Workout-X Guide To Motivation
Introduction
Thank you for choosing us as your Online Training Program, the state-of-the-art system for making real, lasting changes in your mind and body fitness. We welcome you to our new Motivational Guide to help you every step of the way on your journey to a lean, fit and balanced lifestyle. In this guide you will learn the Your Performing Edge™ Techniques of Mind-Body Training. Whether you want to lose body fat, stay fit, or perform at your best, you will have the essential tools of the trade that top performers use so you can be at your best more consistently in your workouts and in all areas of your life. You can create a life that is healthy and fulfilling. You can realize your true potential.
A New Year – A New You!
It’s a new year and this is your time for personal renewal and accepting new challenges in your workouts and in your life. With the online fitness and meal planning program you are making a wise decision. You’ll have the kind of support you need to bring about positive changes in your life. I’m hearing you say it right now: “I’m finally going to do something about ______ (I’m sure you can easily fill in the blanks.).” I resolve to work on my _______ (e.g. fitness, diet, drinking, organization).” “I’m never going to do ________ again.” This year is a great time to make plans and set new targets for yourself. We often want to set a New Year’s goal to get in better shape. What a perfect time to do this, but so often we don’t follow through with the plan, and the excitement fades a few weeks later. Will this year be a good incentive for you to make constructive long-term changes? Let’s talk about how to de-bug your goal-setting-system.
The way you approach your goals or resolutions can have a powerful effect on the outcome. My clinical work with champions as well as my experience as a top level athlete has helped me realize the differences between those who keep focused on their target and those who fall short. The distinction is in their ability to create positive images, use powerful self-statements, and to stay focused on their goals. (Don’t worry if you’re wondering about these terms. I’ll walk you through everything step-by-step.) I have a formula for you to easily learn all three of these skills to create the mind and body you’ve always wanted.
3P’s To Create Your Performing Edge
Here are your power tools to build new motivation, create a strong sense of self-confidence and break through those mental and physical barriers to discover Your Performing Edge.
Positive Images
In order to properly train the body you must first train the mind. Inspiring images can create powerful emotions and produce great workouts.
Here’s what you can do. Visualize a picture of strength and energy in your mind and body – see yourself doing it right. You can use your mind to get a better performance out of your body in your workouts. Let me tell you what one of my Olympic Gold Medalist clients said to me after working with him for 3 months. Before he gets on his bike, he visualizes the one purpose for that workout, exactly what he wants to accomplish. He sees it before he begins riding. You can do the same thing. Visualize your training. See yourself as confident, focused, and feeling good. I’m going to show you exactly how to do that in this Motivational Guide. We’ll practice this together and you’ll be a master at this before you know it.
Power Words
Did you know that words can have tremendous power your mind, and also your body? During your workouts you can dialogue with yourself, using key words and phrases. Coach yourself with power words and positive phrases. For example, when you’re feeling wiped out and want to quit, you’re saying, “I’m too fat, I’m too slow, I’m too lazy.” You can say: “My mind and body are growing stronger and healthier every moment.” We’ll talk more about this in the sections ahead.
Present Focus
Wherever you place your attention, your energy will follow. Before you begin your workout, breathe deeply, get centered, be fully present with what you’re doing. When you’re working out and you’re tired, it’s like you’re running a marathon. Picture this: You’re in mile 18 of the marathon. You’re thinking about all the miles you’ve just run. You’re worrying about all the miles you have to go. But the only mile that matters the only mile you can do anything about is the one you’re in right now. I’ll show you the steps for focusing and being present.
We’ll be talking about the 3 P’s throughout this Motivational Guide and providing you with specific exercises to use Positive Images, Power Words, and Present Focus.
If you’d like more free tips on the 3P’s to create Your Performing Edge, you can get Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter’s FREE MINI e-COURSE with valuable TRAINING TIPS and articles, click here:
http://www.sports-psych.com/mcourse.htm
Mental preparation can do for the mind what stretching does for the body. It can make all the difference in how you think how you feel in how you perform.
Most people think performance is physical. But it’s mostly mental. In fact it’s 90% mental. That’s true if you want to lose weight, and it’s true for Olympians. Just like we work out our bodies, we also need to exercise the mind. Mental training is like taking your brain to the gym. We want our bodies to have many different gears and speeds. We also need the mind to be flexible, so you can shift from those negative to more positive gears.
