Exercise for your brain
Clench your fist while holding it about face high. Picture in your mind the baseball relief pitcher that just threw the strike that ends the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. Picture the hockey player that just scored the winning goal in overtime. Picture the tennis player that just smashed the winning ace. Picture that clenched fist, picture that fist shaking in a vigorous motion of approval, picture that facial expression of satisfaction. Now put your face in that picture. Picture it's you who just smashed that ace to win the U. S. Open tennis tournament. Picture it's you who just scored the winning goal in overtime to win the Stanley Cup. Clench your fist, grit your teeth, think about that winning thought that pumps you up, and firmly say, "I feel great."
The next time you prepare for a business meeting, remember you need the winning goal, clench your fist, grit your teeth, and firmly state, "I feel great." When that customer that drives you crazy walks into your store, picture that winning smash, grit your teeth, and firmly say, "I feel great."
If you capture the emotion in your mind the first time, the effect will follow each time you grit your teeth, clench your fist, and say, "I feel great."
Many people have dramatic turning points in their life, emotional anchors which forever remain a part of them. From these anchors come the mission statements and battle cries of success. Anchoring is a way to enter a state of mind, as well as a way to condition responses.
While I may not remember exactly what I was doing a few days ago, I can tell you exactly where I was on the following dates:
November 11, 1963
July 20, 1969
March 30, 1981
January 28, 1986
Each of these days bring back vivid memories. Even though you may not know who I am, you too may have emotional anchors attached to these dates. If you were alive to experience these dates, you may experience emotional and visual images as I describe their significance.
On the afternoon of November 11, 1963, I vividly remember sitting with my legs crossed of the floor of my elementary school, I remember our teacher walk into the classroom to announce that the President John Kennedy, had just been assassinated. There are very few events from my early childhood that stand out as clearly in my mind as this day does.
I remember July 20, 1969, sitting in a dark living room late at night, lighted only by my parents old black and white television. I remember that fuzzy picture of an astronaut saluting the American Flag. I remember being there for the first Apollo moon landing every time I hear the audio of Neil Armstrong's first words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"
I can remember the afternoon of March 30, 1981. The memory of my shopping that day, is forever anchored to an audio image. I recall a radio in a department store announce the assassination attempt on the life of President Ronald Reagan. I also remember, the erroneous report that press secretary James Brady had been fatally wounded.
Another audio image from my past is linked to hearing a secretary shriek, as she turned up the radio for every one to hear. On the afternoon of January 28, 1986, the report of the space shuttle explosion killing seven astronauts sent a chill of strangeness throughout me, as if a friend of the family had just been killed. The visual picture of the explosion played on the TV news that night is one I will not forget.
It is unfortunate that the anchors we share in common are often ones which inspire the emotions of shock or sadness. Of the four I have just described, one was of triumph, three were of tragedy. While you may not remember the dates, when told of the events, you may have personal feelings and images anchored to those dates.
The positive anchors in my life are of personal events, rather than national events. Feelings that bring a smile to my face, or inspire me, or create high energy levels, are anchored to a picture or a song from my past. There are those special songs, that every time I hear them, I feel happy or motivated. There are those certain songs that cause me to picture where I was, or what I was doing on a very specific date. There are also visual images that cause the exact same emotional response within me every time I see them.
Learn to use emotional anchors to inspire positive feelings and activate your drive to succeed. Get a picture of a sports star, or even better yet, a family member or friend, at a moment of triumph. Paste the picture on the mirror in your bedroom, or the dash board of your car. Find a visual image to use in combination with our "I feel great" warm up exercise.
You may find a time when simply gritting your teeth and shaking your fist causes you to see the picture, even though its only in your mind. You will be pleasantly surprised when the feeling of triumph and success can be stimulated at will.
Whether it is a 30 second commercial or two hour movie, visual as well as audio images can be used to trigger emotions. Learn to recognize the triggers of your positive emotions. Find an audio stimulus that creates excitement and positive feelings in you. Is it a political speech, a movie dialog, or musical work?
Believe and Succeed !
You will not succeed if do not believe. You will not succeed if you are not in the proper state of mind. Look for the people and events which will become the positive anchors in your life.
The simple exercise of visualizing, verbalizing, and emotionalizing the winning score, is one which "warms you up" for a positive outcome.
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