The Power of Belief



A

andycookuk

Guest
GREETINGS ALL.
I discovered something today and I want to share it with the rest of
this forum.

I consider unicycling a series of challenges. The first challenge may
be to sit on the unicycle, the second to ride forward and so on.

Just recently I set myself the challenge of hopping onto a bench.

For many days I tried to jump as high as I could onto my bench but I
could not make it. I became more and more frustrated even though I know
I am physically able to jump three or four times that height!

I COULD NOT REACH MY GOAL!

Why?
I realised just this morning that whenever I tried to hop onto the
bench, I was hopping with reserve. I feared falling and hurting myself
and I knew that the higher I hopped, the more danger I put myself in.

I was stopping myself from achieving my goal through fear!

After this revelation I marched down the road and up to the dreaded
bench.

Once I -understood -why I was not achieving my goal I was able to
progress. I reasoned with my fear and subdued it.

I -truly- knew I could make it onto the bench this time and I did!
First time! With height to spare!

Why not apply this to every challenge? I'm sure there are many people
out there in the same situation I was, perhaps more advanced though ;)
! Try it!

I now know that if I believe that I can do something, I will do it. It
is only in disbelief that we fail.

_What_do_you_think?_
Maybe this is the biggest pile of bull that you have ever heard. Ever.
What is your take? Please share your opinions with the forum, that's
how we can help each other to progress.

PS. When I say that through belief we can do anything, (excuse the
Disney cliche), I am not saying that I will walk on walls! _Remember_,
you will only believe that you can do something if you know inside that
you can!

Thankyou,
AndyC :)


--
andycookuk

"Wisest is he who knows he knows nothing"
Socrates 500BC
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Thank you Brendy! That is exactly what I am talking about!

Thank god that I'm not the only one thinking along the same lines -I'm
not going crazy after all!

The challenge is then -how to self realise your potential? Does just
telling yourself that you can do something always work?

Ahh the eternal inner battle *sigh*

Hahahaha! This is getting heavy!

More comments?
AndyC (The one and only)


--
andycookuk

"Wisest is he who knows he knows nothing"
Socrates 500BC
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andycookuk wrote:
>
>
> How do you work yourself up to trying new things?



ummm, fail a lot. ive been riding for a long time, so normally, if its
like trick i have to 'work my self up for', like a unispin about a yr
ago, i just kept jumping spinning and not landing until i finally
landed it. im doing the same with 360's now. also i listen to music
sometimes that helps. i guess in general, to work yourself up to a
trick, just dont think and do. dig it


--
chosen

respectfully,
jonny
*'My Gallery' (http://tinyurl.com/cyq4q)*
:)i love this end up:)
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Yeh, music helps me aswell! It doesn't matter what music, anything.

It seems that generally, it's hardest to do it first time (like
unspins). Once you have done something new, you know that it isn't that
bad after all :)

On the Koxx-One website there is a caption by Yoggi explaining his
technique (www.koxx-one.com):
"...my secret is no fear, my technic is to take off the brain !"

There is a samaurai quote somewhere that is roughly translated to:
"No mind"
It can be applied to any sport really. I use it for Freerunning. Silent
meditation for a second just before I do a big jump helps calm me down
a lot too. I'll definately try that with unicycling too.

This thread is turning into me ranting! Someone please comment so I
feel less stupid!

AndyC


--
andycookuk

"Wisest is he who knows he knows nothing"
Socrates 500BC
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Thanks for your help, Andy. I was just recently trying to hop up two
pallets but I didn't have the motivation to do it. A mistake I made was
hopping in place and asking my cousin if he thought it was a high
enough hop to make it up, and of course he said no. So, I was to scared
to actually try.

But, with advice you just gave I should hopefully be motivated to at
least try.


--
squeegy

▲▲▲
I spent no time thinking about this post
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14 years old. Within 8-10 years I can see you as a famous motivational
speaker. I actually thought that I was listening to an infomercial. I
had my credit card ready and was just looking for the 1-800 phone
number to place my order for the product that you were selling.

You have discovered a very important fact about succeeding. Great job.


--
One on one

"I went further than I had planned and had a testicle break at about 25
ks"
-onebyone

"I know that my rides have far more to gain from me becoming a better
rider than from me buying shiny new toys."
-Johnhimsworth
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One on one -Thanks! I'm chuffed! I'm so happy that I have realised this
so soon! I thought that posting my "revelation" would help people
understand as I do.

