The Power of Positive and Possible

A few months ago, I shared an article about “possibility thinking.”

I’ve also blogged about The Power of Positive Attitude and The Power of Positive Self-Talk.

There is a strong and undeniable link between POSITIVE and POSSIBLE.

Needless to say, I really believe in the power of positive thinking and a “can-do” approach to anything and everything — school, sports, work, and life.  In my business, I witness it every day.  Athletes with a strong belief in themselves have an uncanny knack for success.  They expect success.

These individuals demonstrate a willingness to work through adversity, “stay the course,” and follow their dreams.  It’s not that they don’t encounter obstacles along the way, they are simply too focused on and passionate about their goals to be sidetracked.  They believe in themselves and what they are doing.  They refuse to quit.

Positive people are much more likely to look for/see the success potential, in every situation.  They realize that there is good in every day, even if every day is not perfect.

Positive thinkers see the opportunity in every difficulty, and not the difficulty in every opportunity (to paraphrase Winston Churchill).

Positive thinking is a possibility creator and a door opener. It enables you to do virtually everything better than negative thinking will.

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Characteristics of Mentally Tough Athletes

There are lots of different ways to describe and define mental toughness.  It can be described as the ability, willingness, and discipline to perform effectively and productively, regardless of the situation or circumstances.

Mental toughness involves positive thinking, focus, concentration, persistence, perseverance, and a strong belief in self.  It is the ability to ignore distractions, focus on what is important, and block out what is not.

Mental toughness is working through adversity, overcoming obstacles, and refusing to give up or give in.

And, although the focus of this blog post primarily relates to athletes, mental toughness does not apply only to athletes.  Since we all face obstacles and adversity, mental toughness can be an asset to students, business professionals, teachers, coaches, parents, and any other situation or life experience.

Here’s a list of 10 Characteristics of a Mentally Tough Player, excerpted from the article, Developing Mental Toughness:

1. Doesn’t let one bad play lead into another. Short memory.
2. Is able to take constructive criticism from a coach or teammate with the right attitude.
3. Is still able to be a good leader even when they aren’t personally playing well.
4. Is able to run offense and execute the correct play even when they are physically tired.
5. Still shoots the basketball with great form and technique when they are physically fatigued.
6. Doesn’t check out of a game that they are losing, and looks like there is no chance to win.
7. Doesn’t complain about something being too difficult, but finds a way to get through it.
8. Stays patient and is able to run offense even when being pressured by the defense.
9. Stays in control of emotions and doesn’t let the size of the stage negatively effect them.
10. Doesn’t put in the bare minimum during conditioning, but looks to try and win every sprint.

Thanks to my friend, Laurel Heilman of STUDENTathleteWorld, for sharing this information.

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Be a Possibility Thinker

Are you a Possibility Thinker?

In his book, Hours of Power, Robert H. Schuller effectively describes the attributes and characteristics of a Possibility Thinker:

Possibility Thinkers look for — and often find — the good in virtually every situation, sometimes in the most unlikely places.

Possibility Thinkers look for reasons why something will work, visualizing ways in which it could work.

Possibility Thinkers explore every challenge to discover the positive opportunities that exist within.

Possibility Thinkers listen to new ideas; evaluate them thoughtfully; and recognize and seize opportunities.

Possibility Thinkers do not quit when faced with an obstacle.  They persist and persevere until they find a way over, around, or through.

Possibility Thinkers do not defend and rationalize mistakes, or make excuses for failures.

Possibility Thinkers are open to constructive criticism, sensible advice, and honest council.

Possibility Thinkers succeed because they have trained themselves to look for the positive possibilities in all areas of life.

Possibility Thinkers have faith, hope, confidence, enthusiasm, and optimism.

Possibility Thinkers are imaginative, creative, and visionary.

Possibility Thinkers are dreamers, opportunists, risk-takers, and believers.

Possibility Thinkers have a positive mental attitude; they are leaders and pioneers.

Be a Possibility Thinker?

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Think Positive, Avoid Injury

One of my favorite quotes (attributable to no one in particular) is, “Work hard, stay positive, and good things will happen.”  I truly believe that, in order to achieve success you must first expect success.

Recently, the power of positive thinking has been further supported by new research from the United Kingdom.  According to this research, optimistic athletes are less likely to become injured, and they bounce back faster if they do get hurt.

Researchers believe that positive thinking athletes may simply be more conscious of injury-prevention practices, or they may experience less stress during competition, reducing their susceptibility to injury.

Try turning your negative thoughts into positive, performance-enhancing ones.  Don’t let your pre-game jitters overcome your mental preparation.  Instead, interpret these feelings as a sign that you’re excited to play.

Get STRONGER, Get FASTER!

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The Power of Positive Self-Talk

The power of positive thinking is well-documented.  But what about positive self-talk?  How do you talk to yourself?  (It’s okay, you can admit talking to yourself… we all do.)  Is your self-talk positive and encouraging, or is it negative and pessimistic?  Unfortunately, our self-talk is often tainted by guilt about the past and/or anxiety about the future.  This negativity can be self-defeating, as it relates to our goals and dreams.

Our actions are inspired by our thoughts, and our thoughts are significantly impacted by the way we talk to ourselves.  If we can change the way we think — and change the way those thoughts manifest themselves in self-talk — we can begin to change the actions we take.

Self-talk is, basically, what you say when you talk to your mind.  You can change a lot by changing what you say when you talk to your mind.  When you repeat positive self-talk, you become a different person.  You can use positive self-talk to change the message and push your inner voice in a positive direction.

Here are some tips to help eliminate negative self-talk and replace it with empowering thoughts and words:

• Be aware of the thoughts that run through your mind.  Awareness is the first step toward improvement.  Once you understand your own pattern of self-talk, you can deal with it.  Try to avoid creating the resistance that comes with “I can’t” and “it’s too difficult.”  Challenge yourself with “why can’t I?” and, ultimately, “I can.”
• Focus on the desired outcome or goal, and repeat positive affirmations that build positive thoughts.  Say them aloud and with feeling, and repeat them frequently.
• Create a positive “script” for success.  Putting your goals and dreams in writing — and the steps toward their achievement — will help you start to internalize them.
• Eliminate negative influences and replace them with positive ones.  It’s important to identify external negative factors in your life which may be holding you back.  Surround yourself with thoughts and actions from people who will empower you.  The positive energy they produce will start affecting the self-talk that you engage in as well.
• Think in the present tense.  If you find yourself getting bogged down, stop and say, “What can I do right now?”  Re-focus your internal talk from an uncertain future to the more manageable present.  You can’t control what will happen in the future but you can take the necessary steps now that will build a better tomorrow.
• Face your fears.  Fear is often what holds you back from success.  We often avoid taking chances because of the (perceived) fear that comes with losing the security that you enjoy now.  Ask yourself what you are afraid of.  What is the worst that can happen?  When you confront your fears, you will often realize that the worst case scenario is not as bad as you think, and the benefits of change are worth the risk.
• Focus on the good times.  It’s much easier to have a positive attitude if you focus on the enjoyable moments in life rather than the difficult ones.  Sure, there will be challenges — life is full of ups and downs — and sometimes the good times are created through the bad.  Make it a conscious habit to fill your mind with positive thoughts and images.  Be grateful for what you have today.

Replacing negative self-talk with a more positive one is not going to happen overnight.  It will likely take some time and effort.  By following the above tips to positive self-talk, you will experience an improvement in the quality of your life.  Best of all, you feel empowered.  And these strategies apply to everything from dealing with family and friends to delivering a business presentation; from preparing for an exam to shooting free throws.

Get STRONGER, Get FASTER!

Your thoughts?