the power of positive inner dialogue during the enlistment process

When you have not had your fitness tested since high school, the prospect of uniformed members watching and grading you can be daunting. Positive inner dialogue is one of the best tools to combat the anxiety and fear that courses through your body in response to thinking about your upcoming test.

A prepared mind is a mind which does not rule the roost. Your mind can be a helpful tool to deduct, understand, judge, and conclude, but it should not be your master. A common mistake is believing that your mind' s chatter is YOU, but this is not true. It is simply a part of you. It is a valuable part, but a part nonetheless, so you do not want it to take over.

​In general, what the mind repeats is a predictor of the future. Suppose your mind constantly repeats words of failure and misery. In that case, your subconscious mind will drive you to take actions that will result in the failure you fear. On the other hand, if your mind speaks self affirmation and belief, then a successful outcome is more likely.

SO ALL I NEED TO DO IS THINK GOOD THOUGHTS, AND I AM READY TO GO?

​Unfortunately, it's not (entirely) that easy. It can feel like you have no control over the mind's chatter as you keep catching yourself thinking about not being good enough on the day.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF MY MIND?

​Yes! You absolutely can. It is YOUR mind, after all. Think of it as your arm. If you don't use your bicep, it becomes so weak you won't be able to control your arm. On the flip side, if you take the time to work out, y ou gain more and more control of your arm, and its capabilities improve. Your mind is the same. Work with it and train it, and you will have a faithful and competent helper. Ignore it, and it will wither and blow in any direction the wind is going, leaving you exposed and lacking control.

IMPROVE YOUR SELF AWARENESS

You cannot change what you are unaware of, so paying attention to your inner dialogue is a high priority. Take the time to rephrase any internal dialogue you become aware of so it is more in alignment with what you want the outcome to be.

CONSCIOUSLY CREATE YOUR DIALOGUE

​​Your next step is to use your inner dialogue to change your opinion of yourself. If you do not believe you are the type of person who passes a fitness test, how can you exp ect to succeed? What you speak and think becomes reality, so create an affirmation that you can repeat again and again throughout the day. After enough repetition, you will start to believe the statement, which will directly impact your ability.

GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear" (Franklin D. Roosevelt). Every time you feel nervous, remember this quote and take the time to rationalise how are feeling. You are anxious because the outcome is important to you. you It's also important to know that fear in the face of stressful situations never entirely disappears for anyone. However, what does change is how comfortable you are with being afraid. It comes down to the knowledge that when the sensations of butterflies in the stomach, racing thoughts, or a thumping pulse come, it is just a fear response due to the nature of the situation. With conscious attention, you can slow your breathing and re mind yourself that any negative inner dialogue is due to your situation and that the fear response does NOT dictate your ability or the outcome.

CONCLUSION

It's not normal to have your fitness tested, especially in front of the training staff at your fitness test. So it's not normal to know how to deal with the emotions you are likely to encounter. If you want to train like the best and learn from the best to ensure you are as prepared as possible for you upcoming fitness test whether it be PFA or police APSAD then please get in touch with the Team The Barracks Gym here.