How can I effectively remove interference from the conscious mind while doing sports?

[Shaun Hutton]

Dear George,

 

I have most recently made an important observation regarding the effectiveness of the affirmation overwhelm sessions.

 

After listening to the sessions, I have found that while doing sports, when my mind consciously tries very hard to effect success, nothing works.

 

However, as soon as I forget about how I have been using the sessions / how important my intention is / what I want to achieve, everything happens effortlessly.

 

In fact, when I 'forget', things work out for me so well that I do not even realize it.

 

The recurring signal (upon hindsight) that I have begun to notice is that I do not realize it.

 

Most recently, I actually won an entire competition, and it felt as though I just had my breakfast or something, i.e. it felt like some kind of familiar routine.

 

It also seemed that I did not "want" to win anymore, because winning was already "my thing".

 

However, when I manage to remember that a few months back, everything actually seemed incredibly difficult, my success now feels like some kind of magic!

 

My question is therefore — do you have any method / tricks to help my conscious mind to 'forget', so that my subconscious can just take over and get the job done?

 

This is with specific regards to sports.

 

When it comes to another area - attraction, I realize that I cannot let my conscious mind 'switch off' completely, as being emotionally aware when dealing with women is important.

 

Do my observations make sense?

 

Thank you.

[Athena]

See, I don't know.  I mean yes I need to be consciously aware to a point when dealing with men but on the other hand sometimes it's a letting go thing when I think OK oh well, maybe he's (whatever guy it is) not interested anymore never mind (and actually i should stop saying stuff like that) and I do something else and THEN he calls or texts or wants to meet.  The attracting part can be not so conscious at times though other times conscious.  But with the interacting yes at the moment, consciousness, like when you are dealing with a woman, like talking to her, texting her or whatever you are doing and for me with men.  BUT, Sean, I think as we getting better and better at using things like this for our love & sex lives, I think it might become more and more unconscious perhaps? That in time it will come more naturally to us.  It does for me more than it used to but yes still a lot of conscious. 

 

Sports-wise, I kind of know what you mean.  It's how I feel with the ice skating.  I know how to skate.  I'm not brilliant at it but I can do it.  Yet if I haven't skated for a few weeks, it takes a few minutes to come back to me, mostly for the confidence to come back to me and in part the skills. And that's what I want the ice skating video about, the confidence and skills to come more quickly without that lull. 

 

I'm going to have a think about this, what you said, your intentions and so on.  I mean, one possible idea is to use George's visualizing video as well as the sports ones, like the athletic one for e.g use them a lot and maybe visualize your routines too, try this out anyway and see if it helps things seem more natural to you when you do sports, or not.  It's just an idea.

 

Just starting to get the discussion flowing here, other people might have other things to add.  

[admin]

It's hard to purposely NOT think of something, unless you've got something to replace it with. A good strategy would be to create a set of signals that lets you know you're slipping into the "too conscous' phase, and let that flip you into something else to keep your conscious mind busy. Maybe some kind of music you listen to while training, or something. I have a couple of parts of songs, or movie scenes that I turn on in my mind when I get my conscious out of the way.

 

My favortie years ago was the original Mad Max when he first saw the Interceptor with it's huge engine. He just went into a daze, staring at it, and somebody else was saying, "He's in a coma, man! He's unconscious!" while the engine was revving.

 

When you unconsciously won that tournament, what was going through your mind? Were you thinking of anything besides the tournament?

 

Times when I've gotten into the unconscious flow (with regards to sports), I didn't really worry about the outcome, I was just focused on enjoying the process.

 

You may set up a special anchor, that you associate with training, or doing something repetive where there's no question you'll do exactly what you want, and then let you get into that, "this is just connect the dots" type of thinking.

 

I know what you mean you say, "winning isn't so important anymore." Once you acheive something, the extra value placed on it due to scarcity loses it's luster.

 

Anyhow, here's some ideas:

 

1) set up specific anchors to your regular, "ho-hum" training.

 

2) understand what triggers thoughts, etc. tell you you're slipping into the "too conscious" mindset

 

3) get some ready tunes to play in your mind when you get close to the trigger in 2

 

4) focus on, and enjoy the process. Make any "now," process thoughts BIGGER than outcome thoughts

 

5) pretend you've been disqualified before you even start, and you're just playing for fun

 

And if you REALLY want to have some fun, try these when talking to girls as well.

[Athena]

OK I hope this is not a thread hijack cos it's not intended as such so re talking to girls for Sean or for me it's well yeah approaching but I have the video for that now (thank you!) but it's going on a date or meeting a guy I really like or think I might.   Not just a new one.  But with certain ones.  So what I want to ask for BOTH me and Sean - actually for sports too why not (God, I waffle! sorry you guys!) What I am wanting to ask is please, George what are some good examples of process thoughts, making the process thoughts bigger than outcome thoughts

 

Is it things like for Sean that enjoys talking to girls, that it's fun (etc etc)

and for me things like I enjoy dating (I really DO but it's more yes I can be too outcome focused if I really like him just that I might somehow put him off me!)

So maybe I relax around handsome men

For Sean he relaxes around beautiful women 

As well as us wanting to attract them is it that sort of thing?

And that we can easily talk to them

(rather than focusing as much on the outcome we want so much - be it sex, connection, be accepted, make out, future dates, phone numbers, WHATEVER we want from talking to those people) 

And I guess sports wise is it things like that Sean enjoys taking part in the sports and so on?

 

Your tips are really fantastic here, George. 

 

Wait a minute something just dinged in there ha ha 

Is it also - which I do sometimes, in fact a lot but sometimes I forget, sort of see it as a fun game?

I think I can do that.  I used to pretend this online dating site was like a slot machine.  Like literally pretending it was actually a game I was playing for fun and if I got a match way hey but I was just having a flutter.  It made it more fun and I think it's part of the reason I got more matches.

 

We could ha ha, maybe we could pretend we have our harems of hotties at home and we are just talking to them, (them being the babes - female ones for him, male ones for me - we find interesting etc) dating whatever for the hell of it.

I can  think of some ways the other tips could be applied like triggers, music, gonna explore this.

 

OK I'm shutting up now, I promise, Sean, sorry to butt in there, OK?  I promise, I do.  

[admin]

Process vs. Outcome thoughts

 

If you're on a date with somebody, outcome thoughts would be trying to move the conversation toward the outcome. Like a sales presentation, each step is designed to get to the next step. If you're focused on getting to the next step, that's an outcome thought.

 

A process thought would be more of an "in the moment' thought. Like you said, just having fun. Not playing a game, (since games have predetermined rules, winners, losers, etc) but just PLAYING.

 

Just enjoy what's happening. Forget about the score, and just enjoy swinging the racket. Missing the ball, or hitting out of bounds doesn't mean that you LOSE POINTS, it only means that your fun suddenly stops.

 

Of course, somethings require more of a pre-set structure, like sales. You need to have an outcome, but you don't need to focus on it. Plan the steps ahead of time, and then just enjoy each one.

 

Other things like dating are HARD WIRED into our brains. You don't need to worry about outcome because IT WILL HAPPEN if you are truly enjoying yourself, and the other person.

 

Or, if you're having trouble forgetting the outcome, make a bunch of smaller outcomes. Go on a treasure hunting trip. Make it your outcome to find three interesting things about the other person, (based on your subjective values) WITHOUT TELLING them that's what you're doing.

 

Enjoy the process of finding these "min-outcomes."  Set other smaller outcomes, like making them blush once, making them laugh out loud three times, getting them to reciprocate kino three times in a row.

 

Plenty of mind games to play with yourself!