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East Oregonian
EASTERN OREGON MARKETPLACE
Tuesday, February, 13, 2018
3 Keys to Becoming an Elite Athlete
(Family Features)
When it comes to becoming an elite athlete, there
are differing opinions on what it takes to win gold.
Sports analysts and commentators often reference
sprint times, body weight, height or age as differen-
tiating factors, but Dr. Steven Stein, CEO of Multi-
Health Systems and emotional intelligence expert,
has a different idea.
Emotional intelligence is a set of emotional and so-
cial skills that influence the way people perceive and
express themselves, develop and maintain social re-
lationships, cope with challenges and use emotional
information in an effective and meaningful way.
Using The Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 model
to test emotional intelligence, Multi-Health Systems
found athletes around the world often score high in
self-regard: the ability to know their strengths and
weaknesses; self-actualization: doing what they love
and continually trying to improve; and flexibility:
their ability to learn, change and take direction.
Self-Regard
Self-regard is the ability of an athlete to know his or her strengths and weak-
nesses. For elite athletes, it can also translate into confidence.
“Confidence, as part of self-regard, can be a key differentiator among medal
winners,” Stein said. “At the highest level of many sports you have a number
of athletes with near-equal skills and talent. Often, having the right mental
toughness can make that millisecond or single point difference among judg-
es.”
Self-Actualization
Self-actualization reflects comfort with who you are and what you are doing.
For example, competition at the international level takes years of preparation
and practice, and may require personal, social and familial sacrifices.
“Self-actualization allows an athlete to continue to learn and improve, as
many athletes start out with a vision that helps define their passion,” Stein
said. “For example, you frequently hear stories of athletes who come from
challenging childhoods - deaths of parents, early injuries or difficulties with
school - who commit fully to their sports, find success and go on to become
role models for others in both athletics and overcoming adversity.”
Flexibility
Flexibility is a person’s ability to change and take direction, and for an elite
athlete, it means learning from a bad performance instead of getting frustrat-
ed. It is one of the better predictors of the ability to be coached and succeed,
and Multi-Health Systems found that it is especially important in both profes-
sional and amateur athletes.
“Sometimes, high-level draft picks in various sports who have difficulty
taking instruction don’t make it as professional players,” Stein said. “Great
athletes are often great learners, and when athletes think they already know
what’s best or don’t listen to coaching, it can derail their performance.”
Learn more about emotional intelligence and the role the mental side plays in
becoming an elite athlete at mhs.com.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
#14134
Source: Multi-Health Systems
Comfort Food Made Quick and Easy
(Family Features)
A steaming bowl of savory soup
is the perfect comfort food when
the wind is howling, rain is falling
or the temperature is dropping.
It’s a time to cozy up and enjoy
the warmth of being inside while
indulging in some of your favorite
flavors.
The rich, hearty tastes and textures
of a soup result from the season-
ings, spices and melding of different
ingredients while it slowly sim-
mers to perfection. However, when
there’s no time for lots of prep and
cooking, there are shortcuts that
don’t sacrifice taste.
For example, when time is short, a
can of READ Southwestern Bean
Salad gives you a head start. The
robust mixture of black beans,
corn, hominy and kidney beans in
a slightly spicy, chili-lime accented
tomato sauce is just right in recipes
that boast Tex-Mex flavors like this
Chicken Enchilada Soup. Just add
a few pantry staples and some sauteed chicken for a warming pot of soup in
about half an hour.
For more quick and easy recipes for the season, visit readsalads.com.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Recipe courtesy of Dinner, Dishes and Desserts on behalf of READ Salads
Servings: 6
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound chicken breast cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilis
2 cans (15 ounces each) READ Southwestern Bean Salad
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
crispy tortilla strips (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
diced avocado (optional)
In large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add
chicken and onion. Cook 5-6 minutes, or until chicken is browned and on-
ions are soft, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
Stir in enchilada sauce, chicken stock, tomatoes and bean salad. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve with tortilla strips, cheese and avocado, if desired.