Using Positive Images: How Can You Keep A Positive Perspective?
Many of my clients ask me, how can I stay motivated with the right attitude? Did you know that potentially negative events can be turned into positive ones, simply by observing them from a new perspective? You may not have complete control over the situation, but you do have control over your reaction to it.
Let’s say someone else is on your favorite machine at the gym. If your workout is delayed, you can complain about having to wait, or you can be grateful for the extra time to relax, stretch and prepare mentally. If you feel tired during a workout, you can be angry at your body, or you can view it as an important message and honor your body’s need to rest. Any situation can appear negative or positive depending on where you choose to focus.
When you are training, where do you place your focus of attention and your energy? Are you often drawn into unconstructive or pessimistic thinking? It’s surprising what you can do when you tune your mind to a positive channel. It’s like trying on new glasses. You can observe things that you haven’t noticed for a long time, and experience them with a greater appreciation.
Perception Exercise
Try putting on your “new set of glasses” this morning, and see how many positive things you can experience. As you go out for your trail run or walk, for instance, begin to open your senses. You can walk out your door and feel the crisp morning air, listen to the wind and birds, smell the trees and flowers, and watch the shapes of the clouds changing. As you stretch and begin to move, you can feel your muscles warming up.
Other people may have begun their workout and missed out on all of these benefits because they had blinders on and they were not able to perceive the positive energy around them. A continuous pattern of negative thinking can present obstacles, exhaust your energy, and take the pleasure out of your activities. Keeping a positive state of mind can create new possibilities, build motivation, and provide a sense of empowerment for your training and your life.
Using Power Words To Change Perspective
You can carry a positive perspective with you during most all of your workouts and events regardless of the external conditions. When you bike on a flat training course, you can work on your speed. If you come to a hill, you can say, “The hills are my friends, they are making me stronger.”
If you are swimming in calm water, these conditions can help you go faster. If the ocean is choppy, this can also be a positive experience. You can say: “I am going with the rhythm of each wave. I have an advantage in choppy water.” If you are running with a tailwind, you can feel its energy pushing you along.
If you turn the corner into a headwind, you can still remain positive and say: “The wind is helping my running form as I lean into the wind. It keeps my body cool.” A calm day is good too, as it allows you to appreciate the serenity of a peaceful afternoon. You can draw something positive from each day and let every experience become a victory.
Switching Gears
The brain has an extensive range of speeds and gears – distracted and focused gears, nervous and relaxed gears, negative and positive gears. You can choose where to put your focus at any point throughout the day. The ability to switch channels is fully within your control. If you fall into a negative mode of thinking and would like to move into a more constructive one, you can shift gears by attending to something more calming and reassuring, or engaging in something rewarding.
You might ask yourself during your workout: “Am I approaching this situation with the best possible attitude? If not, one question to ask is: “Can I find something good in this event? What IS working?” Or you can ask, “What do I need to learn from this?” You can find something positive in most situations if you observe carefully and commit yourself to discovering it.
When four-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong came to San Francisco for the Grand Prix cycling series, I asked him: “Lance I know that coming back from cancer has made you mentally tough. How has that experience helped you remain positive in your training and racing?” He told me: “Whenever I feel like I’m having a bad day out there on the bike, I think back to Indianapolis in ’96 and ’97, when the cancer was in its worse stages, and it puts life into perspective. I realize that things aren’t so bad. Coming from that experience, I can keep a positive outlook and handle any workout.”
The world’s best athletes find opportunities in almost every conceivable situation. Out of adversity they find reasons to be enthusiastic and forward moving. You can learn to adopt the same strategies as these champions. The key is to develop a positive perspective that allows you to find the advantage in everything.
There are a variety of powerful techniques to prompt and maintain a positive attitude. You can fill your environment with images of your goals and aspirations. When one of my champion marathon clients wanted to run as fast as the Olympians, she put up a poster of one of her competitors in front of her treadmill, and focused on her image every day as she trained. She subsequently broke the record of that person in the marathon.
Exercise: Cues for Positive Energy
What can you do to bring more positive energy into your training? You can write down ten of your favorite power words (positive self-statements) and post them on your desk, computer, mirror, or nightstand. Position them where you can view them every day. You can also put up inspirational quotations, or reminders of your short-term and long-term goals. Keep a logbook of your progress and reward yourself even for small steps toward your achievements. The important thing is to surround yourself with positive cues for success and fulfillment. Once you begin this process, you will be able switch into a positive gear and remain grounded there most of the time.
