This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "How Champions Think" by Bob Rotella. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Do you want to become exceptional? How can you adopt a positive self-image?
In How Champions Think, Bob Rotella writes to become exceptional, you must change how you view yourself by adopting a positive self-image. He explains that how you view your abilities affects how successful you’ll become.
Discover how to empower yourself by developing a positive self-image.
Adopt a Positive Self-Image
Rotella writes that your mindset can either hold you back or empower you to further your skills, overcome difficulties, and achieve ambitious goals.
(Shortform note: Rotella argues that a positive self-image is pivotal for success, but why exactly do you view yourself the way you do? In Psycho-Cybernetics, Maxwell Maltz explains that your self-image is how you think about every experience you’ve had in your life. For example, if you win an award, you might feel proud or you might feel guilty that you didn’t deserve it. Which of these two reactions you have is largely influenced by the opinions and beliefs of others, especially when you were young, Maltz writes. However, Maltz asserts that your self-image is subjective—it isn’t a reflection of objective reality, and you can change it to be more positive by practicing techniques that challenge you to think differently about yourself.)
Specifically, he says that champions choose to be optimistic, develop their confidence in their abilities, and overcome self-imposed limits. We’ll discuss these specific attributes and how to develop them.
1. Choose to Be Optimistic
According to Rotella, champions excel because they choose to be optimistic: They remain hopeful and expect positive outcomes even when faced with challenges or uncertainty. He explains that optimism doesn’t guarantee success, but pessimism almost always leads to failure. Imagine, for instance, that you have to give a public speech. If you’re pessimistic and believe that things will go wrong, you’ll likely freeze and panic if you forget what to say. Conversely, if you trust that your preparation and training will pay off, you’re more likely to relax, take a brief pause to recall your point, and resume your speech smoothly.
You might think that people are naturally optimistic or pessimistic, but Rotella argues that optimism can be learned. One way you can improve your optimism is by strengthening your belief in your ability to achieve your goals. To do this, find role models who’ve overcome struggles similar to yours or who’ve come from a similar background, and who’ve accomplished what you aspire to do despite those challenges. This will help you see that your dreams are achievable because if someone else, particularly someone who’s faced similar challenges, was able to succeed, you’ll develop the faith that you, too, can achieve your goals.
2. Develop Your Confidence
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Here's what you'll find in our full How Champions Think summary:
- The secret to how some people can achieve extraordinary success
- The shared mindset that sets champions apart from average people
- How you can master skills, learn from challenges, and reach your goals
