Leadership from a different perspective – Martial Arts

Naked Leader Week – 254 – Monday 21 April 2008

Leadership from a different perspective – Martial Arts

When taking ownership could be risky!

Positive thinking sometimes gets dismissed as being a waste of time – to me, it is a choice – if you think positive thinking helps you, then think positive, and if you don’, then don’t.

Paul Crowe sent me an e-mail this week that demonstrates the power of both positive and negative thinking…

David

 The following experience happened to me when I was doing martial arts. My instructor John Carrington taught me that “thoughts are things”, that is to say that some thoughts are so powerful that they affect us as if they were real objects and not just a collection of ideas.

 This is how he demonstrated it;

 In front of the class he got me to stand up with my right arm outstretched and my fist tightly clenched. John instructed me to make my arm as strong and as rigid as possible. He then got me to shout out the following phrases a few times and to try and put real feeling behind them.

 I’m hopeless

• I’m useless
• I’m rubbish
• I’m weak

 John stood nearby watching me. After I’d finished he walked up to me quickly grabbed by arm and easily pushed it down to my side. As far as I was concerned I was still holding it out as rigidly as possible.

 We then repeated the experiment but this time I shouted a new set of phrases;

 I’m strong

• I’m invincible
• I’m unbeatable

  This time when John grabbed my arm it was as if he was trying to move a lamp post. John is a very strong man and he could not budge it!

 Proof positive that our state of mind has a profound impact on our ability to perform.

Your thoughts – your choice

With my very best wishes

David

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