If you’d like to hear Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter giving a Keynote Speech about How to Create more Positive Energy, click here, and turn up your computer speakers, and get ready to be motivated!
http://www.sports-psych.com/video.html
Present Focus: How To Change Your Focus
Many of your challenges, whether you are training or competing can be handled successfully by changing your focus from negative to positive – from problems to solutions. Personal growth and fulfillment comes from allowing yourself to make a meaningful change in your focus of attention. How many times in your training have you let your fear or dislike of something take away the pleasure from your workout? Notice what happens in your body when you consistently say to yourself: “I run poorly in the rain,” “I hate these long intervals on the elliptical,” “I can’t stand climbing up the hills,” I’m worried that I won’t make it to the finish line of this workout.” However, if you can simply change the statements to: “I am enjoying the challenge of these intervals,” “These hills are developing my strength and increasing my aerobic capacity,” “I love training in the fresh air and the rain,” you’ll free your body to perform with ease and grace.
Turning Negatives Into Positives
Creating a positive attitude does not mean ignoring life’s difficulties and obstacles. There are certain times when we must all perform in the face of adversity. Sometimes you can eliminate the obstacles or remove yourself from a negative situation. Other times you need to figure out how to do your best in spite of the obstacles. You may not be able to control the external conditions, but you still have power over what you focus on within a given situation. At the start of a workout, you can place your attention on the headwind and pouring rain, or you can focus on what you need to do to perform your best, regardless of the weather.
Are You In Good Company?
Even within a social environment of negativity, you can choose to focus on something positive. You can decide each morning to create a healthy self-image and to find something positive in your training partners. If the people around you are negative, you can view this as a challenge to stay positive. Focus your time and attention on positive interactions. Spend the majority of your time around supportive people. Surround yourself with those who share your vision.
Know What You Can Control
Avoid wasting energy pondering about things that are beyond your control. Focus on those things you can do that will bring you closer to your goals. Work on those areas that are important to you, but understand that some factors cannot be changed. Realize that many challenges you are going through are being faced by others as well. The distinguishing factor here is how you deal with them mentally. As you learn to embrace these tests and approach obstacles with a positive attitude, you’ll come closer to realizing your full potential.
Injuries Are Teachers
Have ever been injured or gotten sore after a workout? You’re body may be giving you an important message. Even under adverse conditions, my champion athlete clients find reasons to be optimistic and confident. They see that life’s difficulties can often become lessons that show us how to move forward. You can use the same principle as these champions. One athlete that I worked with recently had two knee surgeries and a back injury over the last three years. He told me, “Every time I have come back from an injury, it has made me a better person and a stronger athlete. I have learned to truly appreciate my health and enjoy my training.”
Everything that occurs in life has a potentially negative and a positive side. Notice how much better you feel when you focus on what you have rather than what you’ve lost. High quality performances come from making your training and living environment more positive. Strive to find opportunities within each situation you face.
Exercise for Positive Vision
Take a piece of paper and draw a vertical line down the middle. At the top of the left column, write “Negative Thoughts.” At the top of the right column, write, “Positive Reframing.” Keep this paper with you and each time you notice a negative thought, belief, or attitude write it down in the left column. The act of writing down your negative thoughts will make you more aware of them, and will prevent them from leading you into a negative pattern or depressed mood. Then, in the right column, generate several ways to counteract those thoughts and reframe them using positive self-statements. Example: Negative thought: “I’m never going to get leaner or faster.” Positive reframing: “As I train, my body and mind are growing stronger and healthier every day.”
Powerful Words for Motivation
Where my mind goes, my energy will follow.
My mind is open to new possibilities.
I see the positive side for everything that happens.
I can easily turn negatives into positives.
There are no limits to my imagination.
I am choosing to do my best effort every day.
I have a healthy, positive self-image.
I am strong, powerful, and determined.
I can see it, and I will achieve it.
I believe in myself: I radiate confidence and energy.
I train well no matter what the conditions.
I focus intensely on my goal even in the face of obstacles.
My goals are well within my capabilities.
