By Troy Vincent
NFL Player Engagement
“Thought and character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstances; the outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state.” ~ As a Man Thinketh, James Allen
If you aren’t familiar with James Allen’s book “As a Man Thinketh,” I highly recommend that you take a few minutes during this off-season to read it. It’s a small, unassuming book that was written well over a hundred years ago yet remains more relevant than ever and continues to inspire the millions who have read it.
As a student-athlete, your thinking – as in what your mind and heart focus on – ultimately determines the outcome of your day, your week, your season, and your life. As Allen says, what you think about becomes who you are; your thinking is your character.
As student-athletes you already know that your actions and the decisions you make on the field and in your school community show others the depth of your integrity and serve as a window into your overall character.
Essentially, your thoughts feed into your own internal playbook and what you focus on and think about ultimately become the plays you run.
Allen strongly believes that positive thinking can and does alter our life. I know that to be true. It can impact and improve your game, your health and well-being, scholastic achievement and yes, it can dramatically change your life. He believes that what we think about comes about; that there is a true cause and effect that result from positive thinking.
An important line within his book is, “Men do not attract what they want; but that which they are.” What I believe he is saying here is that we all must start with our own thinking in order to achieve excellence on the field, in the classroom and just as importantly, in our relationships with others.
The way we approach every aspect of our life begins with our own thinking; our own personal take on what is happening around us and before us. James Allen believed that “man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment and destiny.”
These are powerful words to think about during the off-season. Give it some thought. It will be time well spent. By changing the way you think, you may just change your life!