The ability to form mental images of things or events
By repeatedly calling up images in your mind and rewiring the circuits of your mind toward a realization of those images. The remarkable feature of imagery work is that it can be accompanied by physiological changes.
Experience that resembles perceptual experience, but which occurs in the absence of the appropriate stimuli for the relevant perception.
Involves focusing your mind to visualize yourself in a certain situation and doing well in that situation.
A cognitive psychological skill in which the athlete uses all the senses to create a mental experience of an athletic performance
There’s nothing mystical about mental imagery. Simply put, it’s a visualization exercise that helps not only athletes but anyone who desires increased success and performance. There’s multiple ways to practice it and it can be done in short spurts or for a long duration.
How Mental Imagery Works
When an athlete imagines himself performing to perfection, he is physiologically creating neutral brain patterns that are similar to small tracks engraved in the brain cells. This enables the athlete to perform athletic tasks by mentally practicing those tasks first in his mind. Mental imagery is intended to train the athletes’ mind, thus teaching the muscles to perform exactly how he wants them to perform.
Practical Application of Mental Imagery
It’s true that we move closer to what we focus on. If an athlete imagines missing a shot, or how good the other team is, or even fears injury, it harms his game concentration and affects the outcome. It’s absolutely essential that athletes visualize success and victory. Steven Balzac, a psychology professor and former nationally ranked fencer says, “If we imagine success, we prepare ourselves for success because that’s what’s in our heads.”
It’s important to remember that athletes use imagery in different ways. Their imagery may not involve just visual images, but sounds, smells or touch. It really depends on the person. Another important aspect of mental imagery is for the athlete to watch and study his sports heroes and imagine that he is making those same shots with precision. Does this mean the athlete will always perform at top level? No…we’re human and we all have bad days on occasion. But visualization and mental imagery increases the chance of increased and sustained success.
Results of Mental Imagery
Of course physical practice is always the best way for an athlete to improve his skill level and race to the top of his game. However, mental imagery is better than no practice at all and, incorporated with physical practice, is the best way to see optimal results.
Continuous studies are always being conducted to determine just how much mental imagery plays into the increased success of athletes. And, for the rest of us, imagining ourselves more successful is never a waste of time if we are also spending equal or more time physically developing our skill set. The time spent in mental imagery is beneficial not only to the athlete but to the business person, the student, the entrepreneur, and anyone else who desires to develop and increase their level of play.
The more mental imagery is studied; more effective techniques can be developed and adapted by athletes…and the rest of us.
original article by Michelle Hill
Showing posts with label Life Coaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life Coaching. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Beyond ILLUSION to making things happen
Beyond Illusion to Making Things Happen
Master Dyhan Vimal
“Why is it that most of the goals we set don't seem to materialize? Somewhere along the way it goes wrong and we don’t achieve them. How can Mastery help us achieve what we want or achieve that which we set out to do?”
The first thing that has to be understood and explored is the way we set goals. Many people assume that what they want, or what they wish to have, is their goal. Their goals are that which they actually believe they can't have, or that which they have accepted as being beyond their grasp. They will desire something, or make it a goal only when they see that it is beyond their capacity to grasp it. And many of them have confused themselves with the things that they want and the things that they can do; this is the reason why they want it.
When something is within our grasp we don't really wish for it, because we believe we can have it or we simply go out and get it. So, most of the time, we set our goals for things which we fundamentally believe we can't have and this is where the illusion starts; inevitably leading to frustration and failure. The illusion or lie starts when we confuse ourselves with that which we wish and hope for and that which is our goal. The fact is that we are hoping for it to happen, it's not a goal we work towards; it is like buying a lottery ticket and hoping to strike millions - this is not a goal.
Let’s say someone sets a goal or wishes to be a millionaire; anything less than being a millionaire is unacceptable to him and he sets a time period for achieving it. Let's examine why he set this goal, or what has triggered him to set this goal. It could be that because when he achieves his goal some of his life problems will be solved, or he believes that this is the ideal way to live. Often these types of goals will be born as a wish which we hope will solve our problems; based on this wish we move around, hoping our goals will happen.
If you observe, you will see that most people set a goal and completely do nothing about it and wait for it to happen. Then that same person will ask “Why are my goals not happening?” Living a life based on hopes and wishes will eventually lead to a state where you believe that no matter what you do, that which is going to happen will happen. You create the idea that life is fated and when this belief sets in nothing in your life changes. Then, in order to explain your life's situation you adopt philosophies like: “life is difficult” or “one cannot easily get what one wants,” or “man proposes, God disposes” and so on ... This is how the circle of illusion starts, and this has to be broken.
next blog “How can this illusion be broken?”
Master Dyhan Vimal
“Why is it that most of the goals we set don't seem to materialize? Somewhere along the way it goes wrong and we don’t achieve them. How can Mastery help us achieve what we want or achieve that which we set out to do?”
