As athletes, our minds are busy churning and feeding on our thoughts – when we pick up weights in the gym, grab some protein at 3am, or run our fingers across a muscle we are building. The question is, while we sculpt our bodies and our lives, are we creating our thoughts purposefully, or allowing them to create us?
“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill
Training our minds to expect the best isn’t always an easy game. It is often so familiar to allow other people’s expectations to seep into our core by running the old tapes, instead of allowing our true selves to step into the limelight.
One way to help massage your brain in a powerful direction is to feed it a high-quality question.
What is my question?
- Ask yourself what it is that you want.
- Form a question that assumes what you want is already true for you.
- In preparation for a competition, your question could be, “Why am I so ready for this competition?”
- If you want to feel more confident about a upcoming event, your question might be, “Why do I feel so courageous stepping onto the competitive stage?”
Ponder your question, over and over again in your mind, especially when negative thoughts surface. Write it on a post-it note on your mirror – have it pop up as a reminder on your phone. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Simple but powerful.
You’ll be amazed to find that your mind shifting in an empowering direction.
What are the benefits?
- Your busy mind will search frantically for answers to your new empowering question, instead of feeding on those that used to disempower you.
- Your new question will help you’re empowered mind look for what’s right in your training and preparation, which feeds your confidence and helps you embody your new-found power.
- Your new thought patterns will search out things for you to do that will keep you in alignment with your greatest vision for yourself, thereby creating your reality.
Having had the privilege of training alongside Olympic athletes, as well as coaching them in my business, I have witnessed firsthand the power of our expectations. And, in fact great leaders in all walks of life use the power of expectation to achieve greatness.
Next time you look into your eyes in the mirror, you will see it too – the powerful expectation lives in you. You know you have what it takes. The question is – will you dare to live fully in that place of powerful expectation as you step onto the stage?
‘Expect the best’ is not just a slogan. It is a truth. Our minds are the most powerful force we have. I invite you to use them to sculpt the life you have dared to dream.
“Life is largely a matter of expectation.” – Horace
