Before they became a fashion staple to complete your shoe collection, thousands of aspiring backyard, street court basket ball lovers bought Air Jordans. Why? At the height of Micheal Jordan's career the term "its gotta be the shoes" changed the game of fashion and believing in one's potential. Not actual talent, Potential. That if I had these shoes I could be like Mike. I would jump higher, glide from the foul line, make tie breaking shots at the buzzer. Did this make you a better player? That answer is definitely maybe. The one important thing was that it transformed your confidence into something amazing. In your head you moved, leaped and crossed over like a pro. The outside is irrelevant. The feeling you achieve when you are the athlete that you knew you could be is something...it's something.
I will never forget my old Battalion First Sergeant, 1st Sgt.Banks. We didn't agree on a lot but one of the things I took from him was that your attire affects your attitude. He was really big on the power of the Marine Corps uniform and how we conduct ourselves professionally, and boy when I cammy up and put my Sgt chevrons on I feel like a superhero. He was also big on how we conducted ourselves off duty in civilian clothing. He was right, you ever see people that wear pajamas out in public. They act like they are at home, especially the younger ones. I applied this to my training (subconsciously of course), I just wanted to feel like I was a top athlete. I saw Neal Maddox in his Rogue shorts and watched him crush a work out. I bought those shorts and wore them for a WOD and I felt like I was him. I saw Dan Bailey in a green Rogue shirt, I bought a green Rogue shirt, I felt amazing. I was ready to crush every work out harder in my Nanos than I ever did wearing my Nike run frees. Now, I'm not saying blow a paycheck on apparel. I can't afford all the stuff that half of these keyword sponsored athletes wear but, I just feel good in some clothes than others. Think about it, how did you feel in your first pair of Oly shoes, or how your butt looks in those compression tights, or yoga pants? Sometimes the superficial, aesthetically pleasing things penetrate us deeply.
So lets address Positive Self Projection. Before your WOD, see yourself doing your thing like you were on a main site video, as if there is a section of the stadium there just to watch you knock out this workout. See yourself being great. The attitude you have going into your workouts is important and directly connected to your performance. This is also applicable to, wait for it...LIFE. Use this tool in everything. Work, parenting, handling stressful situations. See the best in yourself and the best possible outcome and challenge yourself to maintain that standard of who you are in your mind's eye. Ask your body to follow your mind. Live up to your dreams.
Inspiration at its best! :)
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