Mental Training - Henry Stone

8/18/2019 Mental Training - Henry Stone

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

Chapter 1 : Mental Training Power

Chapter 2 : Importance of Self-Belief

Chapter 3 : Changing Mental States

Chapter 4 : Stress, Fear and Decision-MakingChapter 5 : Controlling Your Physiology

Chapter 6 : Mind of a Winner

Chapter 7 : Memory Improvement

Chapter 8 : Brain Training Strategies

Chapter 9 : The Focused State - Improving Concentration

Chapter 10 : Critical Thinking and Reasoning Skills Improvement

Chapter 11 : Bonus AFQ'sConclusion


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FOREWORD

ccess begins in our minds. This is what a lot of successful people will agree on. Wit

nciples of neuroplasticity, winner’s mindset, and positive energies being researched on, there

ubt that we can begin to see clearly the link between our mental power and our path of life.

e outcome of what we are doing is definitely affected by the kind of mindset that we havends have the power to influence our body to be in a state of readiness to win and achieve. T

different elements that make up the mindset of an individual. Collectively, this is called as m

wer.

is power is what allows you to achieve things that you want in spite of the presence of obst

wever, not all of us are gifted by a high level of mental power. Some of us will find it hard to

sitive in the face of adversity and failure. A few would be lucky enough to go through

allenges with minimal stress and fear of failing.

e good news is that mental power is something that could be cultivated and used for the attain

success in life. Of course, this is not an easy task. There are many people who have attem

ntal training in the past and eventually failed to get desired results. What they don’t know i

re are specific approaches and techniques that must be used for mental training.

doing mental training activities in a scientific manner, results could show up based on the

me set. Of course, we are quite lucky today because many researches have already uncovered

these effective approaches and techniques for mental training. This is what this book has

signed for.

will give you a concrete basis on what to do during a period of mental training. Theories as w

actical applications principles will be presented on each chapter as well. There are no compli

terials to deal with. The book has been presented in the simplest manner possible so that you

end less time on reading and more time on getting into action.

ank you for choosing this book! Good luck on your journey towards powerful and positive ch

life!


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Chapter 1

Mental Training Power

rrently, mental training is receiving a lot of attention from people involved in sports. They

und basis on how this type of training could actually benefit the performance of players in

ents. Actually, it is not only in sports where mental training can have its applications. An indiv

n use it for improving performance in academics, creative arts, social life, and in almost all

endeavor.

you have heard the line “mind over matter”, you must realize that this is something that could

explained by the concept of positive mind-set and our capacity to focus on setting and atta

als. The link between our subconscious mind and physical body is already well-understood

ys. This is the result of a diversified range of researches focused on this matter.

s better to look at mental training as mental preparation for whatever you are aiming to accom

e you currently in need of performance boost in the sports event that you are signed in for? many factors that could affect how you are really performing at the present time. It could be

ysical conditioning and training. It could also be about the level of emotional stability that you

matter the results.

e bottom line here is that mental training is needed for you to have the ability to connect

bconscious mind with the physical body. The harmony between these two is the determining

whether accomplishments could be obtained or not. The subconscious mind must send the c

nals to the body. In case of sports activities, adrenalin is needed at certain points in time.

bconscious mind cannot recognize the need, the power source of the body cannot be tapped.

is is just one of the many scenarios wherein mental training could benefit you as an individua

get to the specific reasons on why you should undergo mental training. Consider the following

It prepares you for future needs : Preparation is key to excelling in a field that you

end up pursuing. Most of these endeavors require a balance of mental toughnes

specific skill mastery. Skills can be learned and developed. It is easy to do thi

mental toughness is something that one could not readily develop most especially if is no specific guide or set of materials available.

It builds your confidence: If you have the right level of confidence, drawing u

results of your training becomes an effortless thing. You have this tendency to choke

face of adversity even if you know you have prepared for it well. The eleme

confidence is what could change the whole scenario. Confidence can be equated

positive mind-set which is always present among winners and achievers.

It gives you the power to plan for both predicted and unforeseen life events : Ho

you deal with sudden announcement of a work evaluation in your office? What is

level of stress towards a regularly scheduled evaluation? Mental training gives yo


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ability to adapt effectively on these scenarios. For unforeseen events that happen, yo

adapt by stepping back and thinking about what you can do. In case of predicted ev

you can plan more effectively on how to get better results. The way people deal

these scenarios make them either winners or losers.

It allows you to focus on what is essential : With the combination of the aspec

readiness that the three previous reasons stated above will give you, focus is form

everything that you will do, you can deal with mistakes well but keep on going fo

accomplishment of the goal that you have set.

you will look at it in a broader perspective, you can generalize that you really have this pow

rease individual mental power. The concept of the “will” in the attainment of goal is no lo

iable. This is because of the fact that psycho-physical researches have revealed that the h

nd really has very specific “trainable” functions. These functions are as follows:

Intellectual function – This includes creative thinking, reasoning, deducing, analy

conceptualizing, introspection, and many others.

Emotional function – This covers our tender, ethical, and religious emotions. Subconscious function – It includes the inner voice that we have, the involu

control over emotions and physical functions.

Organic sensation function – This includes functions that allow us to gather inform

from the environment through the processing of various stimuli and use of sensory organs

e real objective of getting up close and personal with the mind during training is to gather i

ts that one could use better in the future. Every successful individual has mastered the eleme

mind’s function as stated above. It isn’t necessary that you become a genius. The mere fac

u know what you can do and surpass your weaknesses is a big thing already. The level of

nd power as developed in training affects the way that you will achieve success in your own f

s, mental training has the power to change your life. This is a fact that you should stick to t

u have taken the first step by having a curious mindset towards this training. The rest o

apters of this book will give you specific details on how the functions of the mind mentioned a

uld be developed for a better you. Go on and read further!


