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SelfGrowth.com founder David Riklan explains the Four Secret Laws to Sporting Success as determined by "The Golf Doctor."
Dr. Stephen Simpson is The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to "Sports Psychology". You can find complete information on Dr. Stephen Simpson and his products by visiting http://www.thegolfdoc.co.uk.
Sport is big business. It always has been, and the power and prestige of the top gladiators in ancient Rome is just one of many examples. Therefore it is no wonder that most teenagers, and often their parents, dream of such sporting success. Many have the talent to make it to the top, but sadly few do. So why is this so, and what can you do to stack the odds on your side?
For advice on this topic, I’ve turned to Dr. Stephen Simpson. Dr. Simpson is known as the Golf Doctor, and is our official guide to sports psychology. Without doubt the best starting place is to look very carefully at those stars who have made it. Read and watch all you can about them. What makes them so special? What is the secret of their success?
It is very simple. They have 4 gifts that differentiate them from the pack. Elite performers take these gifts for granted – they think that everybody has them. They are wrong, but that does not mean that you can’t discover them, and use them. You want to take your game to the next level? Of course you do, and the truth is that the fastest, easiest way to do this is to unlock the enormous untapped potential of your mind by adopting these 4 Secret Laws.
The 1st Secret Law concerns the way top athletes talk to themselves. They think and speak only in positives. They never beat themselves up.
You can do the same. The way you think about yourself is very important. From this moment forward never say a bad thing about yourself again. Just in case you are concerned that you may lose out on the opportunity to learn from your mistakes, fear not. You can trust the rest of the world to point out your mistakes for you, especially as you become a better athlete, and happier in so many other ways. You do not need to give them any help.
The 2nd Secret Law concerns Confidence. Confidence is critical to playing sport at the highest level. Some days we have it, other days we do not, and it is tantalisingly difficult to explain why this should be so.
Once again, follow the stars. Just as success builds on success, so too does confidence feed on itself. This is how it works. Rather than focussing on the things that are not working in your life celebrate every little thing that does go well. Hold on to that thought for just a little longer than normal, and reinforce it with a physical reminder, such as pressing finger and thumb together. This is called a ‘Confidence Anchor’, and all top athletes and performers have them. Do this 10 times every day, and train your brain to focus on success. After a month you will be oozing confidence.
The 3rd Secret Law concerns Visualisation. All top athletes have highly developed Visualisation skills. Their visualisations are so vivid and packed with so much detail that they are building a self-fulfilling prophecy of their success. Once again, it is not that difficult. More importantly it is a lot of fun! If you can make a 30 second video then this will be simple. Great movie directors know the importance of creating vivid imagery using all our senses. We have five; what we see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.
Now it is time for you to direct your own movie. Make a short movie in your imagination about one important element of your favourite sport. Make sure it is packed with detail relating to your five senses. And don’t forget to make sure you are right in the middle of the action, with a huge smile on your face! Play this movie regularly!
The 4th Secret Law concerns Universal Energy. Many people now talk about the Law of Attraction. This Law relates to how positive people attract other positive people, and how positive events attract further positive events. We are told that all we have to do is ‘Ask, Believe, and Receive’, and let the power of the Universe takes care of everything else. Elite athletes seem able to produce the most amazing performances when they need them the most. It is as if they have the ability to tune into a different or wider part of the electromagnetic spectrum than we can. So how can you learn to do the same? Quite simple - Adopt the Law of Attraction.
The Law of Surrender can also be turned to your advantage. This law is also known as ‘Letting Go’. At first sight this does not appear to have much to do with sport, but on further reflection perhaps it has everything to do with sport. The secret to great sport is getting out of the way, and letting your body take over naturally.
Quite simply the above statement summarises why so many potentially brilliant athletes become increasingly frustrated, why their game suffers, and why this vicious circle continues. It also explains why hard practice, lessons, DVDs, books, and all manner of other training aids are of limited benefit in when used in isolation.
When top sportsmen and women figure this out, they move to a much higher level of performance awareness. They describe the physical and mental relief of ‘Letting go’. They reach a level of performance in all parts of their life beyond their wildest dreams! So too can you!
Thanks for watching, and thanks to Dr. Simpson for his insights. Now for our question of the day – of the four secret laws, which one do you think is the most important? Are there any we’re missing? Please let us know in the comments below.
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