Over the summer I was training hard for the upcoming football season. It had been almost 8 months since I had last played in a real game. I felt as though the rewards of all this work were never going to show up. Especially when we aren't seeing direct results, it is so easy to let one negative thought roll into another. Before you know it, all you can do is think of negative things. As I was in the middle of a grueling lifting session, I had an interesting thought come to my mind. I was feeling a bit down on my performance, and I remember saying something along the lines of, "I am doing terrible, this workout is a waste. I bet (my competition) is gaining so much ground on me right now." Interestingly, that last sentence sparked something in me. It doesn't matter what others do. All that matters is what I can do. I took what I just said, and used it at a reason for me to re-focus and get back on track towards my goals. I then told myself, "I cant control what my competition is doing, but I can control my own effort." I remembered all the things I have heard before about controlling what you can control.
Negative thoughts plague us all. However, they don't have to control our lives. Negative thoughts and self-doubt can be used as fuel to propel you forward. Next time you are feeling down, or being negative, take a hard look at what you are really afraid of, why you are negative, and what is hurting. Then use those thoughts in a positive way. Maybe you are saying, "I am horrible at (insert task)." Then turn it into something positive. You could follow it up with something like, "Well, I may have never been the best anything, but I am good at sticking through tough times better than others. This is just my tough task. I will beat this and become capable when everyone else will just quit." Obviously everyone will be different, but use the negative thoughts to your advantage.
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