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Chapter 2

Importance of Self-Belief

lot of movies today have stories that are focused on main characters that have little belief on

y can really do. The flow of events will always be predictable. The main character overc

lings of inferiority and finally believes in what he or she can do. This is where the story bec

citing. Powers are used, abilities get exposed, and success is attained.

tually, this is something that you could apply in your own life. Yes, we are talking about

ief. It is as important as the actual abilities that you have now. Come to think of it; how

portunities did you allow to just pass you by because you are afraid about many possibilities

ling that we cannot do something is a big indication that we have to work on our self-belief.

any career and personality development experts will agree that as a person, you have to p

ur level of confidence and self-belief. These are the elements of personal success. If you belie

re is no doubt that you can achieve it. The doubt that you will entertain is the biggest thing tha

ag you down and make failures happen. Confidence generates a positive form of energy thatbconscious mind will easily detect and use towards the formation of rock solid focus on attain

desired results.

you lose nothing when you fail in your endeavors? Many of us console ourselves by thinkin

thing is really lost. At the current times, this perception can be challenged. We actually lose a

r inner self when we experience failure. Tiny bits of confidence fall off during such scen

hat would matter now is on how we would recover from such failures. Self-confidence is

ll. It is a personal attribute that can be developed overtime with correct guidance.

e increase in your confidence level would also mean an increase of your chances of attarsonal success. It is better for you to look for positive reinforcement than negative ones. The

ople who have succeeded even when surrounded by elements of pessimism. They appa

cused on doing things that would get them tangible positive results. To just step back and let o

tate what you can or cannot do in life is one of the worst things that you should never allo

ppen.

ubting on your capabilities will bring you nowhere. You should remember that change can on

tiated by you. Sometimes, the tendency is to use the words of others as elements that would fu

ions. Dependency on them will just result to a lower level of self-confidence. Don’t allow yobe affected by what others are saying. Some very successful people have this trick of men

ting the line “Nobody will ever make me feel inferior without my permission”. You too can

s tactic whenever you feel doubtful of your capabilities.

w, how will you know that your current level of self-belief needs boosting? Take a look

tements presented below. The number of lines that you can remember that you have said

ermine your current self-belief level. Less is good, of course. Consider the following:

“Can I really finish/do this?”

“There are others who are better than me on this.”


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“If I will say/do this, what are the possible things that people would say about me?”

“I’m just afraid of failing/losing to other people.”

“It seems that success is always evading me.”

e good thing is that self-belief is really something that you can work on even if you don’t exer

effort. There are many approaches on building your level of self-belief. These are as follows:

Collect and discard : The basic technique here is to create a list of all the negati

limiting thoughts that you have. Challenge yourself about each of the entries on the list.

out the ones that you will see as having no real or tangible basis. Better yet, crumple thand throw away the paper. Visualize the limiting thoughts disappearing when you throw

the list.

Take over the inner voice: Most probably, you have those streams of thoughts tha

you about your inability to do specific things. This is your inner voice. Actually, you ha

realize that it is not your voice. It could be the voice of those individuals who gav

feelings of inferiority in the past. It could be the bully in your school, your biased boss

even your family members. When this inner voice gives you negative ideas, challen

immediately. Replace the negative thoughts with a stream of positive and reassuring onethis constantly until your mind does it automatically.

The flipping exercise: This is basically about flipping your negative thought

positive ones. Do you lack belief in your ability to win in a sporting event because you

some experienced competitors? Find the good in the scenario. Think about what you can

by competing against these individuals. The logic here is simple: don’t let negative tho

linger long. Replace it immediately with positive ones. Are you afraid of losing?

visualize that you are going to win and will triumph over your battles.

The superhero exercise: Superheroes are who they are because of their abilities

Flash has extreme speed, Wolverine has fast healing abilities, and Superman has strength. Before you go out each day, make a list of your positive attitudes. Think of the

your “superhero” traits.

The “powerful self” mindset : This is basically about crafting a vision of yo

succeeding on the things that you are aiming to do. Take a moment to relax and close

eyes. Visualize how you are succeeding on a task or goal. This is a learning proces

allows you to build your self-belief.

e whole matter of building self-belief is not that hard if you will go back at the inform

esented on this chapter. You have to believe in yourself to be able to attain the kind of succesu want. By this time, you are probably aware that abilities and luck are not the only ingredie

ccess. The final piece of the puzzle is self-belief!


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Chapter 3

Changing Mental States


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you have been quite observant of things, you will easily notice that the kind and qual

rception that you have of the outside world is determined by what your inner mind would di

t us examine two different scenarios:

CENARIO A: You are in a bad mood. Your heart is beating erratically and you are very sens

what others are saying. Everything seems to go wrong no matter how hard you try to concentra

ing things right. This adds to your frustration level.

CENARIO B: You are in a good mood. You are smiling and you have this confidence that you

almost anything. People around seem to be in sync with you. You finish tasks easily and pro

od output. This adds to your state of happiness.

hat did you notice about these two scenarios? Well, there is no doubt that the mental states you

influencing the course of events happening in your life. When you are in a bad mood, yo

umpy and this is the treatment that you get in return from other people. When you are happy

sitive state of your mind goes on and you continue to get all good things. Your state of mind

ermining point of it all.

w, have you thought about how convenient it would be if you have the power to change yourmind as you like? This is apparently one of the best-kept secrets of those people who

hieved much in the course of their lives. The good news is that this ability to change mental st

mething that could be learned and developed.

you will be able control your state of mind as you wish, you also take control of life and what

throw at you. This proactive control over the state of mind is what makes people get on top of

ir bodies and emotions will function regardless of what is in their environment. Imagine the a

stay positive even when all of the people around you are seemingly trying to drag you down. B

e to change your state of mind to fit into a profile that can achieve things is a great advantage.ll basically have an easier life.

cently, a blogger tried an experiment on mental states with her friends. They were at dinner

d decided that each of them will act out on a specific mental state. The blogger chose the h

ntal state. She just put a big happy smile on her face. Her first friend chose the grumpy mental

is one put an angry frown on her face. The last person at the table just chose to have a n

ntal state. This means that she just acted out normal. They agreed to do this for a few minute

condition that no one would break character.

