"In my career as a basketball coach, I have been in countless end-of-game pressure situations that can bring about nerves and anxiety. But because I imagined myself in these positions as a kid, I have always felt like I've been there before. The mind is so powerful. If you commit to utilizing your imagination to envision positive things, you will come to truly believe those things." - Mike Krzyzewski
Likewise there are tons of conflicts in life, or incidents that habitually bring out the worst in us. We worry about our kids' health, or what our customer or boss will think of us. We get irritated by bad drivers, bad weather or bad breath. Like free throws in basketball, we can practice these situations mentally before they arrive, so that we'll respond better the next time.
One area that's plagued me through the years is getting too critical of people I'm close to. Why am I more critical of those who love me the most, and possessing so much patience with people I hardly know who make the same mistakes? I like to think that Dena benefited from some missteps I had the occasion to work through years before I met her. I still slip regularly, but at least of late the ill-fated comments are checked at the door of my mouth before leaving - the teasing comments that cut too deeply, the nagging comment or complaint. To reach the next level, I have to change my habits of thought. And that progress has come, and will come, with deliberate practice.
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