If you think you are a loser, you train or work like a loser i.e. sloppily and half-heartedly. If you think you are a winner you train like one i.e. with maximum focus, great expectations, excitement and consistent effort. This article takes a look at why people think like winners or losers and what they can do about it.
Steve Siebold describes in his recent book -"177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class" - how he wanted to be a tennis champion. He had all the talent and the desire necessary but at times he lacked the belief that he was a potential champion. He writes:
"When I believed I was a champion, I trained like a champion. When I believed I was washed up, I trained like a loser."
When he was only ten years old, he defeated nearly everyone he played and, as a result, was thinking like a champion. He expected to win and so he trained and worked hard as winners should.
As he grew older his rankings started to drop and he no longer expected to win and so he started training like a loser instead of a winner.
He still had the desire to be a champion but so do lots of people. He believes that what made the difference was his belief in himself or his lack of it.
He lost some of his belief in himself through associating too much with what he calls the 'middle class' instead of the 'world class'. The middle class are too easily satisfied with mediocre results. The world class are only content when they become champions in whatever they are doing whether it be playing tennis or making money.
When I went to school at the age of 11, I worked hard and did all the work set with full attention and the desire to do well. I did so well that the principal of the school suggested I move up a whole year.
This was a mistake. I now came under the influence of class mates who did not like the fact that I had jumped a year. Some of them called me a swat and a bighead. Maybe they were right but I don't think so. Working hard was frowned on by this bunch.
They changed my thinking about myself so much that instead of thinking of myself as a champion student, I saw myself as some kind of a freak for working so hard. My effort dropped along with my self-image. Never underestimate the influence of those around you. I was lucky in the end to pass my exams and get to university.
It has taken me many years to regain belief in myself. I was helped by the great American positive thinkers like Norman Vincent Peale, Frank Bettger and William James.
One English writer who has also helped greatly in this is the multimillionaire Stuart Goldsmith. His book 'The Midas Method' explains how most of us are brainwashed at an early age into thinking there is an invisible ceiling to our progress which we will never break through.
Once we realize that this ceiling is only a figment of the imagination of ourselves and our so-called 'friends', we will be able to break through our limitations and achieve world class results which will astonish us.
We need to re-examine our beliefs about ourselves and to realize that many of them originated in the beliefs of people who thought that great results were only for the few and that our dreams were just 'pie in the sky'.
Instead of listening to the middle class or the poverty class (those who are not even aware of the possibility that they could be champions), let's start listening to the world class. Let's replace negative beliefs about ourselves with empowering ones and then start working hard to achieve our dreams.
We don't need a degree in psychology to do all this. A little bit of commonsense and observation can show us the way. It also helps to read the books of people like Steve Siebold and Stuart Goldsmith and - if I dare say it without being called a bighead - myself!
You may or may not have access to world class neighbours or friends but you do have easy access to world class writers and thinkers through the media of books, audios and video tapes. The internet has, of course, widened that access exponentially.
It is high time you and I joined the world class and made the most of the championship potential which is there in all of us.
About the author
John Watson is an award winning teacher and fifth degree black belt martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams and several other books on success and motivation.
They can be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a weekly motivational message and several other motivational books.
The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now! - Acronyms, Stories, Pictures And Quotes...Easy To Remember And Use Everyday To Grab Your Life And Soar With The Eagles"
The book can be found at this URL: http://www.motivationtoday.com
The book uses acronyms, stories, pictures and quotations to help readers remember 36 laws that can gradually transform your life if you apply them.
Ezine editors / Site owners
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site but please include the resource box above.
"At birth, a baby's brain contains 100 billion neurons, roughly... Read More
Have you ever thought about you have a lot to... Read More
Being a mom can take a toll on your body,... Read More
Near the end of December 2004, I received an email... Read More
Dr. Phil says each of us has a personal "truth"... Read More
Ever witnessed an incident that needed to be reported to... Read More
I will never forget an evening in 2003, when I... Read More
"The other night I ate at a real family restaurant.... Read More
Facing a change and want to make it work for... Read More
1. Take passionate action towards living your life by design.... Read More
Apart form the Emotions and the attitude, Anger is a... Read More
A confidence crisis is looming with a recent study showing... Read More
There is an old joke about a man who is... Read More
In my years as a psychologist, I have come to... Read More
An old Joni Mitchell song reminds us, "don't it always... Read More
I started life writing in the fifth grade. My mother... Read More
If your life is difficult--if it's challenging, exasperating, and vexatious--... Read More
One of things that Charismatic people share is an unshakeable... Read More
Most of us carry on a running internal dialogue at... Read More
The language we use programs our brains. Mastering our language... Read More
There is a growing appreciation of the impact of psychic... Read More
Henry Ford, after he had achieved great success, was the... Read More
Speaking comes to most people as naturally as breathing. On... Read More
There is no such thing as failure ? only feedback... Read More
This is a technique that sounds a bit silly when... Read More
Antigo wedding limo .."Putting ourselves down, is an insult to our worth." --Helen... Read More
This week's wisdom is on the power of living in... Read More
Do you know the problem with affirmations? You know, the... Read More
One day while in deep meditation and self analysis, a... Read More
Do you realize that what we believe about ourselves, affects... Read More
Bernard always had a problem with money.He was always lacking... Read More
You want to change your self-care habits and you can't... Read More
As a financial economist my motivation has long been to... Read More
If your life is difficult--if it's challenging, exasperating, and vexatious--... Read More
I woke up this morning feeling sour.No. That's an understatement.... Read More
Problems, disappointments and trouble; the three skunks that sometimes think... Read More
Humans tend to categorize things by large or small, bright... Read More
Decades ago, I saw a metaphysical movie that wonderfully illustrates... Read More
The other day one of my "challenging clients" and I... Read More
Words, Ignorance, and Casper The Friendly Ghost!Do your best to... Read More
In many ways the Star War movies are simply a... Read More
I'm often asked how it is that I stay so... Read More
One of my class fellows was really tensed, when asked... Read More
One thing that is important to realize about thought: one... Read More
If you think you are a loser, you train or... Read More
No matter how positive a person we are overall, there... Read More
Have you ever been caught up in a thought that... Read More
Conflict is unavoidable. How we respond to it makes a... Read More
What I mean of course is, to appreciate life through... Read More
You know, very often, the manner in which a person... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |