Positive mental attitude!

As a person and I don’t mind admitting, I am very negative. Not in the way that I come across as a negative individual; always putting things or others down or putting a ‘downer’ on any given situation – far from it, in this sense you cannot get a more positive individual.

What I mean is I am very self-critical, over analysing the self over and over again. My appearance, my performance, my appearance during my performance, how I look in front my peers and so on and so forth. I am the kind of individual who aspires to a high degree. In business, in athletic performance and also how I feel may be perceived by others. In about 99% of cases all things I have ever entered or started I have fulfilled, completed, passed or achieved. Dan grades in martial arts, entering MMA, taking the step into the arena of full-contact (low armour) stick fighting, driving test, academia all have been done to a decent degree with high success but in getting there I am a constant worrier.

When I embark upon a new task or attempt to kick start something I tend to sit down and write a ‘game plan’. I have a habit of writing lists and planning instances right up to their conclusions with no contingencies and or alternatives, everything has to be finely organised and executed to a tee. If it doesn’t I get mightily pissed off with myself. Whether it’s a new conditioning programme I have set myself over a period of 8-12 weeks or a session plan for the juniors and the elite performance programme at my academy everything has to be right. It is not some form of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), although being a Virgo apparently means I am a perfectionist it’s more than having all the labels on tins in the cupboard facing the same way or my clothes lined up neatly and colour coded.

One thing I enjoy immensely is reading about individuals in the public eye and their success, whether it be business, sporting triumphs or the overcoming of adversity and obstacles. Meticulous sports scientific planning and its breeding of success, tactical and strategic excellence and stories of sportsmen and women ‘gritting their teeth’ and getting on with it. Sir Alex Ferguson; possibly the greatest football manager to ever live, a master of his trade (I am a Spurs fan by the way) over 1000 games in charge of Manchester United since 1986, Sir Clive Woodward; a man who is so revered in sporting circles he could put his blueprint to coaching success to anything, Lance Armstrong; seven times winner of the Tour de France and survivor of testicular cancer, the list could go on and on.

They too plan meticulously; execute the plan right down to finite proportions, nevertheless, not always have they been successful. All these individuals are different, they come from different backgrounds, some better off than others but paradoxically they have all arrived at the same place using one common denominator: positive mental attitude. Remember the old Persil advert from way back with the Dad telling his son “PMA – Positive Mental Attitude!” as he was about to enter his school sports day race? Little did the Dad realise that he was up against Linford Christie in the sack race…

What am I getting at? Well, next time something doesn’t go your way, regardless of how much you plan, list, set aims and objectives and or worry about the outcome don’t give up and forget the driving necessity that bore the idea in the first place, rather: positive mental attitude - always!

Until next time!
Dave
http://www.tokonacademy.com