Discipline and Confidence

"Have you ever seen an overweight runner win a marathon or a flabby boxer outlast his or her opponent? The thought is almost absurd that any athlete without a lean, muscle - strapped body could compete successfully."
   Interesting, isn't it, that the apostle Paul, when describing the benefits of discipline, chose athletes as examples - specifically, a runner and a fighter (see 1Co 9:24-27). Both sports demand the discipline of rigorous daily exercise along with well balance diets.
    Daily exercise...well-balanced diets. Today's grab-as-you-dash lifestyles render the area of physical health as perhaps the most challenging in our lives as women and men, and especially as leaders, when there are so many people depending on us. Yet, if we are to model the gospel so that it is attractive to those whom we are trying to win to Christ, we have no choice but to examine how well we take care of our physical selves.
     The word discipline comes from the root of the word disciple. At the core of its meaning is self-control. A disciple is one who exercises self-control, a fruit of the Spirit.
       Self-talk:Most athletes are very good at self-talk; the problem is that most athletes are very good at the destructive, negative self-talk and not the beneficial, positive self-talk. Every athlete has been in the middle of training or competition and had thoughts that begin with “I can’t” or “I’m not.” These negative thoughts are often self-defeating, and the body tends to fulfill whatever the mind may be feeling or thinking. As a result, the body feels worse, causing more negative self-talk, and a downward spiral can quickly ensue.

Getting rid of these negative thoughts can be very difficult. The key is to become aware of when you are having a negative thought, and then replacing it. Often, replacing these thoughts with “I can” or “I will” or “I am” will make the body feel better, and positive thoughts, energy, and motivation will follow. Doing this will become easier with practice.

Some athletes find it challenging to do away with negative self-talk and almost impossible to replace it with positive self-talk. If this is the case, simply focusing on something else can help. Some athletes like to count arm, pedal, or foot rates while racing; others like to look at the scenery. Find your own focal point.

Regardless of what strategy you use to combat negative self-talk, the most important aspect is to recognize it and simply be aware of its presence. Many athletes are surprised when they begin to keep track of the number of negative thoughts they have while training and racing. Recognition is the first step to changing your behavior.