It is
impossible to know what you are capable of doing, or being, until you
can imagine the possibilities. Before Roger Bannister ran a 4-minute
mile in 1954, it is widely believed that everyone thought it impossible.
Yet, only 46 days after his accomplishment, his rival John Landy, broke
that record by two seconds. Once these two men demonstrated the
possibility, people BELIEVED it was possible and the image took shape
for many to follow.
This
is true for everyone, including YOU. You must first imagine what you
want and then believe that it is possible. Once the seed of desire has
been planted, the image is created in your mind. All that is needed is
to allow it to grow in detail and complexity.
As a
soccer player you must SEE yourself heading the ball and FEEL the impact
of a solid hit in the right direction. You SEE a teammate receive the
pass and you FEEL yourself racing to position yourself for a goal kick.
You run and re-run each scene as if you are both observer and
participant in your own movie. You are fully engaged in the imagination
of your senses. You smell the grass and feel the sweat of your jersey
clinging to you. The crowd roars encouragement and you feel charged with
confidence. You sense the growing power and speed within you, as you
surpass all expectations to achieve all that you have imagined is
possible.
The
process of imagery is one of the most powerful mental tools at our
disposal, yet it is the one least practiced or utilized. Imagery is more
often “wishful thinking” than an intentional practice of a skill.
Distractions and thoughts of failure can disrupt and undermine the
image. Improper training makes athletes lose faith that it can really
work.
Yet,
when imagery is taught well and practiced consistently, the muscles act
as if they have already been designed for perfect play. The brain has
been wired to send the right signals and the body responds.
Aristotle once said, “The soul never thinks without a mental picture.”
Let your soul do its work now. Practice the skill of creating the image
you want. SEE yourself playing the game as you wish to play. FEEL
yourself achieving all of your goals in mastering the game. Delight in
recovering from mistakes of the past. And celebrate your successes as
you have never done before. Stop worrying and start using your
imagination. BE the player you want to be. Just imagine.
