More Ways to Positively Prime Yourself

As mentioned in my last post, many people think success creates happiness. That way of thinking is completely backwards: happiness (or positivity) creates success.

It may be more understandable with this statement: a life full of positive emotions will lead you to success; a life full of negative emotions will lead you to frustration and failure. It has been proven in study after study that cultivating a positive brain makes you more motivated, efficient, resilient, creative, and productive. It drives performance upward.

So how does this relate to athletics? Small repeated positive actions can have a huge effect on how we play and compete. If you PRIME your brain with positivity...if you jump start your brain heading down a positive path each day...you will get your brain and emotions in a place to maximize your potential.

Here are three more ways to PRIME a positive brain on a daily basis:

4. Amusement
That’s right! Laughing primes you for success. Watch a funny video, listen to a joke, tell a joke, share a humorous story. Anything that makes you find amusement actually lights up your brain to help you perform better. Obviously, this is not something to do in the middle of your swing, or someone else’s, but it is great to do on the way to the course or traveling between holes.

5. Awe
Appreciate the course you are playing. Soak in the views. Golf courses are some of the most unique, man-made sculptures to enjoy. Allow yourself to be in awe of your surroundings during your time on the course. A hole may be extremely challenging, but appreciating the beauty of its design will actually be a very helpful mindset.

6. Anticipation
“The next opportunity I get, I’m going to hit a great shot.” Having this mindshift helps you look towards the future...especially after you hit a, well, not so great shot. But it can also keep momentum going after a great shot. Feeling the anticipation of a fantastic next shot will help prime you to be at your best.     

Again, focusing on PRIMING your positive emotions will undoubtedly enhance you as a person in and out of sport.

​Duane Jourdeans
Director of Performance Psychology
Western WI Golf