It as at least helped on person, squeegy so my goal has been achieved
:)

Squeegy -Whenever I asked my brother if I would be able to do something
new, he nearly always said "no" and I usually ended up succeeding
anyway! I quickly decided to stop asking him :) He only made me hold
back! Some people are more entheusiastic and encouraging than others! I
am so stoked that I have helped you in any way possible
Go for it!

Mission accomplished,
AndyC II


--
andycookuk

"Wisest is he who knows he knows nothing"
Socrates 500BC
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Seriously, what do people think? Am I just talking a load of bull?

I'm thinking of putting the post into the "Articals and Tutorials"
section -this is just a test run to see how people responded.

All comments and opinions wanted,
AndyC


--
andycookuk

"Wisest is he who knows he knows nothing"
Socrates 500BC
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I don't think you're a load of bull at all.

Not only is unicycling a physical thing, but it's just as much of a
mental thing. I think that, generally, it's easy to forget most of the
mental aspect involved as time goes on and things that were once hard
are no longer so. For instance, just plain forward riding once posed
an incredible challenge to me. Now, to quote Kris Holm, "It's easier
than walking."

I call what you're describing to "Zen-out." One of the skills that has
helped me do this more efficiently is still standing. It allows me to
clear my mind, and to focus/concentrate on my next objective.

A lot of what I do is tell myself, "I can do this. I can do this."
This works more so for something that I'm trying for the second time.
I try to convince myself mentally that I can physically do what I'm
trying to do again, because I have done it before.

Early on this past summer I had a mental block about hopping onto stuff
that was over the height of my tire. Physically I could hop 30"...but
mentally I was worried about hopping onto things quite lower than that!
Since then, I've gotten over that, and then some!

One of the greatest aspects of unicycling is that is it very calculated
for the most part, due to its slow pace. I KNOW when I cannot do/try
to do something. Then again, I know also when I can block out my fears
("Zen-out"), and push the limits. I don't forget/ignore the risks, I
just drown everything else out of my mind and vision, and just tunnel
in on what I'm doing. Depending on what you're trying to acheive it
could take a lot of mental will and determination to not "psych"
yourself out with fear. If I can't get something after a few tries, or
start getting scared, I'll go try something that I know I can
do--because I know that I won't make it, and'll probably end up hurting
myself more than anything. It gives me something to shoot for during
the next ride, for which I'll be stoked about getting out there and
"clearing it" as soon as I can (usually).

There's more you could say about this whole subject, like learning how
to crash/fall without hurting yourself. I've gotten myself out of some
sticky situations before.

There are also those rare times when you want to kick yourself for
screwing up on something that is ridiculously easy to you, and that
you've done over a "thousand" times with no problems at all. Haha,
those are the most frustrating situations for me as a trials rider.
They make me want to not only throw my unicycle, but kick myself! So,
there's also an ability to properly focus and manage a positive,
determined attitude, simply because those situations can make or break
the success of your ride.

later,
Evan


--
TrialsUni
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TrialsUni- You are absolutely right about about everything you said :)
Pushing the limits of your capabilities is just as mental as it is
physical!
If we do not believe we can achieve, we do not!
It seems to timelessly perfect and simple!

Like you said, it is important to know your physical limits. You always
know what you actully "cannot" do. I don't think these situations
should be considered failure, but another challenge!

I'd love to learn more about still standing. Is it similar to what I
do; silent meditation?

Self belief is making the rationality control base instinct of self
preservation.

Self belief is all about self control.

Thanks for the comments!
Any more opinions?! Keep them coming!

AndyC :)


--
andycookuk

"Wisest is he who knows he knows nothing"
Socrates 500BC
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"andycookuk" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:dc49249841c23b4f2631166dc35ea1d4.20iaim@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com...
>
> Maybe this is the biggest pile of bull that you have ever heard. Ever.
> What is your take? Please share your opinions with the forum, that's
> how we can help each other to progress.
>
> PS. When I say that through belief we can do anything, (excuse the
> Disney cliche), I am not saying that I will walk on walls! _Remember_,
> you will only believe that you can do something if you know inside that
> you can!
>


In no way is this the proverbial pile of BS. I discovered this, in
another field entirely many years ago. Once you have created the self
confidence that you CAN do something, the chances are much greater that you
will.
Go in with a negative or tentative attitude and you will find it a lot
harder to succeed.



