The Power of Belief: Part II

 What do you believe in? Are these beliefs positive, negative, realistic?

The more we are in touch with what we actually believe to be true, the easier it is to pinpoint what can beliefs can be nurtured and strengthened or modified. This goes for both positive and negative.

When encountering a negative belief system in your performance, there are ways to begin to challenge oneself and current mental state(s) to break through. Personal growth in life and sport is possible, however, not without some willingness to:

• #1 Have Fun!
• Give full effort without fear of failure.
• Take Risks (this one especially)
• Focus on the present only-let go of the past (even if just one quarter or shot ago).
• Trust oneself
• Trust the process and accept it for what it is.

Success is as easy or hard as one makes it (Porter 2003).

In combating a negative belief system, it helps to again put pencil to paper (or word processor, depending on preference) and write down some of the following:

• What are my limiting beliefs?
• • Where do they manifest?
• How and when do I feel powerless?
• • How do I strip myself of power?
• What is the biggest change I would make mentally to take my performance to a higher level?

In looking at these questions and answers, it can help provide ownership of one's beliefs, however this may be difficult to do, at least at first, "seeing" this limiting dialog. The challenge is to acknowledge, examine the belief for accuracy, and then find evidence for a more true belief.

For example, a golfer does not believe he can shoot a score of '70 on a given course. After sitting down to process "why" he sees that every time he sets foot on the course, a gentle internal dialog telling him "this hole is difficult" robs him of quality shots and inhibits his flow. With some retraining and awareness of a belief system that does not have to be true, he goes from one hole at a time, focused on being present (recall the "process"). His scores drop each time he plays this particular course, until the number '70 registers on the scorecard.

When, where, why, and how are things to examine in performance beliefs. Experimentation with new ones are encouraged! Have fun  in your activity and risk changing some beliefs. They can only be either proved or dis-proved by you!

Source: Porter, K. (2003) The Mental Athlete. Human Kinetics