive Images, Mental Readiness, Distraction Control, and Constructive Evaluation.[2]
  2. Learning: Commitment and Belief form the heart of human excellence. They are the hub of the wheel, representing your overall perspective, your desire, and your passion for your pursuit.[3]
  3. Learning: The remaining five elements are the "spokes" of the wheel. Full Focus, Positive Images, Mental Readiness, Distraction Control, and Constructive Evaluation are the mental skills that translate commitment and belief into positive action.[2]

On Focus and the Mind

  1. "Where the mind goes, everything follows."[1]
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Link: A-Z Quotes
  2. "A fully connected focus is a complete, positive connection with an experience, learning opportunity, performance, action, or interaction."[4]
  3. On the same site he says: the extent to which you can fully focus on the right things for the duration of your performance is the single most important on-site mental skill affecting skilled performance, and you must learn to connect totally with your performance. [11]
  4. The same site puts it this way: to achieve your performance potential, you must become highly accomplished at focusing only on what is within your immediate control to the exclusion of irrelevant thoughts, distracting input, or thoughts about the outcome of your performance. [12]
  5. "Worry is one of the greatest inhibitors of skilled performance."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: Anxiety and worry actively hinder your ability to perform at your best. Developing strategies to manage these is crucial.
  6. In his own Wheel of Excellence essay on his official site, Orlick makes a narrower version of this claim: you control the volume, intensity, direction, and persistence of your actions and reactions through your focus, since your ability to direct and control your focus also affects your level of activation and relaxation. [15]

On Commitment and Belief

  1. On his own Zone of Excellence site he puts it this way: excellence requires an incredible commitment to persist through the ups and downs associated with becoming your best and maintaining your best performance. [9]
  2. "Your commitment will grow when your focus is centered on continuing to learn and grow."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: A growth mindset is essential for maintaining long-term commitment.
  3. "To excel, you must believe that you are investing in something worthwhile and that you have a good chance of making it happen."[2]
  4. "Belief opens the door to higher levels of excellence, and higher levels of excellence open the door to higher levels of belief."[2]
  5. In the Wheel of Excellence essay on his official site, Orlick frames this in terms of belief rather than expectations directly: in the presence of belief your performance blossoms, and in its absence you never touch your potential. [16]

On Mental Imagery and Positive Mindset

  1. In the same Wheel of Excellence essay, Orlick describes what imagery actually does in more functional terms than images leading reality: positive imagery is useful for guiding your belief, focus, and performance, and for creating good feelings about yourself and your capacity. [17]
  2. "In sport, mental imagery is used primarily to help you get the best out of yourself in training and competition."[1]
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Link: A-Z Quotes
  3. "The developing athletes who make the fastest progress... make extensive use of mental imagery."[1]
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Link: A-Z Quotes
  4. "If the people around you are negative and you can't change that, either remove yourself from the situation or view it simply as one obstacle you face in pursuing your own potential."[5]
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Link: Lib Quotes
  5. "Stay focused on your own goals and make the best of the situation."[5]
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Link: Lib Quotes
  6. "Negativity sucks away energy."
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Learning: Be mindful of the energy you surround yourself with, as it will impact your own.
  7. Learning: Practice "treasure hunting for highlights." Actively look for simple, positive experiences in your daily life to cultivate a more positive focus.
    • Source: Positive Living Skills: Joy and Focus for Everyone

On Learning and Growth

  1. "A refined ability to learn from failure and to grow through losses is necessary to achieve excellence in any human endeavor."[1]
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Link: A-Z Quotes
  2. Learning: Engage in "Constructive Evaluation." This involves reflecting on what went well and identifying specific areas for improvement, turning every experience into a learning opportunity.[2]
  3. "I learn from setbacks and turn them into positive opportunities for personal growth."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: This is a powerful affirmation for reframing challenges.
  4. "Act upon the lessons learned."
    • Source: The Wheel of Excellence
    • Learning: Evaluation is only useful if it leads to action and adjustment.[2]
  5. "Every day in some way I am better, wiser, more adaptable, more focused, more confident, and more in control."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: This affirmation reinforces the daily commitment to growth and self-improvement.