Nao


--
So many people these days "search for the zero inside themselves". A
proportion fail to find even that.
 
Hey i only read the 1st post so i dont know what everyone else has said,
but i can that the same thing happend with me and handrails i knew i
could do bigger ones, but that friggen fear was stopping me, and
stopped me for ages, untill i faced it and was doin large rails easy
from then on, but be fore i tryed faced my fear i knew i could do them,
but the fear just held me back, but when u face that fear and land the
trick, it's the best feeling, so go out there and face those fears
dudes or you'll never get good
lol have a good christams everyone


--
Dancowling

sunny D's alright!!!
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i just think that it probably won't hurt that much if i fail. i usually
work up to stuff by wussing out a few times. especially true for drops
and other "larger" moves. i just imagine myself landing it, then go. no
hesitation, then even if i miss it, i learned the crash wasn't so bad,
and i can try again. thinking too much always screws stuff up.


--
markf

stuck in iowa and unemployed.
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<<"Wisest is he who knows he knows nothing"
Socrates 500BC >> Good lord! He must have been young when he said
that. His trial and execution were in 399 BC, 101 years later.:p

Nevertheless, that was the gist of part of his Defence, and an
important insight, as relevant today as it was then.

But back to the motivational speaker...

Believing that you will fail will probably -cause you to fail.-

Believing that you will succeed will probably -increase your chance of
success-.

That is an important difference in emphasis.

In any sport, positive visualisation is recognised as a way of
achieving goals. Indeed, it can even improve your technique.

On the other hand, thinking negatively makes you act without
commitment, and builds failure into your plan. Who heard the interview
with Audley Harrison before his recent (alleged) fight? It was a
classic example. I knew he would lose as soon as I heard it. I don't
know much about boxing, but I do know a bit about psychology - and I
investigate fraud for a living.

The problem we have to face as uniclists is balancing positive thoughts
and confidence on the one side, against the real risks inherent in a
sport than can involve falling awkwardly against sharp obstacles like
kerbs and coping stones. The "just go for it" mentality will get you
results, but after a certain point it becomes foolhardiness.

Positive thinking is very important, but not a substitute for practice,
technique, and a gradual accumulation of confidence.

Which puts me firmly in the "will never be very good" camp for the very
reasons so clearly and passionately expressed in the post that started
this thread.:eek:


--
Mikefule

What you have can be taken away but what you have had cannot.
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When I was learning to ride, right at the begining I soon found that I
had to believe that I could ride those couple of inches without falling
off, before I could do it. But not only that, I had to have no other
negative thoughts (such as "i hate this music"). If such a thought
krept in, I fell off.

But being a psychologist, and dealing every day with people's lack of
self-belief, negative thoughts and anxieties, I would have to say that
it's WAY easier said than done.

Cathy


--
cathwood

'Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its
victims may be the most oppressive - C.S.Lewis

http://www.chuckingandtwirling.co.uk
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trials2k wrote:
> i had the same thing while i was trying to achieve many things on the
> uni which were -*VERY, EXTREMELY, SUPRISINGLY, FRIGHTENINGLY, ETC*-
> hard, but i knew that it was in my range of being able to be done!!
> QUOTE]
>
> My edit. I swear like a trooper, but not in a public forum. We don't
> get much use of the F word in this forum, which is read by children and
> adults from many parts of the world. However, it seems to be popping
> up on this thread. Please stop it.



--
Mikefule

What you have can be taken away but what you have had cannot.
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Mikefule wrote:
>
> trials2k wrote:
> > i had the same thing while i was trying to achieve many things on the
> > uni which were -*VERY, EXTREMELY, SUPRISINGLY, FRIGHTENINGLY, ETC*-
> > hard, but i knew that it was in my range of being able to be done!!
> > QUOTE]
> >
> > My edit. I swear like a trooper, but not in a public forum. We don't
> > get much use of the F word in this forum, which is read by children and
> > adults from many parts of the world. However, it seems to be popping
> > up on this thread. Please stop it.

>
>
>
> Yeah, do the sanitary thing and call it anxiety or lack of self
> belief.
>
> Unicycling is flying not frightening. Surely????
>
> Cathy



--
cathwood

'Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its
victims may be the most oppressive - C.S.Lewis

http://www.chuckingandtwirling.co.uk
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