Free Throws & Mindset
- Oliver
- Oct 5, 2020
- 2 min read
Dr Biasiotto, from the University of Chicago, organized a study where he had three groups of people: A, B, C. He instructed each member in the group to shoot free throws a total of ten times. After they completed this simple task, Dr Biassiotto asked group A to practice in a basketball court every day for a month and to return upon completion. He then instructed Group B to do nothing at all. No practice. No thinking about Basketball. No, to even touching a Basketball. Group C was interesting. Dr Biasssiotto asked group C to spend a few minutes every morning for the next month visualizing themselves shooting and scoring points.
Group A saw an improvement of 26%. Group B saw no growth at all: no practice no progression. Group C’s results were shocking. Group C produced an increase of 22% directly through their visualization of the attainment of success. What do we learn from this study? We should never underestimate the power of the mind.
So, you know you are not where you want to be. You know you want to be more. You know you will achieve remarkable things. How do you manifest your pictured reality? Mindset.
The mind is profoundly powerful, I have mentioned this here before, but it needs repetition. Unlocking your mind will unlock your potential.
You can not underestimate yourself.
You are more than good enough.
Your past does not matter.
Your history does not determine your future.
Malcolm X was a drug-pushing armed robber! You can and will be more than who you are at this present moment in time. It will take work, but here is where you can start.
Like everything in life, practice makes perfect, cliché but true to its core. Any world-class athlete has practised harder and smarter than anyone else; any high scoring student outworked their cohort, life is a challenging competition; this is reality, accept it.
Let us say you are a student who wants to score higher in their exams and classes. The first thing you need to do is sit down. You might turn around and say, “I find it difficult to stay seated for extended periods” EVERYONE DOES. You need to train your mind to become accustomed to sitting down for lengthy periods. Eventually, you will love it.
You must start small, and then gradually increase the period. Weightlifters did not start bench pressing 500 kgs. They started at 10, then 20. You get the idea. Apply this principle to anything and everything that you want to do that you find difficult.
You need to be strict with yourself; it is the only way you will manifest your desired reality. If you find yourself straying from the path that is fine and to is expected! Get back on the horse as soon as feasible. Eventually, you will find sweetness in your work, whether it is studying, reading, or cooking, it does not matter.
Training and controlling your mind— and by extension, your desires— will change your life and improve your trajectory.
This process will take time, but good things come to those who are patient.
(This is in no way saying that if you sit around quietly and wait, good things will come to you. They will not.)
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