The choice is yours as nothing changes if nothing changes
Break the chains and feel the gains.
Develop an attitude of gratitude. i.e. a Great Attitude.
Attitude is everything.
An Attitude of Gratitude allows for FLOW and FUN.
Dr. Martin Collis – uses the acronym MELLOW = Mind, Exercise, Laughter, Love, Optimal nutrition and Wonder.
“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; they become your destiny.” (Frank Outlaw)
Turn attitude into action.
Your attitude determines whether you are on the way or in the way.
I have no doubt that since taking up (exercise) i.e. running you will have noticed that you’ve developed some positive attitudinal shifts, not just chemically induced by the exercise, but also through the social, environmental, relationship and racing experiences that have transpired.
Another truism is that Attitude is everything. It will determine how you do and what you take from any experience, as well as what you give to any experience or performance.
Having an Attitude of Gratitude allows for one to be in a natural FLOW state and to both give and receive positive energy in the forms of fun, joy and satisfaction.
By virtue of our past experiences, our energy levels and our attitude, we can find ourselves feeling spirited/motivated/enthused/passionate or dis-spirited and lacking the wherewithal to perform anywhere close to our true potential.
Having and harnessing the necessary mental components used to equate to being mature in an age-related sense, but it doesn’t need to be any longer. It is about application of the knowledge. It is about letting go of what doesn’t work and focusing on what does.
We are the experts on ourselves and there is enough external expertise in all forms, including personal coaches and written material, such that we do not need to keep re-inventing the wheel.
We need to be willing to risk and work at change if we have stuck to a routine that has never paid the dividends we have sought, as performance and experience alone do not lead to confidence. Confidence and belief are the biggest determinants of excellence and we have to make a personal commitment to excellence to reach the highest levels.
This commitment is purposeful and planned and is based around ‘fidelity to oneself’.
Dr. Martin Collis of Vancouver coined the acronym MELLOW to encompass those areas which I believe allow for a balanced triad of health. They are Mind, Exercise, Laughter, Love, Optimal nutrition and Wonder. These are indeed ingredients for a `spirited` existence.
We will inhabit our body 24 hours a day for the rest of our lives, so we might as well make peace with the vehicle and engine we drive in and provide it with the best possible fuel!
When, at some future point, you reflect on this time in your sporting life – this particular stage, ask yourself how you want to think of your performance and attitude or your own part in the team’s performance? Do you want it to be one of enjoyment and satisfaction or disappointment and frustration? Define the attitude you wish to take into it with you and observe the difference it brings to your overall experience.
We are forever involved in self-dialogue and, if we find ourselves in a state of inner turmoil, some healthy reframes that we can use could include, “I am cordially invited to change my mind.” “I can choose peace instead of this.” “I can elect to change all thoughts that hurt.” If you have not yet achieved a goal and find yourself internally using put-downs, it is more productive to use a reframe such as “To this point I haven’t hit the stride that I want to.”
Neurological Disorganisation (Polarity Switching) can happen to anyone on a temporary basis as a result of some form of toxicity, including `stinking thinking`/negativism, allergens – even nightmares (as the body cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined). However there are some people who have a major problem and the `norm` for them is being in a permanent state of reversal.
Dr. David Hawkins, author of `Power vs. Force` (which fully endorses the use of Applied Kinesiology), stated that “All stress is internally generated by one’s attitudes.”
Gerald Puls, a 75+yrs old Ironman competitor from Pueblo, Colorado sent me a card that stated, “Exercise is the chain that links us to the Chariot of well-being. Well-being means happiness, but happiness is also an attitude, and the best attitude is one of gratitude.”
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others. (Cicero)
How lucky we are to be able to choose to run for fun, fitness, adventure, competition or to complement and honour our existence. Our attitude of gratitude needs to extend to those who help make it possible, whether they be our loved ones, race directors, volunteers or those who assist in our healthy overall maintenance. Putting out positive words, thoughts and vibrations – and being willing to receive them, allows for the quantum possibilities to be personally and globally impactful.
We have to recognise that life is indeed, at times, a struggle and that winning or losing are in the hands of the gods. We must therefore learn to celebrate the struggle!
Albert Schweitzer stated that, ”The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”
As a final note of coincidence, providence or serendipity, you might find it interesting to note that, when using the word ATTITUDE and the number that corresponds with the letters of the alphabet, i.e. A(1) T(20) T(20) I(9) T(20) U(21) D(4) E(5) you get a grand total of 100. The attitude you choose to carry with you directly determines your experience of everything!
Turn attitude into action.
Your attitude determines whether you are on the way or in the way.
If adversity can make your life better – is it really adversity?
A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.
We need to utilise the wisdom of the ages and the sages.
“The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitudes.” Viktor Frankl
“He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality.” President Anwar Sadat.
“All stress is internally generated by one’s attitudes.” Dr. David Hawkins.
“The only thing I could change was my attitude and by changing that, everything changed.” Anthony de Mello.
“Nothing has changed except my attitude – so everything has changed”. The Enlightenment by Anthony de Mello.
“The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” Albert Schweitzer.
“Your life is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life”. (Kahlil Gibran)
“The longer I live, the more I realise the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.” (Charles Swindoll)