Recently on The School of Greatness podcast, I had the opportunity to interview Steve Weatherford, the former NFL Super Bowl champion who was one of the best punters in the world, about his secrets to success. One of the most powerful things that entrepreneurs and success-seekers can take away from the world of sports and athletic achievement is the effectiveness of visualization and positive thinking. Study after study points to the power of this simple yet life-changing practice.
What most people don't realize is that the people who are on the top of their success game already are constantly learning, feeding their souls and minds to continue to grow. One of my favorite things about Steve is that he is so successful, in the top 1 percent of the 1 percent in his niche, one of the best in the world at what he does, yet he is transitioning to the next thing in his life (entrepreneurship) and is still learning and growing. "Visualize your day going perfect in detail. Commit to the habit for 30 days and your life will change."
Steve's key life hack is positive self-talk. He recommends that you "talk yourself through every day. In the morning say, 'Today is going to be a great day and this is why'.… Visualize your day going perfect in detail. Commit to the habit for 30 days and your life will change." He doesn't believe in realistic. He visualizes every single thing going perfectly. Does it? No. But having the vision that it will makes a big difference. "You have to see things happen in your life before you can do it. It is visualization.
I learned that as an athlete; don't ever go out onto the field of competition thinking about what you don't want to have happen, because once you let those negative thoughts into your mind, they can more easily manifest. "If you are in a place of positivity, your percentage chance of hitting the perfect punt is higher, much higher, because you are thinking about what you want to do, not what you don't want to do, or what you don't want to happen. "Your brain is the most powerful muscle you have."