Can the law of attraction help you in sports mental health?

“Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.”

Maya Angelou

The Law of Attraction in sports is another piece of the mind, body, and soul holistic wellness equation. The mind is incredibly—and quite frankly infinitely—powerful. The Law of Attraction states that what we think/feel/believe is what we become. The concept is based on energy and the fact that everything is energy—your thoughts, emotions, belief, actions, words, etc. This is the primary reason why athletes develop mental toughness; it is imperative to remove any and all limitations.

“What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.”

Buddha

“As someone thinks within himself, so he is.”

Proverbs 23:7

“Thoughts become things. If you see it in your mind, you will hold it in your hand.”

Bob Proctor

“If you can see it here (pointing to his head) and have the courage enough to speak it, it will happen. If you put out what you truly believe in, it will create the law of attraction and it becomes reality.” said Conor McGregor.

Conor McGregor

“We can control our lives by controlling our perceptions.”

Bruce H. Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief

Each of these quotes is from a person speaking from varying contexts, yet they all share the same principle: Your thoughts are the energy that you manifest into your life.

Set thoughts with an intention for mental wellness.

I believe that, to a degree, your thoughts greatly impact your mental wellness. Chemical symptoms aside, mental wellness can be dramatically improved by being conscious of your thought choices. I’ll share an example.

I learned this phrase from the late great Dr. Wayne Dyer. In his Power of Intention series, he taught the principle of setting your intention wisely. He stated it as simple as it can possibly be, “I intend to feel good.”

I’ve used this phrase on multiple occasions, particularly on challenging days. I’ve learned that while you can’t avoid good times or bad times, you get to choose how you deal with both. Are you joyful in the moment when things are going well? Are you hopeful when things aren’t?

Simply setting the intention to feel good can make a huge difference in your day-to-day lifestyle. Repetition of the phrase is key because repetition is what helps it stick to you.

Visualization with an undeniable belief is key.

Let go and let God. Have you ever heard that phrase? It emphasizes the importance of trust. Many people meditate, use affirmations, have dream boards, so on and so forth, but they lack something critical: trust.

If there are cracks in your foundation of belief, then there’s room for the old stuff to seep through.

Visualization is nothing without belief. This is because you can imagine something that you want in your life, but if the energy of belief doesn’t match, your energies are conflicting.

So, whether it’s a goal or a mindset that you want to correct, applying the Law of Attraction to visualization might be just the tool you’re looking for. Here are some examples:

• See yourself playing the game well, winning the game, and believing it is already true because you trust the work you’ve put in to play as well as your practice. Leave zero room for doubt.
• See yourself performing well and believe that you will. Really visualize yourself going through your performance from beginning to end.
• See yourself navigating things you can’t control by choosing to stay in control of yourself and your emotions in chaotic moments. Really see and feel that you are a composed and an unshakable athlete in every moment.
• See yourself making a mistake and imagining that it doesn’t bother you nor rattle you as you continue with a strong performance. It’s almost like it didn’t even happen. Your focus is impeccable and your next play is your best play. Really feel it roll off of your shoulders like it never happened, giving it next-to-no attention as it prepares you to play even better as the game goes on. Visualize these scenarios and believe that it is your natural reaction.
• Visualize a moment with a lot of pressure and feel how calm and clear you are just like a tree that remains rooted and strong. Again, really dig deep to feel it and believe it.

Take your time to visualize these or any other scenarios that you currently struggle with. Feel it with sincerity. Make it real with imagining what you see, hear, feel, smell, etc.

Visualization exercises such as these will help with applying the Law of Attraction, but they will also train your brain to focus, feel, and believe in the story that you want to live.

Want more help with shifting your mindset? Contact me about coaching.