the minutes passed, the blogger was feeling genuinely happy. She couldn’t keep from gigglinting those happy thoughts. Basically, she was enjoying the moment. The one with a frown o

e felt feelings of irritation and sensitivity. She was getting negative thoughts and interpretin

ppy disposition of her friend as a way to make fun of her. Yes, this one became genuinely gru

e third one who chose to act normally seemed to be affected differently when she approache

ppy and grumpy friends individually. When these three finally broke characters, they were ab

n back to their “original selves” before the experiment began.

w, what did this experiment show us? First of all, it showed that our state of mind really a

r emotions and the way that our bodies would function. Secondly, the things that we choose


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n affect what kind of mental state we can form. Last of all, it proved that we really hav

pability to change our mental state as we please.

w, what really is your state of mind? Based from the information that was presented above

content of your intellect and emotion at a certain period of time. It is either the current dom

otion or way of thinking that you have at the current time. Remember though that your emotion

oughts are linked to each other. On a broader sense, it is the total mental setup that you e

hich affects your actions.

ere are three basic things that have a big influence on this state of mind that you form at spmes. These include your awareness, your ability to shift focus, and the sensitivity of your body

ernal factors currently available. The fact that these things have been identified means that

lly is the big possibility that you can learn to have direct control over it.

eaking the current mental state which is drawing you into a self-destruct mode is easy. Obvio

negative state of mind is something that can be interrupted. It means that to break it, all you ha

is interrupt the flow of the negative feelings and thoughts coming in. For beginners like you

iest and fastest way to do this is to move from one area to another. You can also chang

sition of your body to interrupt the flow of negative mental elements.

hen you have succeeded in doing the interruption, you should aim for the achievement of

els of positive mental state. You could do this by following the steps indicated below:

STEP #1: Step back and be aware of the current thoughts that you have right now.

are you thinking of? Is it about the bad traffic that caused you to be late for school or w

Clear these things away from your mind. Think of it as discarding something off by brea

it away.

STEP #2: The empty space left by the removal of the negative thought shou

replaced with something positive. Try to remember a situation in your life where yo

really empowered. It could be about your graduation from college, the moment you

congratulated upon passing that driver’s test, or when you got your first job. The imp

thing here is that you should think about things that could make you go forward.

STEP #3: Let your body language manifest the positivity that you are feeling. Sta

straight; keep your head held up high, and your shoulders pulled back. You can even put

hands on your hips. This is called as the “winner’s stance”. Hold this position for

minutes while trying to recreate on your mind the empowering scenarios you were in

ought to give you the change in mental state that you are aiming for.

you will look back on the things that were covered on this chapter, it will be easy to see tha

ually have what it takes to have proactive control over your mental state. The steps on devel

s capability might take some efforts on getting used to. However, there is no doubt that those t

lly work!


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Chapter 4

Stress, Fear and Decision-Making


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ne of the most fascinating skills that humans have is decision-making. To be able to determine

want things to end up for us is a complex function that makes us higher types of beings i

rarchy of life. On a personal level, your decision-making skills will be very important. The

ges in your life when big decisions really have to be made. Most of the time, these stages ar

ning point in what you will finally become in the future.

make a decision is seemingly easy. Most of the time, it is just a yes-no scenario. However, i

t that decision-making scares people. This is most especially when they are aware of the

pact of the decision they will make on their lives and the lives of others. To master this life u should have a good level of maturity, a sense of responsibility, and the ability to accept wha

y be the outcome of your decisions.

cording to research, there are two big factors that could influence the decision-making capa

individuals. These are stress and fear. While decision-making resources and help are

tainable these days, developing such a life skill will never be a walk in the park when the fa

ove are in play. What then can you do about this? Experts are pointing out that you ha

derstand stress and fear and the individual effect of each on decision-making. Through this

ll gain an awareness of how you could overcome such factors and improve your decision-mpability.

1. Stress and decision-making

Have you observed your response to stressful situations? Have you seen how others

reacted to the same scenario? We all differ in terms of dealing with such things.

decisions made by each individual will differ based on their tolerance level to stress.

are individuals who are equipped with a naturally elevated level of stress tolerance

maintain their focus and c0mposure even when in hostile environments. However, major

us are not that gifted when it comes to stress tolerance. We tend to immediately give in teasy way of breaking down and making bad decisions.

Is there a scientific explanation for this nature of ours? Actually, the whole thing cou

traced to the primitive tendencies that we have. There are parts in the brain that are

designed towards actions aimed at self-preservation. This means that even if we wi

think much of an action, our body will naturally choose the best one that will lead to surv

Under stressful conditions, the part of the human brain which has this primitive function

take over. Yes, we still have that part of the brain which is more concerned with the loor thinking process. However, when the “fight or flee” tendencies of the brain take over

logical part easily gives way. At the current times, those decisions or actions that we

make without much thought could always put us in trouble.

The bottom line here is that when you are exposed to stress, your decision–making capa

is compromised. It is easy to give in to your impulses and make decisions that you will

later on in life. It is in here where the concept and practice of impulse-control will hel

much.


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2. Fear and decision-making

Another factor that affects our decision-making capability as stated above is fear. Sinc

factor is a very broad topic to discuss, we shall focus on what really matters in your cu

needs. Yes, we are talking about your fear of failure when faced with task of maki

decision about something. This is actually what has been keeping people from achieving

goals. Even successful people will agree that early on in their lives, their fear of failur

there. It is only upon dealing with this fear that they actually got the courage to take risk

make effective life decisions.

If you are aiming to deal with fear of failure then you have to “dissect” it. It means tha

have to trace its origin and understand what really is causing it. Actually, there are m

possible causes of fear of failure. It could be about the way you are raised, the c

environment that you are in, or even the experience of a traumatic event. Accordin

experts, fear of failure is actually just a matter of perspective.

In the face of failure, you can choose how you will look at it. You can let it go and trea

failure as an opportunity to fix your weaknesses. Alternatively, you can treat it as blunder on your capabilities and a cause for blame, sadness, and the feeling of being a

Can you see the big difference on how you will choose the way of dealing with failures?

There are of course ways on which you can overcome fear of failure and eventually be

better at decision making. Consider the following:

Analyze and list down all possible outcomes of your decision. This way yo

see that even if there are possibilities of failure, there will always be room

positive outcomes.

