The 12 Hidden Laws of Olympic Performance
Law Two
Positive Thoughts Generate Positive Outcomes
“If it‘s going to be, it‘s up to me… Success is a decision. Not a gift”
– Steve Backley MBE
There’s a saying, “What you think about, you bring about,“ and Olympic athletes recognise that it takes mental skill as well as physical skill to bring about a top performance in sport. Mental skills training, including techniques such as visualisation, allows an athlete to adopt and maintain a positive mental attitude at every stage of training and in competition. It helps them to prepare for success by effectively becoming the success they aspire to be, and to experience every aspect of a successful performance − both physically and emotionally − through their mind’s-eye.
Positive thoughts form the invisible architecture of success and former Olympic javelin thrower Steve Backley is an inspirational example of the phenomenal power of positive thoughts generating a positive outcome. Renowned for his dedication to mental skills training at every stage of his preparation for competitive events, Backley demonstrated the value of those well practised skills to the world in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After a convincingly strong throw in the first round, Backley was clearly on top form. In the second round, this was confirmed when he set a new Olympic record − Olympic gold was tantalisingly close. However, in the very next round, his new record was instantly broken by his rival Jan Zelezny. In the space of one throw, Backley went from Olympic record holder to silver medal winner. His record breaking performance; his best performance ever, had not been enough on the day − how would that outcome have affected you mentally?
For Backley, it was undoubtedly a huge disappointment but it wasn’t “game over” or the end of the road. His mental skills training allowed him to learn from the experience and move on, taking the lessons learned forwards with him. And, his ability to maintain a positive mental attitude allowed him to focus on the positives of his performance, because there are always positives. The following year he was once again in a strong position in the Athletics World Championships. He was throwing well but two of his rivals were in the form of their lives, both throwing personal bests. Would the potential for another final round upset play on his mind and cause nagging doubts to surface? No! Backley threw his best throw of the event, beating the competition and winning himself the gold medal. That’s the power of positive thought. What outcomes are your current thoughts generating?
