Another interesting article from appm.co.uk that is worth reading.
It is something what I like to call 'Mental Conditioning' as it is not
too different from 'Physical Conditioning'
If we spend a considerate amount of time in completing physical training
then we should also be looking to toughen our mind, else losing it on the
track because of a weak attitude is surely a lousy way to taper off.
I believe this will both be helpful for personal growth and performance
on the kart track.
Ever since we were small children everything we have ever thought about ourselves or has ever been said to us has gone in through our conscious mind and has been stored away in our subconscious. All of these thoughts and comments become who we are (subconsciously) whether they are true or false, the subconscious does not discriminate... it only listens to what it is told.
This knowledge tells us two very important things:
1. Be aware of your thoughts - Be very careful about the thoughts that you have about yourself, this is why everybody bangs on about positive thinking, it really is very important.
You need to become the editor of your own thoughts all of the time.
2. Your can change the way you think about yourself - If your thoughts become who you are, you can use this knowledge to your advantage, you can create specific thoughts that can be used to change various aspects of yourself as a driver and as a competitor and you do this through the use of affirmations.
An affirmation is simply a statement that you affirm to yourself, it can be both positive and negative.
To start with let's look at a negative affirmation - imagine yourself going through a tough period with your driving and you start to say to yourself ten times every day for a month "I am never going to make it". Will you feel better or worse? Think about it. You are very unlikely to feel better and in all probability you will feel a lot worse..... crucially your performance may deteriorate further because at the back of your mind, your subconscious has been told that "you won't make it".
Contrast this with somebody who is going through a tough patch who says to themselves ten times a day for a month "I am going to make it no matter what" and they really put energy behind it. How will they feel at the end of that month?.... far more positive and up for it than the person who does nothing. What happens is that constant repetition of a targeted positive statement changes the way that their subconscious thinks about themselves and they now react to the challenges "knowing they will overcome them".
The Process Creating Affirmations:
1. Identify clearly the issue/habit that you want to change
2. Use one affirmation per issue, don't combine them
3. They must be positive
4. Avoid using a negative i.e. don't say "I am not going to crash any more".
Change it to "I am always going to finish"
5. Wherever possible try and start your affirmation with "I am............."
6. Keep them fairly short
7. Make them specific and to the point
8. Don't try and use too many at one time
Using Affirmations:
1. Repeat them at least ten times a day, the more the better
2. To condition yourself you will need to commit yourself to 30 days and
you should start to see the difference after 10
3. To make them even more powerful repeat them whilst looking at yourself
in the mirror
Sample Affirmations:
· I am a winner
· I am fantastic at starting
· I always drive at my best when leading
· I am great at overtaking
· I am at my best overcoming obstacles
· I am an indomitable competitor
· I have complete confidence in my ability to control oversteer
· I am confident in all situations
Think carefully about areas of your driving or your overall career that are currently holding you back and create affirmations to address those specific issues.
Become your affirmations and at the end of 30 days review how you feel about yourself.
No comments:
Post a Comment