Photo by Tracy Rasinski, author and owner of TR Photograph.
It’s pretty simple actually- it’s your ability to create Mental Imagery, it’s your Mind. The ability to see success, need that be hitting one out of the ball park or that hole in one. If you cannot see what you desire to happen in your performance it will not be.
Simply put- IT WILL NOT BE. The relationship of mental and physical performance is simply outstanding when coupled with consistent practice. When you combine realistic and healthy mental imagery and physical practice it is a recipe for success.
Once a player learns to control their metal imagery then that is when they will step up their game in new ways they CAN imagine!
Let’s talk a little on creating a “mental image” or “visualizing” your success during your performance. When I say visualize- I want you to think about everything sensory in that very moment; sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch- EVERYTHING.
To go even deeper I want you to feel what the emotions feel like, feel your heart beat, your breath moving in and out of your body and your opponents bodies. This is as much about you as it is about your competition and being in flow. You want to gain a true understanding of being present in the moment, the good, the bad and the ugly and how you will achieve your goals.
Paint a complete sensory image of what the scene looks and feels like from start to finish and as descriptive as imaginable.
What does the air feel like? what are you laser focused on? Is there music ? What are the words, the pitch and the tone of the song? Is the crowd cheering? Are you energized or tired. What is the self talk going through your head? What does the ball or bat or club feel like in your hands? Can you close your eyes and know that the pitch or swing was perfect? Can you hear the sound of the net after you nail that three pointer?
Next I want you to identify the things that distract you from your game. This is huge because there will always be something that could possibly distract you. Simply put is it the cloths that you are wearing? Does a guy or girl easily distract you? Does the pressure to preform distract you? Is the stage overwhelming and throw you into a “fear state”.
Name your fear- know what you fear and face it head on, work through it in your visualization process when you have the ability to step by step control the outcome. When you are presented with the true scenario you are better prepared for it and will not loose control so easily. It may take work but you will get the the place where you can focus on your goal and everything else become a blurry background and all you see is what you are meant to see.
Get as clear and descriptive as you can and repeat this along with your physical practices. In essence I want you to work to create a visual narrative that you will play out in real life. Dedicate at least 30-45 minutes to this practice along with your physical practice. I am a firm believer that the strength of the mind is just as important if not more important than the physical attributes of any player in any game.
Article and images provided by Tracy Rasinski
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Brilliant, this is going to be instrumental to my success.. going to practice this tonight