Blog Post 6.1
I didn’t intend for this to be the first blog post on improving your attitude and optimism but the opportunity presented itself so why not? It is football season and I’m all about being optimistic.
One of my favorite weekly news magazines is a publication called The Week. I try to read it front to back each week since it provides a synopsis of the leading domestic and international stories from a variety of viewpoints. I’m a firm believer in having an open and curious mind so it’s important for me to understand all sides of a story.
The December 23rd issue of The Week had an article on optimism entitled, ‘Tebow: How faith leads to victory’. Tim Tebow has done wonders for the Denver Broncos but as the article states, he “has become a divisive figure in the nation’s culture wars, by flaunting his faith at every opportunity”.
Whether or not you’re a big fan of organized religion, I think there is something to be learned here. There are a variety of ways to increase your optimism, your attitude, and your hope for the future. Religion is one way.
Daniel Engber in Slate.com says that Tebow is a “mediocre quarterback” but if that’s the case how is he transforming the Broncos? The article states that what has happened to the Broncos defies all “rational explanation.” Tebow’s faith is a big part of his optimistic attitude and therefore is a big part of his success. Frank Bruni in The New York Times says that in dire situations that would discourage most other players, Tebow has a quiet, unshakable confidence that everything will work out for the best. His teammates are inspired by this and often it does work out for the best. Positive attitude and optimism matter to our success. There’s no doubt about it.
Should we all become evangelicals like Tebow? Not necessarily. Tebow finds optimism through his faith. He is using the power of his brain to enhance his perception of reality and what is possible. It doesn’t really matter how we get there as long as we find effective methods or avenues for us to train our minds to look at the bright side thereby increasing our hope for a positive outcome.
Our minds are very powerful and there are many ways that we can help our minds help us. Organized religion is one way that works for some people. I look forward to discussing other powerful methods as well. Happy New Year!! Rob
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This is great food for thought! As an athlete myself, I really enjoyed reading about how a strong sense of Faith can defy ‘rational explanation’ and lead to victory on the playing field. I particularly liked the sentence: “He is using the power of his brain to enhance his perception of reality and what is possible.” I’ve experienced this personally when it comes to athletic performance and in my daily life as well.
I write a weekly blog for Psychology Today in their “Sports and Competition” section. One of the topics I’ve been exploring lately is how the ‘feedback loop’ of athletic success you describe in this blog can work in reverse. I believe that the daily ‘victory’ of completing a workout (no matter how “athletic” you are) can help anyone have more faith in themselves, to be more optimistic and create an ‘unshakable confidence’ in the work-a-day world, too.
I know that you work out religiously. I would be curious to hear more about specific ways that your daily workouts have made you more able to ‘create your own luck’ over the years. Do you think that the fact that you run and lift weights regularly has influenced your professional success? If so, what specific skills and habits do you reinforce through your daily ‘athletic process’ that make you more likely to be victorious in other areas of your life?
Thank you Chris. Cardio exercise has been a huge help for me in lowering stress, remaining positive, and having mental clarity. And you don’t have to be a Triple Ironman triathlete to attain these benefits! My next blog post will focus on the many benefits of exercise. Rob