The 5 Major Swimming Beliefs for Swim Success

What you believe is more important than anything when you are about to swim. Of course, thoughts are important, but your swimming beliefs will actually determine your swimming results. So I have come up with what I regard as the 5 most important beliefs to remember when you are approaching a swim meet - instill these into your mind and make them your automatic attitude to all swim meets from now on. These beliefs can transform your swimming performance without even changing a single thing in your swim training - they create inner change which automatically creates the outer changes you desire. But creating these beliefs is the hard work which I leave up to you, swimmer. This is where your discipline must come in.

Focus upon one of these beliefs each week, and allow it to wash through your mind regularly throughout that entire week. Then, the following week, focus upon the 2nd belief, and then the 3rd week on the third belief, and so on - until they become a normal part of your everyday belief system and mental attitude. If after 5 weeks you do not feel they have become part of your belief system, repeat this 5 week process again until they are. As soon as these begin to become your firm beliefs, you will begin to notice a major shift forward in your results - and the PB's will flow through much more easily.

Please note: These are purely thoughts you need to think only - NOT to be spoken to others.

The 5 Major Swimming Beliefs for Swim Success

1. HAVE NO LIMITS - "I feel great today and there's nothing I can't do in the pool today. What's to stop me? Everybody look out!" You must know that there is absolutely nothing to stop you putting in a great performance. Think of yourself as unlimited, unstoppable, unbeatable, supreme and all-powerful.
2. THESE CONDITIONS ARE PERFECT FOR ME - "These conditions are perfect for me today! There's water in the pool, heaps of competitors, and it's a great day for a win!" It doesn't matter what the conditions are - this must be your attitude regardless. Every day must be a perfect day to swim from now on. Don't let conditions get in the way of a great swim.
3. I'VE DONE THE WORK, AND I BELIEVE IN MY ABILITY - "I deserve to win this race - I've done the work, put in the hours, and somebody has to win it - so why not me? I know I'm going to give this race a real shake, because I'm good enough to beat any of these people". Know that you can achieve your goal. Why shouldn't you?
4. NOTHING CAN AFFECT ME - "I'm a machine! Nothing can bother me or stop me today, not the swimmers, not the pool, my schedule, nothing! I'm completely in control of my own thoughts. I'm untouchable". Never let anybody's comments or attitude get in your way - stay with your own positive thoughts, and surround yourself with positive people.
5. YOU HAVE ME TO WORRY ABOUT - "These guys must be worried about me in this race - I'm going to be very tough to beat today!" Don't waste your time worrying about your competitors - let them worry about you instead. Allow your mind to focus only upon positive things, leave it to your competitors to wallow in their doubts and fears.

The Mind controls the body, and the mind is unlimited. The best of success,

Craig Townsend