If you’d like to hear a free sample visualization exercise and listen to my voice guiding you through your workouts, building confidence with these powerful words and hundreds of tips, check out the YOUR PERFORMING EDGE book and Visualization CDs by me, Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter at:
http://www.sports-psych.com/book_order.html
Present Focus: How to Concentrate on your Goals with your Exercise and Nutrition Program
Now that we’ve talked about creating a positive attitude, visualizing yourself doing it right, and talking to yourself in powerful ways, let’s put these skills into practice. I’ll show you how to move forward in your exercise and nutrition program by being present and focusing on your goals.
Those who are successful in meeting their goals choose their priorities carefully and set up a plan which is in line with how much time and effort they have available. Those who fall short are often unrealistic about their goals and the time they can devote to them. We all have other endeavors that may take a higher priority such as family and work. So the first step is to evaluate how important your goal is to you, how much time you have to pursue it, and what you are willing to change to meet your objective.
Top 3 Mistakes
You can waste a lot of energy and miss many opportunities by not taking time to first see your vision and establish a meaningful plan. Most people are hard workers, but many do not train with a long-term view. Most goals are obtained by pursuing the right path at the right time – using your energy wisely. Below are some pitfalls to avoid when setting up your goals.
1) Setting Unrealistic Goals: People often set targets which are way beyond their current level of fitness. You need to be honest in evaluating your capabilities. You may find that your real abilities are usually beyond what you can even imagine. Be practical about the amount of time and energy you have available to put into your plan. A goal that is not realistic and is way out of reach will only lead to frustration and disappointment. Yet if a goal is too easy and immediately obtainable, there is no sense of accomplishment. For example, if you’re aiming to workout for 2 hours total in the marathon, but your best total time so far is 30 min. the goal is probably too far out of reach at present. A more reasonable time to shoot for would be 15 minutes more than your previous week, assuming you’re not sore or injured.
2) Making Only Long-term Goals: If your long-term goal appears too far out of reach you’ll become discouraged and eventually give up. Short-term goals along the way provide continual incentives to progress toward your long-term goals. One woman came into my office with a long-term goal to run a sub – 3 hour marathon (7 minute pace) when she had never run that pace for a 10K. I told her, first set a short-term goal of running your 10K in a 7 minute pace. Then, with proper strength and endurance training, it’s reasonable to set a long-term 4 month goal of running a marathon at a pace 30 seconds per mile slower than your 10K pace.
3) Forming goals that Lack Specificity: Saying: “I resolve to get fit in the New Year” sounds nice, but this goal is much too vague. What criteria will you use to decide that the goal is met? It’s important to establish goals that are measurable. State the goal in behavioral terms that are specific and provide a framework for evaluating your progress. If your objective is: “to work harder in my next session”, how will you determine when this goal has been met? You need to break down the stated goal into its component parts. If your goal is to do a stationary bike workout 3 x 1 min. at 80 rpms, you’ll know exactly where you stand. You can reward yourself for the progress made, or readjust your times if the goal is unrealistic.
Making Goals Work for You
Now that we’ve looked at the common errors in formulating resolutions, let’s look at the process of creating the ultimate goal with a well thought out plan that produces the results you want. You can prepare a blueprint for successful goal attainment for this year and beyond.
1) Create a Vision: Take time to think about your life and the direction in which you’re moving. Is it a healthy journey or do you need to switch gears? Ask yourself, where am I going with my training and with my life? What issues need addressing or changing? Dream a little. Don’t be afraid to question and open yourself to new possibilities. Think about what you really want to accomplish. Then ask yourself why this is important to you. Worthy achievements begin with a vision or dream. Once you give life to that dream and nourish it in positive ways, anything is possible. ACTION PLAN: Create a list of what you would like to achieve in this year, personally and professionally. First write your dream list of goals. Then go back and prioritize your most important and attainable goals.
2) Write a Personal Statement: This is a statement of your personal quest, your private reasons for wanting to achieve a special goal in your sport or in your life. Although your actual goals should be objective and measurable, this personal statement is a more subjective, personal message. It states why this goal is so important to you and what is driving you to move in this direction. ACTION PLAN: Write your mission statement. Example: “I want that satisfying feeling of being in terrific shape and pushing my body to the limit.” Your goal statement might be: “To finish an endurance event by the end of this year.”