Use your skill in changing mental states. Always aim to be positive. Think about the worst thing that could happen out of your decision. This mig

be logical but it actually helps you rationalize your fear. Upon analysis, you

even end up realizing that the worst is actually not that bad and you could deal w

effectively.

Always back up your plans. A contingency plan or plan B for everything

ensure that you will have ways of turning things around in case your first dec

gives out unwanted results.

Always prioritize your actual goals. When you are totally motivated to acyour goals, this fuels you up to take risks and not mind the little failures or mis

that come with it.

ess and fear leads to impaired decision-making. However, you can turn this around. By d

th stress before it even begins to show up, you can rise up against the obstacles to effe

cision making. When it comes to fear, it should be used in balanced way. Weigh the reason for

r and the actual need you have to make a specific decision. Never let fear limit you from achi

ur goals.

ere is no need to overthink on how we will make daily decisions. Actually, there are only 5


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t you should follow when it comes to this matter. Remember that these tips will only be use

u have already taken proactive control over your stress and fear. Consider the following:

Go for “satisficing” rather than maximizing. This is a psychological term that ind

being happy over an adequate instead of an optimal solution. If you are a “satisficer” yo

make decisions once your criteria are met. If you are a “maximizer”, you will only m

decision once all other options are examined even if your criteria have been met already

When making snap decisions, choose the one that will best fit the situation and wher

will benefit the most. As an example, take a scenario wherein you found your spouse gafor breath and is obviously choking on an object. The first option that you have inv

taking him to an EMT headquarters with people you are not familiar with which is ju

minutes away. The second option is to take him to a hospital which is 30 minutes awa

with doctors you knew personally. It is a sure thing that you’ll choose the nearest one

disregard the other factors. You made the decision in a snap without having t0 think m

about it.

When familiar problems arise, you should follow your expert intuition (formed th

experience). This is not applicable though when it comes to decision-making scenario

require more research and factors to consider. Use the experience of others as one of the guiding lights in your decision-making pro

There is nothing wrong in consulting others. It will help you deal with stress and fear

effectively when it comes to decision-making.

Don’t get too involved on making a decision unless you have proven that it is wor

your troubles. The best approach here is to evaluate the value or meaningfulness o

decision that you will make. If it is really not that big, don’t fuss much over it and just

the decision.


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Chapter 5

Controlling Your Physiology

ysiology is something that would really need attention when you are trying to perfect the sk

anging mental states (covered in Chapter 3). Don’t worry as we will not talk about medical

this part of the book. Now, what is physiology when it comes to the topic of mental training? L

e the layman’s approach in explaining this.

n you remember those moments when you are feeling ecstatic with joy? Have you observed

ur body is moving? Take note of the gestures that you were using or exhibiting during those t

ter this, try to recall some of the lowest points in your life. Again, take note of the conditions o

ecific parts of your body. Are you frowning, crossing your arms, or even looking down?

s okay to remember one or two of the physiological conditions of your body during each of

ecific scenarios as you might not recall all. You are missing out on the potential to unlock

otional creativity if you have continuously ignored the link between your mind and the bysiology. Yes, you’ve read it right; the physiology and mind are linked! It is through this lin

t one could ultimately gain complete proactive control over mental states.

e link between these two is so strong that even a slight change in one could have tangible effe

other. Physiology is seen through any or all of the following:

Body movements (running, standing up, flexing of muscles, etc.)

Gestures that come with declaration of emotions (putting hands on hips, crossing fin

raising of eyebrows, etc.)

Posture (erect, leaned forward, slopping backwards, etc.)

Eye focus (staring at nothing, initiating eye contact, looking down, etc.)

Breathing (rapid, shallow, deep, etc.)

Muscle tension (tensed or relaxed)

Facial expression (frowning, smiling, etc.)

Hand and feet position (crossed, at normal position, open, etc.)

e cannot deny that a lot of experts are already agreeing on the fact that the connection between

d body really exists. Now what is in it for us? The answer here is simple. We could control these to influence the other. It means that in the process, we can have control over our action

the advanced level of our skill, we can even influence others.

ost probably, you already know what you want and what traits or body physiologies are need

ain specific mental states. You can move on to the task of writing your own physiological re

is recipe is what you will use whenever you want to shift to a certain mental state when a situ

ems it necessary. The steps are as follows:

1. Selection of an empowering trait: This is any positive trait that you have identifi


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needed in specific fields of endeavor that you might undertake. It could be persis

joyful disposition, punctuality, and many others. Select one and set this aside for the

step.

2. Physiological state recall: You will need to think back on the specific instances o

wherein the empowering trait you have identified was manifested. Take note o

gestures, feelings, and other physiological manifestations of the said trait.

3. Physiology adjustment: While you are doing step #2, you can slowly proceed wit

next step. As you recall the manifestations of those traits mentioned above, t

duplicate each by adjusting your current physiology. You might feel or even look w by doing this but this is the only way that the adjustment will work. If you were bre

hard as you remember, do it now. If you were standing like you were a boss during

times, replicate the stance now. Slowly feel your emotion change. It is necessary tha

create a strong psychological reminder of how your physiological changes are init

the shift in your emotions and mental state.

4. Reinforcement of the physiological recipe: The key here is practice. You will

have to anchor in the habit that you will form through practice. There must be a s

that you will initiate once you have felt that you have reached the peak mental leveyou are aiming for. A good example is a gentle tug at your earlobes. By doing the

presented on this chapter, you will see the habit getting reinforced on a stronger leve

n the previous page, we mentioned that by using your body physiology effectively, you can

luence others. A very good example is on the way that we present our posture. As a bonus fo

apter, the following tips could be used when you want to make use of your posture

ysiological tool to influence others during a conversation:

Lean forward towards the person with whom you are talking with. The forward le posture is an aggressive stance that conveys a message that you are really sure about wha

are saying and that you intend to get what you want. This could overwhelm the other p

which may lead him to agree on what you are saying. On the other hand, this is also som

that could trigger a sense of intimidation which will scare off others.

Lean or slouch back when having a conversation with someone. This conveys a me

of submissiveness. It means that you are willing to listen. It could also send a messag

you are being intimidated by the person you are talking with.

