...your thoughts affect your performance?

Our mindset affects our performance. If we are positively stimulated, we perform better. This was shown by a study in which cyclists were projected images of smiling or frowning faces onto the wall for 16 milliseconds during a endurance test. The time was so short that the images could not be perceived consciously, yet long enough to have an impact. The positive images led to a performance increase of 12 percent.

Our physical performance is controlled by our brain and not, as one might assume, by our body with its muscles. Our brain perceives signals such as an excessively high heart rate or temperature increase and slows us down. Interestingly, this happens much later if we are feeling positive rather than negative, because we interpret our body's signals differently in a positive mood.

What can we learn from this?

• We should stimulate our minds with positive things and thoughts. 
• Those who are positive are more motivated and benefit during sport, whether in training or in competition. 
• Since we can primarily influence our own stimulation, we should focus on this rather than simply waiting for positive stimuli to come from elsewhere.
• We are capable of more than we think. By going into the pain area and teaching our brain how to interpret these body signals, we can shift our boundaries.