Madeleine Morgan of Growu writes:
If your answer is yes, I’ve got a quick tip for you.
Have you ever seen the New Zealand All Blacks’ rugby team perform their Haka? It’s a powerful ritual they go through before each match. So powerful that other team have complained that they feel intimidated.
What can you learn from these rugby players?
Well, they do not sheepishly walk onto the rugby pitch and say in uncertain voices, ‘Okay, chaps, hope we win.’
No, they use their body language and voices to put themselves in a powerful emotional and mental state. Then they play the match powerfully and they get powerful results.
It seems to me that instead of other teams wanting the New Zealand All Blacks to quieten down their pre-match ritual, those teams should develop their own Haka.
But…you might be thinking…I can’t do that Haka at work or when I’m going out on a date. I’ll look ridiculous!
Okay, I agree, it may not be suitable. But…what about developing your own Haka that fits the situations you’re in?
The other day, I was coaching a group of triathletes on the subject of winning psychology. I got them to do this exercise, which you can try yourself.
I asked them to sit in their chairs like a sack of potatoes, with their heads down and their mouth turned down. I asked them to try and feel motivated, strong and confident while keeping that body language. They found it really hard.
Then I got them to stand up, smile, do a power salute and say ‘Yes!’ in a loud voice…and at the same time try to feel nervous, demotivated and weak. They couldn’t do it!
Even if they did the power salute and the smile and said, ‘I’m nervous!’ in a powerful voice, they couldn’t feel nervous.
Interestingly, whenever I do this exercise in group or 1-2-1 coaching some people feel embarrassed about doing the powerful stuff, at first. Isn’t it weird that we find it embarrassing to do uplifting actions but we’re less embarrassed when we do some negative stuff like look angry, hurt, frustrated, depressed and even nervous?
Well, I’m not going to suggest that you do the power salute in public, but, how about saying ‘Yes!’ in a powerful way inside your head and moving more confidently before you go into a difficult situation?
Imagine how much better your presentation, your sales meeting, your date, your difficult conversation might go if you shut off the doubt thoughts and said ‘Yes’ to the experiences and gave it your best shot.
Willing to give it a try?
What other things do you try to get into a powerful and confident mood?
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