The human body is very adept at protecting itself from physical harm. That bump on your head will automatically swell up to promote healing. In order to be successful in team sports you have to untrain the flinch when a ball flies at you. Through years of evolution these reactions have been planted into our central nervous system to protect our well being so we can continue our species. However, the mind is far more fickle.
If you have ever had food poisoning you know how thoroughly the body will purge the toxins in an effort to protect itself. Yet the mind seems to work in the exact opposite manner. Ask an athlete to recall an error or instance of choking and they will produce a recollection with amazing clarity. On the other hand, an instance of triumph seems to be a giant blur. There are several theories as to why the mind does this but the important thing to know is you can break the cycle.
Everyday we support habits that largely go unnoticed. From signing your name to putting on your right shoe first we engrain common tasks to the point where they are completely on autopilot. Just for fun try putting on your left shoe first or step into your pants with the opposite leg you normally do. It feels weird. That is the way the mind works. Neurons that fire together wire together. When you depart from that path you are in uncharted territory. It feels weird because it is unknown and the next step needs to be thought through, it’s no longer automatic.
You can apply this from tasks to your overall manner of thinking as well. Most people find it very easy to recall embarrassing moments. This is because most people have not taken the time to train their mind. They just cruise through on autopilot and moments that created the greatest negative emotional reactions plant themselves firmly in the memory. Fortunately, it does not have to be like that.
First, you need to be aware of the thoughts swirling through your head. Just like being aware of which shoe you put on first you need to know exactly what you are thinking. Then you need to identify the thoughts. Are the thoughts in your head helping you? From there you can begin to make changes.
Every Sunday on the PGA Tour you see athletes succumb to their own thoughts. A player will begin the round a few shots back and by the end of the day they have played themselves completely out of contention. They allow their thoughts to run on autopilot and paid the price. Instead, use your mind to your advantage. Be aware of your thoughts and the resulting actions so you can develop positive thinking habits that will eventually run on autopilot.
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