Sports Psychology, The Winning Mind
| Category: Personal Development For Marketeers | Date: 2001-03-15 |
Sports Psychology, The Winning Mind
EXTRACTS FROM CRAIG LOCK'S BRAND NEW BOOK ON SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY, THE WINNING MIND
In this first chapter we will take an introductory look at the concept of success. After all, most of us want to live successful lives, don't we?
In sporting success, I believe, it is our mental state, together with our levels of individual motivation, which is the most vital ingredient: because it is our thoughts, which largely make or break us...and I believe these principles apply in all walks of life. It really is a case of "mind over matter" in every area of our life, which will determine our ultimate success.
Why do people compete in sport?
I believe their main motivation is to do well and to display their skills. But most importantly, to have enjoyment. No matter how lacking we may be in professional talents (like your author), sport also offers an opportunity to set and achieve personal goals (no matter how lowly they are). So that you then obtain recognition for your endeavours. The more proficient you are at your chosen sport, the easier it usually is. I believe one of the greatest human needs is a desire for recognition.
Once you choose to be involved in competitive sport, you state your desire to set and achieve certain goals, to develop new skills and competencies - to test your physical and mental limits and to pursue a certain level of excellence.
Today's world is ever-changing and extremely competititive; so that, like cream, only the very best rise to the top. A great deal of pressure is put on our sportsmen (throughout the world) by the public, who often have expectations that are far too high, out of national fervour (especially in New Zealand with their rugby All Blacks*, who bring so much glory to the country and in sports-mad South Africa...and Australia.
This can lead to a great deal of stress on sportsmen throughout the world, when the sometimes unrealistic hopes of a nation are often pinned upon an individual or a team...and glory is lost or achieved, as the Kiwis did recently in the America's Cup (1995 and defending it here in Feb 2000).
Now let us look at the concept of success. What is success? What does it take to succeed in today's competitive world? What motivates successful people? What part does luck play? Is there a certain type of personality, which is more likely to be successful? Is it talent or personality, which is more important? Must all successful people take risks? Is it necessary to enjoy taking risks? What motivates successful people to keep them going? Is it a fear of failure, if they drop out; otherwise the search for bigger and better challenges?
Lots of questions. No, it's not an interrogation, like the Spanish Inquisition!
In this chapter we will take a brief look at all these questions and many others...
What is personal success?
To start off, I am not going to try to define success, because, I believe, a precise definition is impossible. Is it winning a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games or winning Wimbledon? Is it perhaps being awarded the Nobel Prize (for world peace)? Who is more successful: a millionaire who is unhappy, or an unnoticed person who has led a happy- yet unfulfilled life? I believe that the simplest definition of the word "success" is "to set out to do something and to succeed in doing it".
To pursue that line a little further, I don't believe that people "are born to succeed". Success is within reach of most of us with application, perserverance and dedication...and a great deal of talent too, I might add! There can be talent; but there has to be hard work and training before the talent can blossom and succeed against others.
In the rest of this chapter we will take a brief look at what it takes to succeed in this competitive world of today. I have written it from the perspective of sportsmen; but I believe these basic (nice word basic - a bit overused, but what does it really mean?) principles can be applied to ALL the areas of our lives.
About the Author
C.Lock@xtra.co.nz
http://www.celebrityhowto.com/CLock.html
EXTRACTS FROM CRAIG LOCK'S BRAND NEW BOOK ON SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY, THE WINNING MIND
In this first chapter we will take an introductory look at the concept of success. After all, most of us want to live successful lives, don't we?
In sporting success, I believe, it is our mental state, together with our levels of individual motivation, which is the most vital ingredient: because it is our thoughts, which largely make or break us...and I believe these principles apply in all walks of life. It really is a case of "mind over matter" in every area of our life, which will determine our ultimate success.
Why do people compete in sport?
I believe their main motivation is to do well and to display their skills. But most importantly, to have enjoyment. No matter how lacking we may be in professional talents (like your author), sport also offers an opportunity to set and achieve personal goals (no matter how lowly they are). So that you then obtain recognition for your endeavours. The more proficient you are at your chosen sport, the easier it usually is. I believe one of the greatest human needs is a desire for recognition.
Once you choose to be involved in competitive sport, you state your desire to set and achieve certain goals, to develop new skills and competencies - to test your physical and mental limits and to pursue a certain level of excellence.
Today's world is ever-changing and extremely competititive; so that, like cream, only the very best rise to the top. A great deal of pressure is put on our sportsmen (throughout the world) by the public, who often have expectations that are far too high, out of national fervour (especially in New Zealand with their rugby All Blacks*, who bring so much glory to the country and in sports-mad South Africa...and Australia.
This can lead to a great deal of stress on sportsmen throughout the world, when the sometimes unrealistic hopes of a nation are often pinned upon an individual or a team...and glory is lost or achieved, as the Kiwis did recently in the America's Cup (1995 and defending it here in Feb 2000).
Now let us look at the concept of success. What is success? What does it take to succeed in today's competitive world? What motivates successful people? What part does luck play? Is there a certain type of personality, which is more likely to be successful? Is it talent or personality, which is more important? Must all successful people take risks? Is it necessary to enjoy taking risks? What motivates successful people to keep them going? Is it a fear of failure, if they drop out; otherwise the search for bigger and better challenges?
Lots of questions. No, it's not an interrogation, like the Spanish Inquisition!
In this chapter we will take a brief look at all these questions and many others...
What is personal success?
To start off, I am not going to try to define success, because, I believe, a precise definition is impossible. Is it winning a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games or winning Wimbledon? Is it perhaps being awarded the Nobel Prize (for world peace)? Who is more successful: a millionaire who is unhappy, or an unnoticed person who has led a happy- yet unfulfilled life? I believe that the simplest definition of the word "success" is "to set out to do something and to succeed in doing it".
To pursue that line a little further, I don't believe that people "are born to succeed". Success is within reach of most of us with application, perserverance and dedication...and a great deal of talent too, I might add! There can be talent; but there has to be hard work and training before the talent can blossom and succeed against others.
In the rest of this chapter we will take a brief look at what it takes to succeed in this competitive world of today. I have written it from the perspective of sportsmen; but I believe these basic (nice word basic - a bit overused, but what does it really mean?) principles can be applied to ALL the areas of our lives.
About the Author
C.Lock@xtra.co.nz
http://www.celebrityhowto.com/CLock.html
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