The first thing that has to be understood and explored is the way we set goals. Many people assume that what they want, or what they wish to have, is their goal. Their goals are that which they actually believe they can't have, or that which they have accepted as being beyond their grasp. They will desire something, or make it a goal only when they see that it is beyond their capacity to grasp it. And many of them have confused themselves with the things that they want and the things that they can do; this is the reason why they want it.
When something is within our grasp we don't really wish for it, because we believe we can have it or we simply go out and get it. So, most of the time, we set our goals for things which we fundamentally believe we can't have and this is where the illusion starts; inevitably leading to frustration and failure. The illusion or lie starts when we confuse ourselves with that which we wish and hope for and that which is our goal. The fact is that we are hoping for it to happen, it's not a goal we work towards; it is like buying a lottery ticket and hoping to strike millions - this is not a goal.
Let’s say someone sets a goal or wishes to be a millionaire; anything less than being a millionaire is unacceptable to him and he sets a time period for achieving it. Let's examine why he set this goal, or what has triggered him to set this goal. It could be that because when he achieves his goal some of his life problems will be solved, or he believes that this is the ideal way to live. Often these types of goals will be born as a wish which we hope will solve our problems; based on this wish we move around, hoping our goals will happen.
If you observe, you will see that most people set a goal and completely do nothing about it and wait for it to happen. Then that same person will ask “Why are my goals not happening?” Living a life based on hopes and wishes will eventually lead to a state where you believe that no matter what you do, that which is going to happen will happen. You create the idea that life is fated and when this belief sets in nothing in your life changes. Then, in order to explain your life's situation you adopt philosophies like: “life is difficult” or “one cannot easily get what one wants,” or “man proposes, God disposes” and so on ... This is how the circle of illusion starts, and this has to be broken.
next blog “How can this illusion be broken?”
Friday, March 26, 2010
Origins of Coaching
The term “coach” comes from the Middle English word coche, which meant “a wagon or carriage.” In fact, the word still carries this meaning today—such as when a person travels “coach” on a railway or airline. A “coach” is literally a vehicle which carries a person or group of people from some starting location to a desired location.
The notion of coaching in the educational sense derived from the concept that the tutor “conveys” or “transports” the student through his or her examinations. An educational coach is defined as “a private tutor,” “one who instructs or trains a performer or a team of performers,” or “one who instructs players in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs team strategy.” The process of being a coach is defined as “to train intensively (as by instruction and demonstration).”
Thus, historically, coaching is typically focused toward achieving improvement with respect to a specific behavioral performance. An effective coach of this type (such as a “voice coach,” an “acting coach,” a “pitching coach”) observes a person’s behavior and gives him or her tips and guidance about how to improve in specific contexts and situations. This involves promoting the development of that person’s behavioral competence through careful observation and feedback.
In recent years, starting in the 1980s, the notion of coaching has taken on a more generalized and expanded meaning. Coaching in organizations involves a variety of ways of helping people perform more effectively, including project, situational and transitional coaching. Project coaching involves the strategic management of a team in order to reach the most effective result. Situational coaching focuses on the specific enhancement or improvement of performance within a context. Transitional coaching involves helping people move from one job or role to another.
Many companies and organizations are opting for coaching of these types, in place of or in addition to training. Because coaching is more focused, contextualized and individually targeted, it is frequently more cost effective than traditional training methods in producing real change.
Another rapidly developing area of coaching is that of life coaching. Life coaching involves helping people to reach personal goals, which may be largely independent from professional or organizational objectives. Similar to transitional coaching, life coaching involves helping people deal effectively with a variety of performance issues which may face them as they move from one life phase to another.
Originally written by Robert Dilts
The notion of coaching in the educational sense derived from the concept that the tutor “conveys” or “transports” the student through his or her examinations. An educational coach is defined as “a private tutor,” “one who instructs or trains a performer or a team of performers,” or “one who instructs players in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs team strategy.” The process of being a coach is defined as “to train intensively (as by instruction and demonstration).”
Thus, historically, coaching is typically focused toward achieving improvement with respect to a specific behavioral performance. An effective coach of this type (such as a “voice coach,” an “acting coach,” a “pitching coach”) observes a person’s behavior and gives him or her tips and guidance about how to improve in specific contexts and situations. This involves promoting the development of that person’s behavioral competence through careful observation and feedback.
In recent years, starting in the 1980s, the notion of coaching has taken on a more generalized and expanded meaning. Coaching in organizations involves a variety of ways of helping people perform more effectively, including project, situational and transitional coaching. Project coaching involves the strategic management of a team in order to reach the most effective result. Situational coaching focuses on the specific enhancement or improvement of performance within a context. Transitional coaching involves helping people move from one job or role to another.
Many companies and organizations are opting for coaching of these types, in place of or in addition to training. Because coaching is more focused, contextualized and individually targeted, it is frequently more cost effective than traditional training methods in producing real change.
Another rapidly developing area of coaching is that of life coaching. Life coaching involves helping people to reach personal goals, which may be largely independent from professional or organizational objectives. Similar to transitional coaching, life coaching involves helping people deal effectively with a variety of performance issues which may face them as they move from one life phase to another.
Originally written by Robert Dilts
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