Mental Training Week 4

“It's the brain, not the heart or lungs, that's the critical organ.”

— Roger Bannister, first person to run a mile under four minutes

I read this quote and immediately connected with its essence. As a former marathon runner, racing enthusiast, track and gymnastic coach, I personally witnessed the mind failing in competition. Sometimes the “head” became more important to success if the training existed. If you put the practice in and worked hard but “choked” in a meet or competition you allowed the negative mind to take over. We see this in professional athletics, Olympic competition and amateur sports. The phrase “the mind quits first” speaks volumes. But we can learn, we can retrain, we can make the change. In every instance of overcoming difficulties, it is the high road that must be taken. By that I mean we must work on consistency, kindness to self and rewarding ourselves when we show that leap of confidence. Small steps to big change. 

This is not just about sports or athletics, it’s any venue where we must show up, whether it’s in a written document, speaking to a group, a project or a performance. The first step is, as always, being aware of the self-doubt. We know ourselves. We know when we have worked to the best of our ability and even taken it to the next level. We also know when we allow that fear to seep into the performance, activity or work. So how do we make the change from allowing fear to take over to I got this?

1.    Find your mantra. Start saying it today. The Silva Method invokes the statement, every day in every way, I am getting better and better. Repeat twenty times. Or find your own meaningful statement. Write it down.

2.    Visualize yourself. Start this today. See yourself giving that talk, knowing all the answers on a key exam, writing a clear project proposal, or getting yourself off the sofa and out for a walk. You know what you need.

3.    Imagine yourself NOT overreacting if something goes wrong. What can you do, what are the alternatives? Focus on your strengths. Know them.

4.    When you remember to practice these techniques, give yourself a nod of accomplishment. It’s the consistency we are looking for that makes changes in end results. That is key to mental fitness.

5.    No matter how strong, physically gifted or intelligent you might be, it's crucial to have a positive frame of mind and be mentally prepared.