Focus on the image of success

A lesson I learned when I was in junior high ...

I had made a lot of good shots and got into the final in my junior high school table tennis tournament years ago. My parents and many friends came to watch the final. As I was eager to please them, my shots either hit the net or flew out of the table, nothing worked, the more I missed, the tenser I got. My coach called time out and said: "Don't think about me and your parents and anything else, just think about the good shots you made in the previous games." I started to make a few good shots but too late and I lost. After the game, my coach patted my shoulder, saying a few comforting words then pointing out: "You have been focusing on failure all afternoon. I want you to look at the image of success."

Those simple words turned out to be one of the best pieces of advice I have ever gotten. This trick has been working remarkable well for me, from a few shots to my study, to my work and other aspects of my life.

Many studies have shown that tension or nervousness, which nine out of ten is based on the memory of past failures, can be reduced and eliminated by the memory of success.

Just curious, is the job interview one of the causes of your nervousness? If yes, I'd like to say a bit more in my next posting.