It's All In The Mind

Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.
— Henry Ford.

There is not any concrete evidence that this phrase was actually ascribed to Henry Ford. There are many variations of this phrase, and for the purpose of this blog, we will just use this simple take, allegedly, from the motor giant.

The mind is a very powerful thing. We have all heard stories about people being trapped, where they used sheer grunt force to get themselves out of an otherwise desperate situation. These people literally willed their bodies to find the strength that was needed to free themselves, or others, from being trapped. What does this tell us about the power of the mind?

How many times have we found ourselves feeling blue about a certain situation and finding no motivation to do what was needed? This could be as simple as not being able to get out of bed on the morning of a dreaded event. On the other hand, how many times have we been excited about a certain event, have hardly slept all night, and are still able to jump out of bed in the morning with much anticipation? 

We can apply the same logic to something as simple as shooting an archery tournament. In theory, we should be excited about the prospect of competing. But, if we do not have confidence in our own ability, we have already lost.

So how do we change the way that we think about our own skills?

1. Know your shot process. It should be in your subconscious. Variables make you uncertain. So stick with what you know, and trust it! There is such a thing as being too careful, which is what happens if you think about it. Just let your body take the shot.
2. Have a mind of positive visualization. Before and after the shot, imagine the arrow making the X10. While you have a mind of positive imagery, there is no room for doubt to creep in. Soak up and absorb the great shots and believe it is like you to shoot like a champion. The less that excellent shots are a learning tool to serve as a reminder to stick with and trust your shot process. Remember, we either win, or we learn.

This is the first in a series of blogs to help X10 Academy students, and anyone else who stumbles upon this blog, understand that the mind is one of the most powerful tools we posses. We know that the mental game is around 90% of a winning strategy. We spend so much time and money on our shooting and equipment. Are we spending enough time honing our grey matter?

~ Coach Lynda