Erect or “neutral posture” is displayed when you are in a conversation. This is a sself-confidence and a balanced type of personality. People see this posture as a sign

leader who has maturity and readiness to deal with people.

e tips mentioned above just cover a single aspect of the use of your physiology. You will m

ore when you explore and see the effects of your physiology on your mental state and of

ople’s state.

w that you know how to deal with your physiology, let us move to an advanced type of m

te…the mind of winners!


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Chapter 6

Mind of a Winner

you know what people like Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Tiger Woods h

mmon? Yes, they are very successful in the career paths they have chosen to pursue. People

ve interviewed them in the past or have studied their lives easily notice that they have this po

ra that surrounds them. It is easy to talk with each of them and get inspired by their words. A

m started out as normal individuals but through the years of their hard work, their successes

e after another.

u will probably wonder if these successful people have a different kind of mindset that a

m to be winners. Based on hard data provided by many researchers, there really exists a “win

ndset”. This is what separates them from many others who are forever trying to succeed in

dividual undertakings.

you will observe highly successful people in their daily lives, it will be easy to spo

aracteristics that make them winners. They have their sources of motivation, the will to perse

d the consistency in doing what they do best. The goals that we have may differ from others

pears that with a strong mindset, strategies and actions could be formulated with ease.

w, what makes up the mind of winners? Actually, it will be easier to understand this now tha

literature has been published about it. It is better to look at it as composed of several elemen

power a person from within. These elements are as follows:

Confidence about dreams and abilities: This is an individual’s belief about his odreams and the ability to make it all come true. There are evidences that this confid

actually gets developed through experience. The more that you have tried and seen

far you can really go the more that you will know what you can actually achieve.

Flexibility and willingness to acquire new knowledge: The most successful p

know that their approaches on goal achievement are not permanent. It could ch

depending on what they learn along the way. The mind of a winner is willing to be

new rules and ways of achieving success. They would make use of what they learn

others in their field of endeavor. Their minds are focused on the methods that produce the desired results. They are open to trial and error learning and are gen

risk-takers.

Determination plus persistence: A determined mind which is combined w

persistent approach towards the achievement of a goal will always lead to po

results. This is of course regardless of the time that will be spent for the said matter

consistent drive on doing the same thing even if failures are experienced over and

again leads to learning. This is what makes an individual even wiser every time a “r

of efforts happens. Ultimately, success is achieved at the end.

Concentration: A winner’s mind doesn’t allow little distractions to get in the w


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doing things towards the achievement of a goal. Yes, there are many external factor

could take the attention of an individual away from a specific goal. However, the sk

getting back on track will matter most here. Call it concentration, focus, or just stub

desire to get what is wanted but the bottom line here is that it really gets positive res

ke a quick look at your current mindset today. Has it been receptive to the elements that w

ow you to become successful? Are there elements in your mind that have always been getti

ur way towards success? Of course, it is only you who can bring about changes to your curren

mindset. Are there ways on which you can develop a winner’s mind? The answer here is a bignsider doing the following:

Approach everything with a positive attitude: This might take some getting used

this is a technique that really works. People around you might throw in some tal

negativity. Make sure that you acknowledge what they are saying then discard the nega

and replace it all with positive thoughts. Remember that a winner’s mind doesn’t den

presence of negativity. The negativity is just a reminder that it has an opposite side w

will be worth summoning at the right moment.

Have a clear picture of what you want and really ask for it . Success is based oenergy that we generate and how we let the universe sense it. Unless you are truly sp

about what you are aiming to achieve, nothing can really be expected. Determine your

and work out its specific details on your mind. This way, the energy that you release t

universe will be very specific and what you will receive in return (energy) wou

designed specifically for the attainment of what you want.

Build your self-trust : Trusting in your capabilities is necessary in also building u

capability to fight off the negative inner voice within your mind. The best approach here

set small goals that you designed to be really attainable. As you attain positive results

build that level of trust that you have for yourself. Remind yourself of your goals: This will always keep you on track of what yo

really supposed to do each day. The best way to start the day is to look at the li

reminders that you have prepared in advance. The trick that some people use is to post

reminders in places where they are most likely to see it. It could be on your bathroom m

the outer corner of your laptop’s monitor, and even the doorknob. These reminders emp

your mind to really strive on pushing your body to do things for the attainment of your go

Reward yourself for progress being made. Don’t focus on perfection. The mere fac

you are making progress on your current endeavor means that what you are doing matters. Are you aiming to be among the top 5 graduates of your class? If at the end of th

semester, you have already climbed up to the 6 th or 7th place from a much lower rank, ju

glad for it. Don’t forget to praise yourself for such a progress. No matter how little

progress is; there should be no reason why you shouldn’t reward yourself. Winner

always appreciative of even those small victories they earn. Try doing it and you’ll see

things will seem to go right for you.

Find people who will be supportive of your endeavors: These people will form

support system. These are people who will remind you, give you encouragement, an

happy about the progress that you are making. They might not be very successful in their


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fields but the amount of positivity that they can add to your life can create a ton of diffe

on your aim to be successful.

winner’s mind is not that complicated to develop. You just need to tap the right resources, us

ost effective methods, and of course allow other people to help you. When you have a wi

ndset, many good things start happening. Remember that only you can get this done.

t us now wrap up this chapter with a challenge. Do you really have what it takes to be a winn

ur answer is yes, then you have got to prove it to yourself. Can you start doing this today?


