Mind Games

Baseball great Yogi Berra once stated, "Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical."  I'm of the opinion this same logic applies to running... any endurance sport for that matter.  Want proof?  Ask any runner you know what's the hardest part of any run - starting.  Once you get going your endorphin's kick in and you start to feel great.  Before you know it you forget all the reasons why you didn't want to run in the first place.  I recently finished reading Elite Minds by Dr. Stan Beecham.  Dr. Beecham is a Sport Psychologist who has worked with many athletes at the collegiate, Olympic, and professional stage.  His views on physical ability versus mental make-up, doing the impossible, and belief there is only one way to fail is what drew me to his book.

"You can't put a limit on anything.  The more you dream, the farther you get." ~ Michael Phelps

Dr. Beecham believes that in order to reach a certain level of success you must be completely all in - give it 100 percent mental focus.  Your brain issues the commands, its your body's job to execute.  As we get older we tend to condition ourselves to think athletic ability is tied to having a perfect body, perfect weather, perfect genes.  Maybe yes, maybe no.  What I do know is this, through hard work, focus, and determination if you fully commit to the process of becoming a better runner by changing your mental outlook to succeed you will then succeed.  "What you believe about yourself and your world is the primary determinant to what you do and, ultimately, how well you do it."

"Do not try and bend the spoon.  That's impossible.  Instead... only try to realize the truth... There is no spoon."

How do the great athletes become successful?  Are they born successful, do they have a secret pirate map that leads them to the treasure, are they the chosen one?  To make the impossible possible you have to find what works for you... do what you are naturally capable of and continue to build on that success.  Dr. Beecham posited a quote on how people achieve success, "First do what is necessary... Then do the possible...And then you will find yourself doing the impossible."  If you want to start running or be a better runner then go out and do what's necessary... put in the work.  Impossible is around the corner.

"I have not failed.  I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." ~ Thomas Edison

News flash!  There will come a time where you will stumble.  What you do at that moment is what will define you.  Dr. Beecham illustrates a story of a Special Forces soldier in charge of selecting and training potential candidates.  "The only way one could fail the task was to give up."  Too often when striving to try new things, or get better at something its the grey matter between our ears which causes us to stop before we've accomplished what we were after.  Sometimes if we pause and reflect on where we were, where we are, and what options we have to do next to get to the next goal we may find that we are closer to success than we first thought.  "No matter how desperate your situation may be, there is always something you can do."

My final note...  Success is not a destination, its a journey.  Don't limit your thinking, realize impossible isn't real, and always seek other options.  Get your mind right and the body will follow.  Until next time... and Keep Running!

~ Jerome