Coaching: Mental Projection

Like a resurrected phoenix or a champion reborn from the ashes, have you ever heard of athletes who achieved things no one thought them capable of? Where do they draw this strength from? Where does this unsuspected power come from? In sports, it seems that achievements are 80% mental. But then, what is the connection between the greatest achievements and the mindset of their creators? Have you ever heard of mental projection? We wanted to share with you the most coveted and effective psychological method used by the greatest sports champions…

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: depositphotos.com l DR

What is mental projection? Mental projection in sports, when oriented towards success, is the act of projecting oneself into a future successful situation. It’s neuroscience. Émile Coué had already worked extensively on this subject at the beginning of the last century to show us that our brain had the power to condition our body. This is what he defined as conscious autosuggestion.

The subject has been brought back into fashion, while also being as old as the world. It is new in the sense that, until now, it has been poorly studied and, consequently, poorly understood; it is ancient because it dates back to the appearance of man on earth. Indeed, autosuggestion is an instrument we possess at birth, and this instrument, or rather this force, is endowed with an incredible, incalculable power, which, depending on the circumstances, produces the best or the worst effects.

Knowledge of this force is useful to each of us, but it is particularly indispensable to champions. And when one knows how to put it into practice consciously, one first avoids provoking bad autosuggestions whose consequences can be disastrous, and then one consciously provokes good ones that restore physical and mental health, which themselves lead to the path of success and sometimes even achievement.

To be convinced, let’s first think of that amateur cyclist – whose name I will deliberately withhold – who raises his arms and explodes with joy at the top of a climb ridden full gas with his heart pounding. Does this traditional gesture of consecration mean he won? Yes. Except he’s training. And he’s alone, with no spectators and no one accompanying him. And apart from a cow in the meadow that isn’t even looking at him, there isn’t a single soul at the top of the climb to applaud or admire the feat. I could very well have picked up this anecdote from the Carnet de Bordure presented by Eddy Facile in Dans la musette. But when this imaginary victor makes this gesture, he is already in projection. And you know what? As crazy as it may seem, his brain is already conditioning his body to achieve the goal he has set for himself. And if he visualizes it precisely enough and regularly enough, do you know the result? He will inevitably get closer to it…

How to project yourself positively?

The first step is to set a SMART goal (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and with a deadline). For example, when I ask Patrick, he tells me: “I want to be able to ride from Paris to Le Mans, almost 250 km, in one go without stopping.” Except Patrick is a runner and is new to cycling. So, most generally, the important thing is to work in stages. “During my first ride, I realized that my goal was far too big, that it would take a lot of time. To avoid losing my motivation, I therefore broke down this challenge into several small goals. Thus, each stage reached represented a small victory that encouraged me to progress further.”

The next step brings you to the heart of the matter: get into the habit of imagining your goal once achieved. What emotions will be provoked? And when I say “imagine,” it means visualizing precisely, concretely, in detail. As if you were there! It is by forcing yourself to see it this way and to feel the physical and psychological reactions it provokes that your brain will give you the means to achieve it.

In practice, what does that mean? You imagine your environment with as much detail as possible. Don’t hesitate to imagine the circuit of that race you dream of. But also the riders in the peloton. The color of the outfits. The bikes. The smell of sausages and fries at the refreshment stand. The sound of applause. Your loved ones behind the barriers cheering you on, the rhythm of your breathing, the intensity of the effort…

You can do it in two ways:

Either you do it from an internal perspective. That is, you imagine yourself contemplating the scene through your eyes, as if you were there. You mentally live the scene!

Or you do it from an external perspective. And there you see the scene, but you also see yourself running.

There is no rule, take the perspective that suits you best. If it comes to mind spontaneously, it will surely seem the most comfortable and real to you. It is said that Michael Jordan, one of the greatest legends of the sport, could transpose himself for more than 15 minutes into a projected situation. It is even said that he managed to sweat and feel muscle soreness, while he was quietly sitting on the sofa!

It is therefore clear that the body manages to disconnect from reality to move towards the imagined situation. And even if it is an exercise that requires concentration, it is accessible to everyone. And for once, it’s not a question of willpower. It’s really a question of imagination. The more you practice it, the more results you will get. The only thing to know is that it is difficult, if not almost impossible, to apply it to someone else. So: no need to imagine situations where you don’t control all the elements. For example: visualizing an ex, a friend, or a colleague with whom you were angry coming back to you. On the other hand, you can mentally influence everything that concerns you… Succeed in learning anything you want. Excel in sports, studies, your professional life. Succeed in a final thesis defense or a presentation at work. Get a diploma. Or an interview with your boss or a recruiter. In short, everything. Really everything!

In any case, according to the greatest champions, if you practice positive projection regularly enough, you will manage to change your way of thinking and condition your body to give you the means to achieve what seems a priori impossible.

And finally… Wasn’t it a certain Einstein who said, sticking out his tongue in childish defiance: “Logic and will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere…” So don’t worry about what others will think. Free yourself from external judgment. And even if the cow at the top of the hill doesn’t watch you raise your arms and you won’t even get a moo from her, continue to educate your mind, in the form of mental images or dreamed facts through the perception you choose. According to the most imaginative, this very vivid experience that resides precisely in your imagination has considerable virtues and is likely to offer you a very joyful life…

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