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Chapter 7

Memory Improvement

ental power has always been associated with memory. A sharp memory is needed not on

ademics but also in many aspects of life. When you go out shopping, create inventories, mee

ople, and do business transactions, you rely on the sharpness of your memory. It is easy to

uble without a good memory. What if you cannot remember where you parked your car, your

welry safe’s combination, or the name of the person who is about to interview you for a crucia

omotion? These are just some of the many scenarios that could go wrong if you don’t h

mory that is working at peak levels.

cause of the fact that memory is a fundamental function of the human brain, there is no doub

u can develop it. Yes, you can even train for an improved and sharper memory! There are m

proaches that can be used for this matter. Of course, the diversity of these approaches ca

ributed to the different purposes that people might have when it comes to their need for me

provement. Some people want to become better at their academic performance. Others wa

unteract the effects of an aging brain. There are few who would pursue memory improvemen

cause they want to impress others.

matter what your purpose is; you have to make sure that you will really prepare and finish

u will start when it comes to memory improvement. Are you ready to learn what you can do t

ur memory sharp? Read through and follow the tips found below:

1. Balance sleep and exercise: The reason for this is that if you will keep your brai

body active, you will need to give it a rest too. Exercise is good for the brain

improves total circulation of blood in it. However, the rest or sleep periods give itto recover for the stress that it has received during workout sessions. Have you no

your memory level getting really low just because you haven’t had enough sleep?

concepts discussed above explain it all. Sleep has also been proven as an effective

of consolidating new learning which is more of a reason to sleep off the mental fa

you will feel after long hours of study sessions.

2. Socialize and provide room for recreational activities: There are scientific p

which show that socializing and doing fun activities with people that we lov

cognitive benefits for us. This is if it will be compared to the option of just stayi

home and watching the TV all day or answering those crossword puzzles. People

have maintained healthy relationships are those that experienced slowest rates of me

decline as they aged up. This is what one research revealed. When we interact

people, we laugh, learn, and stay positive. This is what promotes better brain ac

which is of course a form of exercise for it.

3. Keep your brain active: According to the principles of neuroplasticity, the brain c

compared to a muscle that needs constant activity to be in top shape. Aside from

constant “rewiring” of the neural pathways that happen within it, there are also

activities that happen inside the brain when we learn new things through m


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exercises. Analysis, organization, storage, and use of information are just some

aspects of your brain’s capability that get boosted up through mental training. The

training activities that you will choose to do need not be complicated. As long as it m

three important criteria, it would be enough. These criteria could be summed up

acronym “NCF” which means new, challenging, and fun. There are also tips that yo

use if you are on your way to sharpening up the current memory level that you

These are as follows:

Use mnemonic devices – These are tools or systems that help you reme

information and concepts with ease. The most popular mnemonic devices theseare: visual imagery, acrostic, rhymes, acronym, method of loci, and chunking.

Always pay enough attention to what you need to remember -This mean

you will have to “imprint” it into your brain. This involves mentally attempti

record what you will gather in with your senses.

Use as many senses as possible - With an increased number of sense o

involved in the process of remembering, there is a greater chance that the inform

will be retained with greater effectiveness.

Link new learning with old learning – This is a good way to keep your active. Finding connections between new and old learning will reinforce me

positively. This is a fact that is supported by neuroplasticity concepts.

Start with basic ideas and move up to the ladder of complexity when tryi

understand unfamiliar things – This way; it will be easy for your memory to pr

information. This is applicable when you are exploring numerous new thing

there is little time provided for in-depth learning.

Use simple memory and learning tricks and hacks – When you need to

new things and retain as much information as possible over long periods of

there are useful tricks and hacks that could be used. Some of the best and simplthese include repetition, organization of information, visualization, cueing

grouping of memory chunks.

4. Feed your brain with the right nutrients: Yes, there are nutrients that specifi

benefit the brain and its neural pathways. These include Omega-3s, resveratrol, s

and complex carbohydrates, and unsaturated fatty acids. Focus on consuming oily

nuts, fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts of red wine, and green tea, and or

daily and poultry products.

tually, the aspect of memory improvement and brain training is a very broad one. There are tors to consider when it comes to effective boosting of memory. This chapter has presented

th the most basic ways of getting significant results from your aim of improving memory. You

ed to explore more in order to really get to know what works best for you. Mental training

about developing a tough mind. It is also about developing a mind that can maximize its abil

member and use learning according to the call of situation.

nce brain training has been mentioned once or twice in this chapter, you are probably interest

owing how it works and what benefits you could get from it. The succeeding chapter will co

for you.


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Chapter 8

Brain Training Strategies


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ople always make the mistake of believing that memory and brain training are just the

tually, the truth is that brain training is broader and memory improvement is just a part of its

pects. If you have seen the 2014 movie “Lucy” you are most probably aware of the concept of

ny percent of brain power humans can use maximally. Yes, according to conventional wisdom

ust 10 percent. Of course, this percentage is already what we are using when we are perform

r perceived best levels. We tend to use less brain power when we are doing our normal

ivities.

w, is it really possible to train the brain and tap into the higher percentages of its power? W

movie mentioned above has a fictional theme, there are actually some facts mentioned in i

pport brain training concepts. The best one is all about the plasticity of the brain which exp

hy there are some of us who excel more than others in specific areas of interest when the

nificant exposure to relevant activities.

t us cut to the chase and move on immediately to the strategies on how you can train your

is training is of course aimed at making your memory, learning efficiency, and overall m

pacity better. Since we are talking about putting the brain on a workout or exercise routine, w

mit the discussion to the simplest but most effective strategies. These are as follows:

Give your brain a much-needed workout . Just like a muscle, it will lose its tone

not kept active for specific periods of time. The key here is to keep challenging the brai

things that will require it to work hard. There is nothing wrong on answering pu

However, it is better to do activities that will involve the coordination of the entire bod

the brain. Instead of sitting down all day and answering those Sudoku puzzles, try joggin

finding alternative routes for going home. Instead of just saying a simple “hi” to a friend,

his or her name too. These simple routines will give your brain its much-needed workou

Find different ways of doing the same task . This is actually a neuroplasticity tech

that proves to be very effective in improving brain power. Have you ever heard of the

“kill a cat in six different ways”? Well, funny as it may seem, it has an implication on

you are supposed to train your brain. Try to design different ways of solving a pro

Always do this and it will become a habit for you. No wonder chess players are the

seen as smart people! Yes, they can explore different moves on their minds and come up

the same result: winning. In your case, apply this strategy first in the daily chores that yo

doing. Move up to your academics or other areas of application when you are alfamiliar with the process. In how many ways can you clean your porch without us

vacuum cleaner? What are the possible routes that you can take to reach your condo unit

6th floor? What steps can be modified in order to solve the chemical equation bala

problem that your professor gave you. These are just some of the simplest examples on

you can use this strategy.