3) Make a Commitment: The path to personal excellence and achieving your goals is to embrace your vision with passion and a sense of purpose. To turn exciting possibilities into new realities, you need to have the will to excel and the spirit to persevere through obstacles. You need to believe in yourself and the path that you are taking. To become a winner you must be hungry for success, hungry to be the best you can be. It starts with a dream, but somehow you must be inspired or your resolution will be forgotten. Become aware of what you are willing to sacrifice in order to arrive at your destination. You need to decide how you will keep your commitment when the going gets rough. ACTION PLAN: Write a Commitment Contract:
I _________ on this date _____, do commit myself to the plan described below designed to improve my ________. I will work on all my short-term goals to achieve my end objective. I will continue to evaluate my plan and make adjustments as necessary.
Signature _______________ Date _________. Witnessed by: ____________
4) Set Short and Long-Term Goals: Now it’s time to get down to specifics, setting up your plan. Write down your long-term goals (you define the time line). You could establish goals in several domains (e.g. workouts, business, relationships, leisure). Then write down your short-term goals for this year. What is the path I will take to arrive at my final goal? Next write down your state-of-mind goals. What are your objectives in terms of attitude, perspective, self-confidence, focus, and enjoyment? Then set up your daily goals. What can you do each day that will bring you one step closer to your destination? What is one thing you can do today to start you on your journey?
Now that you have a clearer idea of the process for setting up your goals, let’s look at some ways to help you stay on track. Setting a goal is the first step, but for a goal to become reality, you need to be driven and committed to achieving the outcome. Once you set a goal, many obstacles are bound to get in the way. Here are some strategies to help you keep on track to achieve your desired results.
TOOLS FOR FOLLOWING THROUGH ON YOUR GOALS
- TARGET DATES: Establish a structured time frame for your goals. Build in target dates for achievement such as competitive events to assess your fitness level.
- LOGBOOK: Chart your progress in a logbook. Daily feedback is critical for maintaining motivation to stick with your plan. Start using a training logbook or establish a separate one for general life goals as well.
- POSITIVE IMAGES: Visualize your goal every day. Experience in your mind how that would feel to actually achieve your objective. Imagine yourself doing exactly what it takes to reach your goal.
- VISUAL CUES: Use written reminders. Write out your goals and put them in prominent places where you can see them every day. Be sure to carry your written goals with you wherever you go.
- SOCIAL SUPPORT: Find a goal partner. Look for someone of equal ability to train with who can share your goal.
- POWER WORDS: Re-affirm your goal: Every morning as you rise, make positive self-statements which give you the focus and confidence you need to accomplish your objective (e.g. “I am growing closer to my goal each day.”)
- PERSONAL REWARDS: Evaluate and obtain regular feedback. Assess your training program daily and reward yourself regularly for making progress toward your goals (e.g. Put gold stars in your log book for achieving personal records on your training runs). Evaluate effort as well as performance: After an event, assess your mental focus and form as well as your time and place.
- MAKE ADJUSTMENTS: Allow for changes in your goals. You need be flexible and change your course if necessary. If a muscle strain or injury occurs your body is telling you to back off and re-assess your goals.
- ENJOY THE JOURNEY: Have fun in your pursuits. Remember to have fun in the process of moving toward your goal, feeling excited as you grow closer to your goals every day.
The key to any major achievement is creating a vision and setting a specific goal. This year is a special opportunity for you to make positive changes in your life. So follow your dream, set goals for yourself, commit to them, and work your hardest to achieve them. Some goals you will reach, and others you may achieve down the road, either way, you will have the satisfaction of knowing where you are going. Many valuable lessons will be learned in this process. You may well find that your goal leads you on a transforming journey.
If you use the 3P’s – Positive Images, Power Words, and Present Focus on your Goals, and you follow your exercise and nutrition program, you will have everything you need to create YOUR PERFORMING EDGE!!
Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter, best-selling author of YOUR PERFORMING EDGE™, is an internationally recognized Keynote Speaker, TV expert commentator, STANFORD Performance Consultant, sports psychologist to OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS, winner of the San Francisco Marathon and 2nd in the World Championship Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. For your FREE MINI e-COURSE with valuable TRAINING TIPS and articles, or your autographed book, and NEW AUDIO PROGRAM, visit www.DrJoann.com . Click on Mini Course. Dr. JoAnn provides corporate and personal coaching programs for sports, business, wellness, and performance in life.
Email: info@sports-psych.com or call 650- 654-5500.
