Читать книгу Hockey Confidence. Train Your Brain to Win in Hockey and in Life онлайн

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HAROLD THURMAN

SOMETIMES THAT GAME that used to bring us so much fun and personal reward doesn’t feel so much like fun anymore. We feel fed up, and the outlook isn’t good. Something in us says it’s time to make a change. The good news is this is the perfect time to learn what’s going on in our minds and become our own head coach.

Listen to the people around you when they talk about their goals. Take the time to notice if their words are about what they actually want. Perhaps they’re really saying what they don’t want. Here’s the takeaway: the mind doesn’t pay much attention to the do or do not part.

For example, if someone (that would be me) tells herself to stop thinking about chocolate, to forget about how it smells or how good it looks in the wrapper, her mind will focus on the word “chocolate.” Now all she can think is, Where is that bar of extra-dark I hid somewhere? Hang on, I’ll be right back. Mmm. . . Okay, where was I?

Ah, yes, let’s bring this back into the hockey arena. What if, just before a penalty shootout, the player keeps telling himself, Don’t miss this shot, don’t miss this shot, don’t miss this shot . . . What do you think his mind will be focusing on? His brain will be setting him up to miss, miss, miss the shot.