Learning the perfect mindset from Paralympians.

With the recent allegations in the media considering some derogatory and offending behaviour towards disability athletes within British Cycling I thought to share a bit of my own experiences and work I've done with the best of the best in Paralympic sports. I'm trying keep this one more as a flowing one rather than full-on academic. First and foremost, they're superb athletes at what they do. So, please give them the respect they deserve.

While back I had the opportunity and priviledge to interview Finnish Paralympic athletes for a study exploring their 'amazingness'. In a nutshell, I highlighted those psychological characteristics and attributes that distinguishes them even from the elite. We are now talking about six amaxing athletes holding four Paralympic medals, 14 worlds medals and 11 medals from Europeans – and from the total of 29 medals 15 golds. As said; they're awesome when you measure by success.

However, that is not the point. They're even more awesome as persons. Whilst I compared them with their able-bodied Olympian colleagues, the expectable similarities were there: commitment, determination, self-confidence and motivation – you name it. Then the subtle differences were also there. For example, the Paralympians were more reliant on their support, no doubt.

I really don't have a clear cut explanation, but what dazzled me most was just their attitude towards life, sports and everything. They took the sport not just as a challenge also as a chance and opportunity to excel and achieve. Once that becomes combined to their general attitude, they become close bulletproof. They feel the pressure and hate losing – but it is not the end of the world, so they remain calm. They are masterful copers – there is always a way, you can shoot even if your finger use is limited. 

Beyond everything, there is the joy in what they do, because they can, they want and they're driven. Then there is the humour within the athletes, i've witnessed people stealing each others legs and hiding them – who the hell does that for fun? I could imagine myself being pretty angry or frustrated, if some one had taken my shoes or wheels.

I then tried to find out why are they so calm within challenge, passionate about what they do and well-balanced with their mindsets. We always got at some point to their disability. It creates a unique challenge in life and it creates adversity – they have to deal with that. Once that has been dealt with, winning becomes easy. Don't get me wrong with the term easy, there is nothing easy in winning – but winning is easier than the challenges in life.

That's what it is about. Us, able-bodied, should learn from the balance and attitude. Once we are in balance with ourselves and dedicated to what we do – we can perform. As one of the coaches said:

They've had to negotiate so many big challenges in their lives, so they just seem like immune to smaller contests.

Here we go, Paralympic games count as a smaller contest...

Finally, greeting to the athletes and coaches I had the chance to work with, if any of you happens to read this.

René Descartes got it wrong.

Firstly, I'd like to address that the header is not a discovery of my own. I learned it from a book authored by Henrik Fexeus and actually this whole text is inspired by his books.

In a nutshell: despite acknowledging the great mind of René Descartes, Henrik Fexeus wrote that there was still something flawed in his work: the mind-body relationship. Back in 17^th century Descartes theoretized that mind and body are separate concepts. Afterall it took couple hundred years from biologists and psychologists to actually provide evidence of the relationship.

Then Henrik Fexeus went to prove it with a simple be practical and pretty awesome drill. So, do we. Please follow this:

1. Bite your teeth tight together.
2. Wrinkle your eyebrows
3. Focus and stare at one point
4. Keep this for ten seconds

Now we have done it. Did you feel growing anger? Sure you did, and sure I did. There is reason for that. Emotions are not only mind over matter stuff. Those four things are something people do when they're irritated and angry, and so by doing that you gave sensations and messages to your mind that you are angry. So there we go, the mind and the body are connected. You just proved it your self.

Where am I going with this?

Optimal performance requires certain state of mind and body sensations. Lets say that you go the start line or business negotiation with your head down and shoulders low. You do not only message your opponent that you are flying low, you message that to yourself too. It is not a wild guess to say that the performance won't be optimal.

To improve and reach your potential, observe yourself when you are confident and flying high and do that during down time too. Then you can learn to detect those bodily messages to promote and to avoid. In the next event, no matter how you feel, go to the line, table, blocks and present those moves and message yourself that you flying high today. Take to your self to line in a confident manner.

Hold your head high. And thank you Mr. Fexeus.

#mymountain

This came to me overnight and with a cup of coffee this morning, I took pen and paper and draw a mountain - my mountain. Then wrote two post-it notes and stuck them to the mountain. One of them contains a stick-guy, who currently stand on the foot of the mountain. That guy is me. Another one is the flag on top of the mountain. I think you all see where this is going.

The stick-guy is me, the flag is my goal with my target is written on it. The climb between is the journey I live and thrive for. The climb will be filled with new post-it notes of what it takes from me to get on top. It is a journey I'm gonna go through step by step by setting goals and taking actions that will get me there eventually. I'm just excited to see the guy getting up the slope.

It symbolizes the journey we truly want to make to achieve our goals and personal excellence. It doesn't matter whether it is athletic mountain, educational mountain or professional mountain. It doesn't matter how high it is, how steep it is or how long you think it is gonna take.

What matters is that it is your mountain, you are excited about it and you are willing to take the journey.

However, as I'm bit Zen(ish), I want to add this motto to top this all up:

”When you get on top of the mountain, keep climbing.”

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PS. You may ask where I come from with this, but there is my story behind this. If you want to know more, just ask me or I may come back to it at some point. There is also a good solid theory behind all this, which I may come to write about later.