On Potential and Personal Responsibility

  1. "Your potential is not something you find; it is something you create."
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Learning: You are an active participant in the development of your own capabilities.
  2. "You are the only one who can take full control of you and your own focus."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: Personal responsibility is the cornerstone of achieving excellence.
  3. "I am in control of my thinking, my focus, my life."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: A key self-affirmation to reinforce personal agency.
  4. He puts it this way in his reminders: there is no advantage in approaching a situation thinking you can't, so approach it thinking only I can, and act like you can even if you are not really sure -- you are always fully capable of taking that one little step. [14]
  5. "What I decide, I become."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: Your decisions and commitments shape your identity and your future.

On Teamwork and Relationships

  1. "We cannot win in team situations or in relationships by ourselves."[6]
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Link: Lib Quotes
  2. "Teamwork is a bit like using all of your fingers. Each one is unique and contributes something different, but they unite in pursuit of a common goal."[6]
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Link: Lib Quotes

On Life and Well-Being

  1. Learning: Balance the "Gold Zone" and the "Green Zone." The Gold Zone represents tangible achievements (career, finances), while the Green Zone encompasses relationships and personal well-being. True success lies in nurturing both.[7]
    • Source: Embracing Your Potential
    • Link: Goodreads
  2. "Highlights are simple constructive experiences, influences, activities, or connections that result in happiness, quality, and sense into a person's life."
    • Source: Positive Living Skills: Joy and Focus for Everyone
    • Learning: Joy can be found in the small, everyday positive moments.
  3. "The simple act of reflecting back on highlights or special moments in your day gives you positive energy."[8]
    • Source: Positive Living Skills: Joy and Focus for Everyone
    • Link: Goodreads
  4. "A life that includes daily relaxation... is the best path to positive, balanced living."[4]
  5. "I choose to live my life fully."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: This is a conscious decision to engage with life with passion and purpose.
  6. Learning: Positive living skills are the "missing link" in education. We teach academics, but often neglect to teach the skills for how to be a happier, more fulfilled human being.
    • Source: Interview with Terry Orlick
  7. "Winning is not just about being first; it's about doing your best and enjoying the journey."
    • Source: Every Kid Can Win
    • Learning: This redefines success in a healthier, more sustainable way, especially for young people.
  8. "My powerful mind and body are one. I free them to excel."
    • Source: In Pursuit of Excellence
    • Learning: This affirmation emphasizes the critical mind-body connection in performance.
  9. Learning: The goal of Positive Living Skills is to create better people, better performers, and a better world.[8]
    • Source: Positive Living Skills: Joy and Focus for Everyone
    • Link: Goodreads
  10. His own reminders put it plainly: great things are accomplished by taking tiny little steps forward each day, and there is only the step in front of you -- nothing else matters. [13]
  11. Learning: Mental readiness is a skill. On the same site he explains it this way: mental readiness refers to a positive state you carry into learning and performance situations, usually accomplished with a commitment to follow an effective pre-performance routine to enter your best mental zone for quality performance. [10]
  12. "Every meaningful action, interaction, and personal accomplishment begins with a fully connected focus."
    • Source: Positive Living Skills: Joy and Focus for Everyone
    • Learning: The quality of your focus determines the quality of your life's experiences.

Sources  

  1. azquotes.com
  2. zoneofexcellence.ca
  3. johndabell.com
  4. zoneofexcellence.ca
  5. libquotes.com
  6. libquotes.com
  7. goodreads.com
  8. goodreads.com
  9. The Wheel of Excellence (zoneofexcellence.ca)
  10. The Wheel of Excellence (zoneofexcellence.ca)
  11. The Wheel of Excellence (zoneofexcellence.ca)
  12. The Wheel of Excellence (zoneofexcellence.ca)
  13. Reminders for Excelling (zoneofexcellence.ca)
  14. Reminders for Excelling (zoneofexcellence.ca)
  15. Terry Orlick, "The Wheel of Excellence" (official site)
  16. Terry Orlick, "The Wheel of Excellence" (official site)
  17. Terry Orlick, "The Wheel of Excellence" (official site)
  18. Terry Orlick, "The Wheel of Excellence" (official site)