Learn new things regularly: Learning something new pushes the brain to fun

differently. A new language, music, dance step, or a way of writing could open up new n

pathways in the brain. There will always be room for these new pathways and the mor

you have these; the better your brain becomes. You don’t have to sign up for short


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courses or trainings. The task could be as simple as learning a new word or definition

day. The bottom line here is that you shouldn’t allow your brain to have long pa

moments during the hours when you are supposed to be awake.

Teach yourself : Instead of simply recalling information or those steps that are need

finishing something, act as if you are teaching yourself. You have your inner voice, right

it to “teach” yourself how to do things. Through this, you will recall more informatio

understand previously learned concepts more clearly. Make this a regular routine and

will surely see how your brain power is improving.

Practice basic math and language skills everyday: Prepare some basic math

language problem worksheets in advance. Try to solve at least one problem each day b

you go on with your daily activities. This will keep your brain always active and in sha

will also reduce your reliance on calculators and language apps.

Get familiar with your brain’s abilities and work out on weaknesses that you

identify: You cannot develop what you don’t have. However, you must know first wha

have. Do you have low level grammar and spelling skills? You can focus more of

attention on building up this ability of your brain. By simply acknowledging your weakn

you are opening up rooms for improvement. Your efforts will have a clearer directionnone of your actions will be wasted.

Maximize the use of modern brain training technologies and systems. There ar

online resources and apps that could be accessed now when you need help on brain trai

Examples include Lumosity, Wikipedia: Random, Mad Math Minute, and many more.

are also downloadable apps that can be installed on your mobile device. Use these t

when you have those idle times at work or while you are commuting to work.

e strategies of brain training mentioned on this chapter are just some of the many ones prov

ve positive results. You need to have a strong determination to acquire the best possible reere is no such thing as a shortcut to an improved brain power. Good amounts of time and

ust be allocated in order to really get what you want in terms of your brain’s capabilities.


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Chapter 9

The Focused State - Improving Concentration

ne of the many characteristics of successful people is their capability to achieve and maintain a

el of focused state. Yes, this is referred to as concentration which is always linked to sup

ysical and mental performance in almost any field. The following story will illustrate an exa

how this focused state was used:

here was an individual who was popular for his speed in getting essays done. What is surpr

that he can do these essays no matter where he is. One day, in a crowded and noisy room

s seen by his colleagues busy on his laptop and is apparently writing one of those 10-m

ays he is so famous for. They noticed that upon finishing his work, he removed his earph

ich he was always wearing when doing essays. One of his friends tried it on out of curiosit

s shocked to discover that this writer was listening to rock music at eardrum-busting vol

hen asked for an explanation, the writer simply said that this high volume music allows h

er out the many distractions around him and focus on his goal only: writing about any signed to him.”

e individual mentioned in the story above might have employed a very weird techniq

hieving a focused state. However, the technique was very effective for the attainment of his go

r current time, there are really many forms of distractions that will always be strong enough t

out of focus. The human brain could easily get distracted because it is linked to more than o

ose senses.

lot of us don’t realize that the ability to focus is a skill that can be learned, honed, and effec

orporated to other mental skills that are necessary for the attainment of success. A focused

uld give you the following benefits:

Proactive control of the mind and its specific states.

Attainment of inner peace.

Freedom from negative and limiting thoughts.

Improved memory level.

Improved study and thinking skills.

Ability to focus inner energy to tasks at hand. Efficiency at work.

Increased intuition or “gut feeling” accuracy.

order to really understand and gain the capacity to plan out how you can improve

ncentration, it is necessary that you study first its 4 main components. These are the following:

1. Width: This pertains to the source of information that you might end up getting

specific circumstances. It could be broad and numerous but what matters is tha

attention could be given only for those relevant ones. You can practice shifting

attention from a broad source to a specific one and vice versa. Do this continuousl


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you will be able to gain the skill to discard distracting thoughts and stay with the

that really matters.

2. Direction: We are referring to the direction of your focus on specific situations. T

are instances wherein the internal focus is stabilized by filtering out elements co

from external sources. This is what the writer in the story above apparently did. Yo

exercise on changing the direction of your focus rapidly and then try to keep it on a s

object or thought. This is how concentration is improved using this element.

3. Intensity: The quality of focus/attention you are giving to a thought or object is ref

to as intensity. The exercise here is easy. Focus your attention on a thought or mimage; increase the intensity of attention by taking note of very specific details

example, if you are thinking about a ball, zoom on its surface. Take note of its colo

texture of its surface, how it bounces on and off when hitting the floor, and how hea

is. After this, allow your mind to wander off a bit. When you notice that the qual

your focus on the thought is fading, zoom on it again. Do this exercise repeatedly

you gain the ability to control the level of intensity of focus you can allocate to thoug

4. Duration: This is the length of time that you focus your attention to a thought or m

image. Of course, the said length is combined with a specific intensity of focus. Younotice that there is a limit on how long you can sustain each specific level of focus. A

example, you can only maintain high intensity focus for a short duration of time. T

because mental fatigue will set in. This is a good thing though as you will h

determining point to track your progress. The best exercise for strengthening this ele

is to shift focus between thoughts and objects at varying time frames. Let go of your

when you feel mental fatigue starting to set in. Do these continuously over many

You will notice that your mental endurance and total focus time are both increasing.

doing the exercises described above, you will be able to slowly but surely boost ncentration skills. Having a focused mental state is an important thing if you want to be a win

ur undertakings and goals in life.


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Chapter 10

Critical Thinking and Reasoning Skills Improvement

hat are the ultimate mental skills that you should aim to develop? Well, the title says it all.

u’ve got to have good critical thinking and reasoning skills. For the purpose of getting

ganized, we will focus mainly on critical thinking because reasoning is just a part of it. Cr

nking is a broad area of our mental ability composed of skill subsets such as interpr

alyzing, reasoning, and evaluating.

hat makes critical thinking so important for us these days? Actually, if you are in the fie

ucation, law, finance, management, and research, you will have great use for critical thinking s

wever, don’t be mistaken about critical thinking as an area or field-dependent skill. No m

hat your career path is or what kind of purpose you have, critical thinking will always be a life

t you cannot go on without.

everything we do, it is necessary that we are able to think clearly and rationally. This abilityet for an individual who wish to succeed in every endeavor he or she will undertake. Cr

nking skill, at the modern times, is important for the following reasons:

The current information technology age requires a lot of intellectual skills from pe

Changes are happening fast and we must keep up with it.

