Anybody use positive affirmations and visualisation in cricket?

[AlanJLegend]

It's absolutely magic!

The other day I was in the nets with a friend. I was attempting to bowl off-spin and failing miserably. About half of my balls were waist-high, legside full tosses, with the rest being predominantly short-pitched garbage and legside wides with the very occasional ball landing in a good area. It was frustrating and disheartening.

Today we were in the nets again. I began bowling, and the same thing happened. Waist-high full tosses and more tripe. But then I decided to implement something which had previously given me success in bowling of the ten-pin variety. As I walked in to bowl, I not only looked at where I wanted the ball to land but also visualised it landing there. I also repeated to myself "I give it flight and bowl around off stump, I give it flight and bowl around off stump...". As by magic, I started landing it better. There were still some short balls and legside wides, but practically no waist-high full tosses and drivel like that. I would say that I went from landing 1/10 balls in a decent area to about 7/10 without making any conscious change to my technique. Obviously I still need to work on my consistency, but that will come with practice.

If anybody has never tried visualisation and repeating positive affirmations in your head, you really need to give it a go. I cannot explain how it works, but it does!

 

[Hurricane]

It's absolutely magic!

The other day I was in the nets with a friend. I was attempting to bowl off-spin and failing miserably. About half of my balls were waist-high, legside full tosses, with the rest being predominantly short-pitched garbage and legside wides with the very occasional ball landing in a good area. It was frustrating and disheartening.

Today we were in the nets again. I began bowling, and the same thing happened. Waist-high full tosses and more tripe. But then I decided to implement something which had previously given me success in bowling of the ten-pin variety. As I walked in to bowl, I not only looked at where I wanted the ball to land but also visualised it landing there. I also repeated to myself "I give it flight and bowl around off stump, I give it flight and bowl around off stump...". As by magic, I started landing it better. There were still some short balls and legside wides, but practically no waist-high full tosses and drivel like that. I would say that I went from landing 1/10 balls in a decent area to about 7/10 without making any conscious change to my technique. Obviously I still need to work on my consistency, but that will come with practice.

If anybody has never tried visualisation and repeating positive affirmations in your head, you really need to give it a go. I cannot explain how it works, but it does!

i have a lot to say about this topic.

Firstly I will point out that affirmations are less important than technique and practicing well. And I will point out though you are supposed to look where you want it to land with or without affirmations. So that alone can cause a great improvement in bowling accuracy.

However all other factors being equal for SOME people who have susceptible sub conscious minds affirmations can help. Other people would not be helped by them.

last year I stopped a twenty year habit of affirmations. I would be on the train and would whisper to myself and there;s his fifty and would visualise holding up my bat. I had the highest conversation rate of turning 20s into 50s of the team.

When I was really really into it I used to read a positive thinking book and scored all kinds of runs including my first century. Then when I got lazy and wouldn't read it I would average about 20.

Basically its lessons in life applied directly to building an inning - the book would talk about not quitting when times were tough and how you would undergo a testing period in your life. So I would typically find in my inning at some point they would bowl well to me and if I could just be patient and see that spell off I could go on to get a big one.

i did stop reading the book as it was time consuming and I didn't care that much about cricket to spend hours reading every week.

These days I don't care at all as my playing days are almost over. And I regard batting as being 50% luck. Which it is. If they bring on a bowler who will succeed against your weaknesses you are screwed. If they happen to set the right field for all your scoring shots you are also screwed. Obviously if you are a very good player then you will adapt to any situation - but I am talking about Joe cricketer here who probably only has 5 or 6 reliable shots and not 10 or 12 like the pros do.

And for those who think its all skill then ask your self why some weeks you score 50 and others you score a duck.

 

[Maximas]

I find it's pretty simple, if you go out there and try to do something believing you can do it and having the confidence to not fear failing - then you probably have a better chance than someone who is having doubts and is more scared of failing than confident of succeeding.

I'm an offie, and I find I'm bowling best when I'm focusing on trying to spin the ball as hard as possible (without getting hung up on accuracy), and also when I'm focused and driven and not getting lazy with my action.

 

[AlanJLegend]

Thanks for the insight guys! Hurricane, just wondering if you can remember what the book was called?

 

[benchmark00]

Standing My Ground.

 

[Hurricane]

I am not advocating this book to be clear

however here is a link to a transcript that happens to be online Full text of "Grow Rich with Peace of Mind"