The question about whether to view circumstances as challenges or threats will make all the difference in how you perceive, react to, and address the events that occur in your life according to cognitive sport psychologists. Amazingly, this one, single, seemingly small distinction in how you perceive things in your life will either trigger the “fight” response where you focus on the task at hand and give it everything you have, or follow the “flight” pattern where your body quickly triggers the sympathetic nervous system and you eventually succumb to the anxiety associated with the situation.
In sports, athletes who train themselves to always view situations as healthy challenges not only improve their mental toughness, but also dramatically increase their chances for success as a result. Conversely, athletes who succumb to pressure must work to rid themselves of the bad habit of viewing opponents as threats to their success (in these cases opponents are viewed in terms of how good they are, not how beatable they can be if the athlete is properly prepared).
The decision to view situations as challenges rather than threats really is an individual decision that each of us can make — that is, if we are committed to success. Amazingly, in the very moment you make the decision to view the opponent as a challenge, your mind and body quickly begin to work in synchrony as evidenced by sharper focus, increased self-confidence, better motivation, and more galvanized resiliency. Again, all of this starts with one simple decision that only you can make — is this a challenge or a threat?
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