Many successful athletes and business people use self-talk and mental imagery. Both mind tools can bring about physical changes. For example, a sports psychologist at Colorado State University hooked an alpine ski racer to an electromyograph - a machine that measures muscle tension - and asked the skier to relive and imagine, moment by moment, a slalom course. During the psychological rehearsal the skier was able to stir the recording needles significantly. In fact, the recording showed bursts of activity as the skier imagined the jumps and rough sections of the course. The recording paper mirrored the course itself ending with a final muscle burst; the one needed to bring the skier to a skidding halt after the finish line.
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Although the skier example is for sport, a second story separates sport from mental imagery and self-talk. Nick, described as a strong, healthy railroad yardman, was very reliable and a consistent performer. He knew his job inside and out. On one summer day, the railroad crews were told they could quit an hour early in honor of the foreman's birthday. While other workmen had left, Nick decided to do one last check on the railcars. He was inspecting the inside of an isolated refrigerated boxcar that was in the yard for repairs. While doing the inspection, he was accidentally locked inside.
Inside the car, Nick panicked. He shouted and banged on the car until his voice went hoarse and his fists were bloody. The shouts, if they could be heard by anyone, might have been confused with noises from a nearby playground. Perhaps other trains coming in and out of the yard muffled his cries for help.
With his knowledge of "the numbers and the facts", he predicted the temperature to be zero degrees. His thoughts were "If I can't get out, I'll freeze to death." With time ticking away, he found a cardboard box and while shivering uncontrollably, he scribbled a message to his wife and family. In one part of the note he wrote "So cold, body's getting numb. If I could just go to sleep. These may be my last words."
The next morning, the crews slid open the boxcar's heavy doors and found Nick, dead. An autopsy revealed that every physical sign indicated Nick had frozen to death. Everyone was dumbfounded because the car's refrigeration unit was broken. The actual temperature inside the car was about 60 degrees Farenheit and there was plenty of fresh air available. Nick's knowledge and his fears had killed him - literally.
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The story about Nick is true. I don't know what percentage negative thoughts can degrade an athlete's performance, but I can tell you that your mind has enough power to kill an otherwise good performance. If you have been saying negative things about yourself, such as:
If you are having negative thoughts, I can guarantee you are not optimizing your performance - you are not achieving the best you are capable of. The off-season is a good time to review and work on your mental fitness. Resources include good sports psychologists as well as a number of good books and the off-season is a good time to polish your mental form and fitness.
"Argue your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours." - Richard Bach
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