Winning Mindset - Making it real



Winning mindset Winning has such an emotional impact on us, does it not? After all, western culture values winning almost obsessively. And why not when the spoils of victory far outweigh coming in 2nd or 3rd or lower.

Yet what is the emotional cost to your performance when the need to win dominates your attention? It's great to build a winner's mindset instead of obsessing about winning. This is an area worth your serious investigation.

Many players need to win for ego reasons and for feelings of self worth. This is potentially very damaging even if it does propel them to victory. Have you ever really thought about the intricacies of winning? Not just the big paychecks and adoration of fans. I'm talking about the psychological effects of the need to win.

When you fully appreciate this area of peak performance and what winning means to you, you will have made a huge step toward lasting fulfillment AND personal excellence.

Let's take a closer look into the psychology of winning and what it means. More importantly, what it means to you.

What does winning mean to you?

What does winning mean to you? Is winning only what happens when someone else loses? Do you have to finish first every time you play a game in order to feel like you have won? It is crucial to define what winning means to you.

Your definition can severely limit your potential as you will soon learn...It's important to build a real and healthy winning mindset. psychology of winning.jpg Consider the implications of having a definition of winning that says "If I don't finish first then I'm a loser. Even if I finish 2nd I am still the first loser!"

Even a superficial look into this mindset and we can all see the limitations this will have. It greatly reduces the joy you can experience that's for certain. It is a plain fact that in every endeavor you undertake you will lose much more than you will ever win.

Think about this. If you have to win and come in "first" in everything you do, yet the statistical facts are that you will lose far more than you will ever win, what are the odds of you enjoying yourself OR even performing well?!

Let me help you with that answer. The chances are slim to none and slim just left town...

You see, as a performance coach I am provided with a microscopic perspective into peoples' states and how we unconsciously organize our minds. With just a few distinctions and a small dose of what I call "perceptual realignment" exercises, you can experience winning while you play. The mental game training course expands on how to experience this.

So instead of a definition of winning that has you filled with angst when under pressure due to the fear of losing, you fully embrace your potential and remain deeply in the moment. You are truly empowered to tap your potential and increase your odds of winning.

Are you with me so far?

A healthy definition of winning includes losing

An empowering definition of winning can pay huge dividends. Both emotionally and psychologically. One that includes losing within it. I know this seems counter-intuitive yet it is the key to getting lasting fulfillment from winning. It is the true winning mindset.

For example, winning to me is when I commit to my game-plan, apply my inner game strategies and focus on each shot no matter where I am in the round. Regardless of the outcome of my round I have personally experienced victory.

I now leave that round with positive sensations and memories. Thoughts and feelings that are worth building on.

If you only look at winning as what happens when you finish first or beat your friends then you will often experience a sense of loss after most every round you play. If this becomes habituated you are installing what are called negative anchors into your game.

While you may be doing all this at an unconscious level you are still stacking performance killing anchors into your mind and body. Do this enough times and you will have a deeply wired mindset that is conditioned to the feeling of losing. Exactly the opposite of what you actually want!

Read Part II on the psychology of winning here.

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