Do you get captivated by the Olympics too? I watch events I’d never heard of before! From my cozy sofa I cheer, applaud, and salute the athletes. They teach me a lot about training, tenacity, courage, winning…and losing.
Have you noticed a major strategy among the winners?
At the 2014 Winter Olympic in Sochi, Mikaela Shiffrin stood at the top of the mountain, eyes closed, visualizing herself skiing the woman’s slalom course perfectly…and won the gold medal.
Steve Holcomb, whose team won not one but two bronze medals, said he piloted his bobsled around all 19 curves of the track, over and over in his mind, preparing for the event.
Snowboaders, skiers, skaters, marksmen all use sports psychology in their training, knowing the games are as much mental as physical. They use their imaginations to visualize specific performances in detail, down to what they see, feel, hear, and smell. Visualization is a form of practice, and because they can do it quickly, easily, and frequently, it adds to their physical practice, which makes them all the more skilled and successful when it comes time to actually participate in the sport.
If this works for athletes, it works for you and me and what we are trying to achieve. What specifically are you going to visualize to be a winner in your personal and professional life?
To learn how to create wellness programs for healthier, happier, less stressed, more engaged employees, visit SelfCare for HealthCare™. Contact me today to discuss implementing this powerful program at your facility. Interested in LeAnn Thieman’s keynote speaking, training and workshops? Email lthieman@leannthieman.com.
