Why affirmations and self talk work

Self talk and positive self motivation are nothing new; they've been used for years in the elite sporting, science and medical community for everything for improving game day performance to helping people to quit smoking. So why doesn't everyone use these techniques? You may look at that athlete at the gym who's mumbling under his breath or getting very vocal and think that he's making a fool of himself, but the truth is, there's a science behind what he's doing and it’s a science that works.
Henry Ford (founder of Ford automotive) once said “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t. You’re right.”
Fitting words, even today, 64 years after Ford’s death, they still ring true. That’s because they are. Ford recognised that the way that people think influences the outcome of what they do. That’s exactly the same reason that athlete talking to himself over at the gym and pumping himself up to make a big lift is going to be more successful than you if you’re not equally mentally determined. It’s all about committing to sharpening your mental strength
If you can continually convince yourself that you have the ability to achieve that great dream of yours or make that big change in your life, then taking steps towards doing it is going to be the next logical step. Your mental success will drive your physical success. It’s all about being mentally aware of your thought patterns and altering them to suit your needs. You can be happy, healthy, wealthy or loved; it’s all a matter of making yourself aware that you are and taking appropriate steps.  Be aware. Make your mind your greatest tool, and most importantly, be consistent.

Learn to fail

Today we'll take a look at learning how failure can create success, and how that success can help you avoid the bad types of failure.

Failure is a natural part of life, particularly in the beginning phases of learning anything; you're never going to get something absolutely perfect the first time around. Think about the first time you ever set foot in a gym, the experience probably left you a little disheartened, but after a few trips your bruised ego wasn’t feeling so bad.

Here comes the big fix, prepare yourself for failure, don’t try and avoid it.
If you prepare yourself for failure and have an analytical eye about the mistake's that you made you ensure that the next time around you'll have learned from your experiences.

Break that down:
Prepare to fail
Learn from your failures

It is only through failing that you can see your errors and learn how to fix them. In this way you can ensure you are always keeping an open mind to your abilities and progressing forward in whatever you do.

Move forward with the confidence that you’re not afraid to fail.