Someone once said to keep on doing the same thing but expecting different results is the true definition of insanity. Similarly, I have used (probably over-used) the quote “If you keep on doing what you have always done, you’ll keep on getting what you have always gotten.” The main point behind both of these expressions is the fact that if you want different results in the future you will likely have to engage in different ways of thinking and behaviors.
For athletes, changes in thinking and behaviors are absolutely necessary when it comes to developing the confidence and sport psychology mental toughness needed to overcome slumps, injuries, and even the frustration that often accompanies being benched. Unfortunately, many athletes continue to do the same things – and yet expect entirely different results.
Of course, none of this is unique to athletics, as everyday people also struggle with developing new ideas, views, philosophies, and paradigms when navigating the world around us. The lengths that we will go to shortcut or circumvent things is quite astonishing, too, and perhaps this is witnessed no place better than weight loss. Have you ever stopped to think about how many millions of people each day either:
A.) want to eat the same foods but hope for weight loss, or
B.) try all kinds of crazy, unorthodox, or even unsafe diets in order to more rapidly lose weight
The truth is that for as long as human beings have walked the earth the only way to truly lose weight (and actually keep it off) is to eat less food and exercise more. That’s it, the big secret to weight loss really isn’t a “secret” at all, as most kids could have told you that!
If you are a coach or parent and have a youngster struggling with part of his or her game, you might want to examine the methodologies he or she is using to produce a future change. Is he or she still doing the same things, yet expecting a different result? if so, you might want to help by exploring new and different approaches that might improve the situation.
www.drstankovich.com
