How NFL Player Derrick Morgan Practices Mindfulness?

Derrick Morgan is one of the most respected former players of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a linebacker for the Tennessee Titans for the entirety of his nine-year career.

Since retiring from the NFL, Morgan has been quite active in social and charitable causes. He has been part of the board of a company called 'Athletes for Care' that advocates the usage of cannabis as a medicine among athletes. He's also the co-chair of the NFL steering committee known as 'Doctors for Cannabis Regulation'.

Morgan has switched to a plant-based diet at his wife’s behest and has been a brand ambassador for a company called 'Beyond Meat'.

Let’s understand more about how Derrick Morgan practices mindfulness:

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Derrick Morgan's Mindfulness Technique

Having been part of an NFL team, Derrick Morgan has always had the pressure to perform well in games. Apart from that, intense practice sessions - taking up 12-13 hours a day - and physical exhaustion added to his stress. Nevertheless, everyone in the team wanted to get better and improve on a daily basis.

Morgan was quite an excellent player, especially in defense and his ability to strategize, which helped his team gain a competitive advantage. He delivered a strong performance on the field, thanks to his hard work and training.

Early on, people recommended Morgan mindfulness and meditation to reduce stress and get better in the sport. However, he carried the traditional notion of meditation that consisted of sitting cross-legged and such. That led him to believe he could not meditate.

In his starting years playing in the NFL, he was injured often, which added to his frustration. That pushed Morgan to understand and learn more about his body by reading books.

The one thing he found common in all the books was practicing mindfulness through meditation. He found that all successful people practiced meditation in one way or the other. That's why he started listening to Headspace before going to sleep, as recommended by his nutritionist. Morgan did not specifically make it into a routine but listened to it whenever he had time.

In his later years, he regularly started practicing meditation and mindfulness, which brought about a noticeable difference in his behavior. At home, Morgan became more patient while dealing with his kids, which was one of the major differences he saw in himself after regular meditation.

Morgan also felt the positive impact of daily mindfulness and meditation on the field. He became more aware of his body and the way it reacted to various situations. Morgan developed a better connection between his mind and body , which allowed him to become a better player.

Practicing mindfulness and meditation regularly ensured that his brain was involved while he made shots on the field rather than following the compensation pattern.

These newfound positive impacts of meditation and mindfulness encouraged Derrick Morgan to practice them daily. He incorporated meditation into his routine whenever he can: before games, when traveling, and more. Meditation and mindfulness also helped him steer clear of distractions like social media.

He saw a significant difference in his game after practicing meditation regularly, especially when pressure was at its peak. In sports, people are highly focused on the results, so meditation helped him cope up with that.

Morgan relaxed his body and completely focused on his breathing rather than thinking about results and performances. He was only focused on playing, which made all the difference.

Overall, mindfulness and meditation have made Derrick Morgan a better person and changed his perspective on life, as he let the negativity pass rather than focusing or reacting to it. That helped him heal more graciously rather than stressing out his body with the anxiety and stress of upcoming games.

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Bottom Line

Practicing mindfulness and meditation has helped Derrick Morgan in numerous ways and has brought changes to both his professional and personal life.

That has enabled him to become a better parent to his children along with dealing with various problems more efficiently.

Mindfulness also enabled him to become a better player with better awareness of his body and ability to handle stress and pressure.