Around the turn of the 19th century French pharmacist, Emil Coué presented the notion that “the power of the imagination far exceeds that of the will” or in other words, “you are what you think you are”. As I thought about these statements, I was surprised at how simple and powerful this notion really is. We can walk around having the worst day of our lives based on how we perceive the situation.
The level of stress that we face is primarily based on our decision to feel a certain way. For instance, if we are convinced that a situation is dire then our perspective and thus our physical reaction (i.e. fatigue, nausea, headache, etc.) will coincide. If we are convinced that we are weak or that we are a failure then our actions and thus the outcome will follow suit. On the other hand, if we believe that we can do the impossible. If we believe we are talented and strong then our actions will follow, bringing us one step closer to our ultimate goal.
In the gym, from time to time I will hear the words “I can’t do it” from a client. This is a common reaction to facing a challenge or obstacle that seems so far out of our reach to overcome. My reaction to this is “yes you can, I believe you can” and like clockwork my client begins to successfully complete the exercise.
Try It!
Today, tomorrow or some time in the near future you will face an obstacle. Instead of succumbing to fear try saying to yourself “I am strong, I am confident and I am a success” take this attitude into that scary situation and see what happens. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
