Develop Mental Fortitude

I read this article with Chrissie Wellington, four-time Ironman Champion at CNN about training your mind.

Ironman champ: Train your brain, then your body – CNN.com.

The ideas ring true not just for triathlons, but for fitness, projects, and other things.

Here’s some quotes I grabbed from the article:

If we let our head drop, our heart drops with it. Keep your head up, and your body is capable of amazing feats. To plunder the words of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, “Don’t ever forget that you play with your soul as well as your body.”

How do you train your brain to help you achieve your goals?

1. Have a mantra and/or a special song to repeat.
2. Keep a bank of positive mental images.
3. Practice visualization beforehand.
4. Break up the race into smaller, more manageable segments.
5. Remember that training is about learning to hurt.
6. Get people to support you.
7. Mentally recall inspirational people.
8. Consider racing for a cause that is bigger than yourself.