7. Regulate Your Level of Activation
Your breath is the key to regulating your energy and activation level. If you are too pumped up or too anxious, the breathing pattern that will assist you is "2, 2, and 4." Inhale to the count of 2. Hold your breath to the count of 2. Exhale to the count of 4. If, on the other hand, you feel too flat the day of the big event, use the "2, 2, and 1" breath to raise your level of activation. Inhale to the count of 2. Hold to the count of 2. Exhale to the count of 1.
Through proper use of the breath, you can self-regulate your activation level, anxiety level, and your ability to focus. Example: John Elway did not "choke" in his final Super Bowl bid against the San Francisco 49ers and Quarterback Joe Montana. Elway was hyper-activated. His field of vision was closing down as a result and he was not able to see receivers who were wide open. He was over-throwing the ball because he was over- activated . . . and the ball was flying so fast it was hard for his receivers to catch the ball. A little more Mental Fitness and the Broncos would have won the Super Bowl.
8. Image of Resistance or Blockage
After doing all the right mental and physical exercises, you still may not be making the progress you know you're able to. Check inside and see if there is something blocking or obstructing your success. Allow an image to emerge that represents this resistance or obstruction. You'll know what to do once this image appears.
9. Face and Embrace the Fear
World-class athletes devote decades of their lives to training for their event. Often they are taught to put their fear aside, to not show their fear, or to bury it. But for many athletes the fear is a monster that is always nearby. They live with the fear of "How will I feel if the day of the big event I blow it . . . or don't live up to my full potential?" It's a terrible fear to live with. But it's even worse to live with it and not know you're living with it.
Get in touch with the fear. Notice where it sits in your body. Notice what images and thoughts arise around the fear. Simply observe and witness the fear. Do not try to push it away. You need to embrace the fear and re-incorporate it into your life. Eventually, the energy that is diverted into fear can be re-channeled to actually assist you in achieving your personal best.
You may also want to ask your unconscious mind to show you an image of fear.
When that image arises, begin to dialogue with it. Ask what it wants from you. Give the
fear a voice and mentally dialogue with it. Tell the fear how you feel about it.
Dealing with the fear is so powerful. It can be the critical step that makes or breaks you.
10. Putting It All Together
Let's go back to our example of the marathon runner. Each event calls for a different set of mental and physical strategies. During the first 15 to 20 miles of the marathon, some simple imagery techniques may be enough to keep you on track. During the remainder of the race, you are strongly advised to alternate three strategies and techniques:
In other words, during this last phase of the race you may focus your attention for 15 to 30 seconds on mental imagery . . . then focus on a mood word like "blast" . . . then focus on the actual physical technique. Focus on the details of how you want your legs to be moving, your feet to be landing, your arms to be moving, etc.
11. Final Preparations
The biggest mistake athletes and coaches make before big events, especially the Olympic Games, is changing strategies at the last minute. Don't forget that you've trained for years. You've trained mentally and physically. You've got your routine down. Don't be moved to suddenly change your strategy. Your goal is to stay with your program and keep your confidence up. Your coach's goal should be the same thing. He should be doing everything possible to reassure you, to "chill you out," to let you know everything is going to be O.K. This is not the time for your coach to have a brainstorm and give you a new technique or new strategy. That will only backfire and undermine your confidence.
Good luck and remember what the taxi driver said when a young violinist asked him how to get to Carnegie Hall. "Practice, practice, practice," the driver replied!
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