World Cup Mania

What does the World Cup have to do with Mind Games?

Photo courtesy of Tom Grimbert

I remember watching an episode of the Amazing Race as one contestant was cheering on their partner who was deathly afraid of heights yet had to scale a building.

In their encouragement, they yelled,

“Don’t think about it. Just do it.”

This advice uttered in the heat of the moment speaks to a truth for all of us.

When we get too caught up in our thoughts we can lose focus, clarity and presence. When that happens, we become muddled in the myriad of thoughts that seem to frighten us away from what we really want to do.

Within our minds, simple and straightforward is instantaneously replaced by complex and convoluted.

As I watch World Cup Soccer, I see this happening with some of the players, particularly when it comes down to penalty shots to determine the winner.

The pressure to bring home a win is palpable as each player faces off against the goalie.

As one former player explained,

“It seems like the longest walk from the halfway line to the penalty box when it’s your turn to take the shot.”

Can you imagine the whole world waiting on the outcome of your one shot at goal????

What must that kind of pressure do to a mind?

Since it's virtually impossible to control the thoughts that enter our mind, the only thing we can do, once they enter, is heed the advice of our Amazing Race competitor:

“Don’t think about it. Just do it.”

When we feed the thoughts of doom and gloom with our attention and energy, we tend to lose our way.

Rather than giving such thoughts focus, tune them out...much like the noise in a crowded room. You know the noise (and the thoughts) are there, but they don’t need to take center stage.

Perhaps, in this, Nike was right, “Just do it.”

* Happy Anniversary to Carol and Bob xx