Language as well as presentation skills can be enhanced by critical thinking. Onc

start thinking clearly, you can get creative with ideas. Of course, your comprehe

capability is improved too.

You will gain the ability for self-reflection when your critical thinking skills are set.

means that you also become independent.

Critical thinking acts as the foundation of new learning.

st like other mental skills covered in this book, critical thinking can also be learned and devel

e steps on doing this are actually simple and easy to follow. These are enumerated below:

1. Boosting up your questioning skills.

a. If you have assumptions about things, attempt to question its validity. Through this, you be able to uncover a lot of facts and myths. Not all of your assumptions are based on

evidence. Most of the time, it is all about what you choose to believe in.

b. Question the information coming from authorities. This means that you will have to do

own fact checking. It is our tendency to immediately accept a set of information as tru

because it comes from a well-known source.

c. Ask a lot of questions about everything : It will challenge your mind to exert more eff

working and trying to figure out answers. Do you know how magicians levitate? What

composes lightning? What scientific principle could prove that ghosts are true? Thes

just some examples of questions that you could ask and try to find answers for. The proc


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you will use to look for answers actually boost up your questioning and critical thi

skills.

2. Mental perspective adjustment

a. Look inside yourself and see how your biases towards things or issues are formed

awareness of these bias sources is essential for your ability to gain control over it whe

need to think clearly and rationally.

b. Always have a plan for the future. To put it in simpler words, you have to think ahe

all times. One or two moves ahead are the standard among successful people. Whenanticipate things, you use your brain’s skills to plan and get the results that you want.

c . Read through great pieces of literature . Research is important. Bulk up on

knowledge even if you feel that you are already full of it.

d. Explore the perspective of other people. This means that before making decisions,

think in various perspectives. Put yourself in the shoes of others and you will gain even

knowledge.

e. Design and undergo a mental training. It can be a simple routine that will consume o

bit of your time per day. Set aside time for mind games, physical exercise, and proper ehabits.

3. Application of learning

a. Gather in and examine all of your options when faced with a decision-making task. A

the principles and concepts you learned from #1 and #2. You’ll end up with the best sol

and you have exercised your brain’s capability for critical thinking.

b . Mingle with the experts. You will learn a lot from those people whom you know

smarter and more successful than you at the current times.

c. Keep on going even if you encounter failures. This means that to develop critical thiskills, you must know and feel how it is to be on the losing and winning sides. Treat fa

as opportunities to learn and success as an indicator of the effectiveness of your efforts.

hen you are thinking critically and use reason to a high level, a whole new world of opportu

ens up. Never give up on your efforts to develop these mental skills. It will all be worth it

d.


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Chapter 11

Bonus AFQ's - Brain and Mental Power Interesting Facts,

Curiosities

e human brain and mental power are two things that have always fascinated researcher

dinary people alike. Because of this, a lot of literature which highlights facts about this topic c

und out there today. Some of these which are worthy of attention from curious minds are ow:

Each brain cell or neuron has a gigantic amount of storage space. A single neuro

store as much information as your typical encyclopedia set! This is how powerful the br

in terms of capacity to store information.

The human brain is more active when you are asleep. This might seem incorrect sin

consume more energy on moving around. However, research data and brain wave re

show that the greatest levels of activity become apparent when the body is in a state of sl

A person’s mental power is increased when he or she is asleep. This is becaussubconscious mind kicks in without the interference of external distractors. One’s creat

critical thinking, and proactive mental state control are all used with ease when in su

condition.

The mental power of a person can be reset or rewired. This is according to the princ

of neuroplasticity. However, sufficient training and use of relevant materials are neede

one to be able to do this independently.

Brain size and intelligence hasn’t yet been totally linked. Scientists and researche

still divided on this issue. Albert Einstein’s brain was significantly smaller than the stahuman brain. However, some research results suggest that intelligence increases with

size.

The mind is really so powerful that it has the ability to give a person complete co

over what happens in a dream. The state of lucid dreaming is what is being referred to.

do you realize that the movie “Inception” really has a factual basis for its story? Way

Leonardo diCaprio!

Men and women each have unique brain advantages. For instance, a man’s brain is

larger than those of women’s. This could mean that they could store more information

lose memory power more slowly as they age. However, women have more n

connections between each of their neurons. This means faster information processing

ability to do a lot of things in varied ways.

Your brain actually runs on electricity. This is seen on the action or mechanism of

neurotransmitters work. In fact, there is enough electricity in the brain to power a 10

light bulb!

Signals between neurons are transmitted at a speed of 170 mph. This explains wh

can respond quickly to stimulus.


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Conclusion

nce again, thank you for downloading a copy of this book “ Mental Training for Powerful Cha

th the amount of learning that you have acquired, it is a sure thing that you are now ready to m

ange in your life. The lessons, concepts, tips, and tricks that were presented to you in each ch

probably waiting to be applied to real life scenarios.

u should take the next step and start putting together those plans on how you will go throughur mental training. Let your desire for positive changes, motivation to achieve success

ppiness, and challenges present in life get you through the training.

s hoped that this book have provided you with the tools that you need in order to lead a cont

d self-fulfilled life.

you know someone who will benefit well from the use of lessons that are presented on this boo

nd enough to share it. You can also recommend that they get a copy of this book from my page.

ur comments, testimonials, and recommendations about this book will be highly appreciated.

od luck and more power!

Please take a minute to leave a review on Amazon and let me know if You have learned from this book. I always w

hear from my readers’ lifestyle and know how their lifestyle improved.

Thanks!

Jakub Dab

Click Here To Send Me An E-mail

mailto:[email protected]


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