I recently attended an advanced Sports and Performance Enhancement using the power of the mind hypnosis course and was struck by not only how powerful the techniques were for helping all aspiring sporting professionals as well as recreational players, but how the concepts totally integrated into so much more. Performance ? What is performance ? Performance is defined as ‘The action or process of performing a task or function’, so what does this not cover ?!
We perform tasks and activities each and every day in everything we do ! This made me think and I realised very quickly that these techniques I had learned could be transferred seamlessly to everyday life. Some activities are deemed more of a performance than others, acting in a play or playing a gig, but how about attending an interview or having an appraisal with your boss or giving a presentation at work ? Or even more simply, answering a question in class or walking into a room full of people or arriving at a party ? These events and activities might seem nothing at all for people full of confidence and high self esteem but for others can appear to be nothing short of terrifying. Every human is unique and has experienced life very differently. All our memories and experiences accumulate and are filed away in our sub conscious but have slowly but surely built our belief systems over time. These beliefs can be positive and give us the confidence and self esteem we need at times of pressure and when we need to ‘perform’, but sometimes the beliefs are less positive and being able to even contemplate putting oneself out on display in a situation where we can be judged is just too big. Symptoms of anxiety, feelings of self consciousness can arise even in supposed ‘normal’ activities and can be very limiting. To help resolve these feelings we first need to find out where the fear came from which sometimes can be hidden deep in our sub conscious and it is possible we are not even aware of its origin. Then we need establish what positive resources we need, finding them either in ourselves or locating new ones. Finally and most importantly we need to truly believe we have and can access those resources at any time we want. The feeling of taking control back from the unwanted symptoms is very empowering and in a relatively short time the response to the previously daunting event or activity can positively change and the person can become confident and free of worry.
So yes, relaxed, calm, cool and confident can be very useful out in the sporting arena but so too can it be amazing to just live your life on a daily basis in exactly the same way.