"The mind will naturally default to the negative....its evolutionary adaptation...the key is to recognise it & redirect your attention and energy...control it rather than let it dominate you..."(Randy Borum-Psy.D)
....the body really does follow where the mind leads it...ultimately the choice is ALL yours!
So what is that sets the truly tenacious and determined apart from those that simply give in?..Can it really be as simple as negative thought patterns dictating the outcome of every event you find yourself in..or is there some special X-FACTOR that makes the successful shine?
In my view, there is a bit of both..but first and foremost it begins with where your head and heart are at...if both are not aligned to a common goal (whatever this may be), then the individual is placed in a conflicting and highly stressful position where no forward momentum can be gathered, toward achievement. The person goes back and forth between their wants and the reality of the situation.
As a trainer I see it all the time, put simply the 'i want to be X-kg' statement and the 'reality of the work required to achieve this goal', can be so mal-aligned that it seems almost unfathomable that the individual could have come to putting these concepts together.
For many top level athletes, the fear of defeat, is the most powerful driving force in motivating training the competitive experience...but what about the individual that may not be in a position to exercise their competitive edge?...what does a person who goes to the gym everyday ( or in some cases should but doesn't), tap into, to keep them on track, firing on all motivational cylinders?...
Here are a few tips that may help...and those that have said 'its easy for you, your highly motivated', i will agree with you, I am highly motivated for a reason, I have discovered what makes me work best consistently and I will gladly share it with you:
- Get a future based goal that gives you a reason to fear failure, a competition, event or future based target. The bigger the audience the better.
- Take stock of your thoughts and subsequent behaviours, what are the self talk monologues going through your head each day, at what times, for how long and are they predominantly positive of negative?
- Assess and manage the monologues. Begin to control and manipulate the words and energies created by these thoughts. Are they aggressive, apathetic, and where are they stemming from?
The more you give credence to thoughts of 'I'm tired... I'm sore... I'm not into this today', the more these thoughts will begin to dominate you and your behaviours. They will become like a virus and infect all your waking hours. Acknowledge your mental and physical state and well-being by all means, but at that point you have the choice to let the negative dictate the outcome or put it aside and forge ahead regardless.
I do not know of any top level athlete that is never sore, injured (often or to some degree), tired or mentally drained. The difference is the choice in how they respond. The fear of failure or defeat will always be stronger than the discomfort of an aching body or fatigued mind.
What do you fear the most? Find what makes you shudder and you will be closer to determining the best way to tap into your key drivers to success. Fear can be either a positive or a negative and ultimately how you manage it and the outcome you get is up to YOU!
