A Winning Mind- Key To Sporting Success

In sport and I suppose all walks of life there are always those people who possess that mentality of a winner, the so-called winning mind that always sees them Winning Mindcome out on top despite the odds. They have this attitude which doesn’t accept anything but victory, and we just wonder how they manage to do it time after time. During my time in rugby, I played with and against some of the best and most gifted players in the game. But the players I respected and admired the most were the players who had this unshakable attitude towards winning and any thoughts of losing were never really an option. Greats of the game such as England’s Martin Johnston, Scott Gibbs of Wales, and Sean Fitzpatrick of New Zealand all had this something special… that winning mind which made losing seemingly impossible. When you think of other sports stars of today, people like golfer Tiger Woods and sprinter Usain Bolt all seem to have that unbeatable winning aura about them don’t they? THE SECRET TO BECOMING A WINNER Have you ever wondered why certain sports competitors always seem to win while others just make up the numbers? Well here’s the secret. And it’s pretty simple. Winners EXPECT to win. That’s the long and the short of it. Winners always win because they foresee their success. They have that unwavering belief that they will come out on top. They have tuned their mind to be the winner, the victor. Most of you have run a race or competed in some sport at sometime or the other in your life. The question I’d like to ask, ‘What was your mindset before you started the race or game? Did you believe you’d win before you started or did you consider winning only when you started competing? Perhaps you hadn’t even contemplated winning and had already resigned yourself to coming second best. Regardless of what sport, the ones who are victorious are always the ones who EXPECT to win. They have an air of confidence and a steeliness that always wins the day. And sometimes they achieve it against all the odds. There are numerous athletes who have won against all the odds. Just think of people like Wilma Rudolph and more recently Lance Armstrong who both overcame great adversity to be some of the greatest athletes of our time. Why was that? Simply, because they had this winning mind that expected nothing else! It is this EXPECTATION of success that makes someone a winner, a champion, the best!!! DEVELOPING A WINNING MIND So what is it that you have to do to start developing that winning mindset…that winner’s mentality? First start by closing your eyes and just imagine a particular goal you want to achieve. It maybe, winning the league championship with your team, or coming first in an important race or competition. Once you’ve identified an important goal, relax and start to focus your mind purely on the fact that you are going to realize your goal. Once you’ve done this for a few minutes open your eyes, relax and clear your mind. Next, close your eyes once more, and start to focus on your goal with the expectation that YOU WILL achieve it. Pay attention to the subtle shift in your mindset. Do you feel more assured and confident? Focusing your mind on the expectation of success will prevent it from pondering and wavering. With positive EXPECTATION the likelihood of success is almost certain. It’s this EXPECTATION that is the key to winning and becoming a winner. So start applying your mind with focus, intensity and concentration on your goal and just BELIEVE YOU WILL WIN. Before you enter any competition, game or race, take A long deep breath, pause to think, and just picture yourself achieving your prize. Surround yourself with the emotions and feelings that come with winning. Bask in the success, glory and adulation that come with sporting success. The path to becoming a true winner is never easy, but armed with a winning mind, your success is virtually GUARANTEED