"The Winning Edge" (from 'The Winning Mind and Endless Possibilities, Far and Great Horizons')

Article Title: Mind Games: "The Winning Edge" (from 'The Winning Mind and Endless Possibilities, Far and Great Horizons')
Category (key words): Success, Success Principles, Motivation, Inspiration, Sports Psychology, Sport, Mind, Bill Beswick, Mind Control, Positive Thinking and Positive Psychology (enough there now, craig!)

Web sites: www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books/74-craigs-books http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock + www.lulu.com/craiglock
The submitter’s blog (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at http://craiglock.wordpress.com

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!)

We hope that the following article may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site.
If it helps others "out there" on the pathway to success (and most importantly, happiness), then we're very happy.

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

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HOW TO WIN IN THE MIND

“INTRO”:

Craig is a "passionate sports couch pot-a-to, who has spent much of his life studying the human mind and watching all forms of sport. He is particularly interested in what drives people to reach the very pinnacle of success, what distinguishes the "truly great from us mere average mortals" ... and so is sharing these thoughts.

Craig is currently "working on" (though it's not work, but a "labour of love", manuscripts on sport psychology titled 'The Winning Mind' and "Inside the Mind of a Grand Prix Driver, a Formula One Champion'.

Here are a few thoughts, that I've collected over the years.

"You know you've had a shit game when your wife and mother text you to tell you that they still love you."

- Retired English rugby prop forward, Phil Vickery recalling his embarrassingly poor performance for the 2009 British Lions against the Springboks in Durban:

*

Empty the mind and focus on the moment. It all seems to be happening slowly, "in slow motion" - it's as if time stands still.

"I've always been a big believer that when you're not mentally right, your body doesn't function the way you want it to. You probably see the physical side of a shot being played; but it's produced by a mind not quite being clear."

- Former NZ batsman and cricket coach, Mark Greatbatch

“You’ve got to have desperation, a passion for playing cricket, that you want to increase… and you’ve got to value your wicket very dearly.”

- new NZ cricket coach , John Wright after yet another batting capitulation to Pakistan ( in Jan 2011)

"The All Blacks are an extraordinarily good side, but I think there is much more to come. They have this ability to instantly go up another two gears, when the other side presses hard."

- Former Springbok and now Italian rugby coach, Nick Mallett

"Michael should step aside (from tournament golf) for a little while; he should work hard on his fitness and mental process. It's no use hitting your head against a brick wall. He's got to get his confidence back and that's where the mental process is so important."

- Ian Baker Finch, whose trials and tribulations were well documented commenting on fellow golf struggler, Kiwi golfer, Michael Campbell (winner of the US Open in 1995)

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MIND GAMES

"It's not just about raw talent. A top sports psychologist reveals some of the tricks he uses, when he's coaching young athletes to greatness.

Everyone talks about talent; but talent alone isn't enough. The difference between the greats and the not-so-greats, the average is attitude. They have great attitude, which drives their talent, and makes the most of it. So the really great athletes want more, are willing to work harder and are stronger in sticking to the task, and are certainly more resilient when bad things happen to them."

- Bill Beswick, mind coach

In short,

Be:

* Committed (totally)

* Persist with a task

* Believe in yourself

* Be confident under pressure

Remember,

attitude is a CHOICE

Usually to be great you have to build a history of success.

Say, "I don't believe in limitations".

"Like all good things, like raising a child, it's a day-to-day activity. Nothing happens quickly in sport. One of the essentials when training young people is to do the right thing today, and tomorrow and the day after, so when they are challenged in the competitive arena, they know what to do. They have to be trained to think and behave in the right way.

Right thoughts + right actions + right habits = SUCCESS

Bill Beswick, sports mind coach

www.billbeswick.com

as published in an article in The Red Bulletin magazine (Jan 2011)

www.redbulletin.com

Expand the sense of possibility in that last "unexplored frontier", YOUR human mind.

Shared by Craig Lock ("Information and Inspiration Distributer", Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder)

"The roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the very best that you can become."
- Harold Taylor

"It is not as important to succeed, but to persist."
- inspiring words that greatly encourage me from great South African writer and humanitarian, Alan Paton (author of 'Cry the Beloved Country')

"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm."
- Colette

PS:
Most importantly,
have FUN enjoying the life journey

"Success to others may be apparent in what you DO; but significance, meaning and purpose lies, then reveals itself in what you ARE and BECOME down the 'river of life' - how and the spirit with which you face, then overcome the daily obstacles, the frequent trials and tribulations along the often rocky path-way of life's magical and mysterious journey. Light YOUR path brightly."

"True success is being the YOU that you really want to be.
Do not follow the well-beaten track of others towards success - like the rainbow, it is often an illusion always just beyond our reach. Make your own path and let your spirit blaze a brilliant trail towards the pot of gold, the prize for the gift - one that is uniquely you and YOUR successful
journey down the river of life.

"Champions aren't made in the gym. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - an inner flame that burns brightly...with purpose, desire and passion. True champions live the dream, the vision of who and what they can one day become.... even a long time before it happens."
- craig

"One person with a dream can accomplish more than 100 others without one. If you have a burning desire, you can accomplish anything. The biographies of great men and women are full of stories of how they did seemingly impossible things because they had a dream."
- author unknown

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. "
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Oh man! There is no planet sun or star could hold you, if you but knew what you are."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

" I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have."
- Abraham Lincoln

"He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it. Dream lofty dreams and as you dream so shall you become."
- James Allen

"No vision and you perish; No Ideal, and you're lost; Your heart must ever cherish Some faith at any cost. Some hope, some dream to cling to, Some rainbow in the sky, Some melody to sing to, Some service that is high."
- Harriet Du Autermont

"Together, one mind, one person at a time, let's see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower, uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials."

These thoughts may be freely published