Becoming Your Power Animal

Last week we spoke about overcoming fear by trusting in the hours we’ve put into training for our sport or skill.  This week we will take overcoming fear to the next level.

I borrowed this strategy from ancient tribal traditions, where they would dress up and embody animals to give them the courage to take on the mentality of a warrior.  I call this strategy: Becoming your Power Animal.

Now, I’m not really sure if someone told me about this idea or if I came up with it myself.    All I know is that it worked for me and it might work for you as well. 

Has this ever happened to you:  I would sometimes find myself fearful in competition.  I would be afraid of making a mistake, of what my coach might say, of letting down my parents of losing that I would actually paralyze myself with this fear in the same way that the cartoon elephant is paralyzed when he sees a mouse. 

Other times I would be powerful, free, in the zone and having so much fun.  But, I must admit that the majority of the time, especially the most ‘pressure-filled moment’, was spent with some sort of fear holding me back. 

It was in those moments that I would become my ‘Power Animal’.  My animal was a Tigress .  This animal embodied power and fearlessness and finesses and agility and spring-ability: all qualities that would make it an amazing volleyball player in my opinion.  I would see myself as the Tigress, literally stepping into her skin and taking on her characteristics: my eyes would become more slitty, my muscles would be on edge ready to pounce, my body weight would move more to the balls of my feet, I would look more physically imposing.  The more I embodied the tigress, the more I left my fear behind and the more I was able to perform like a cat stalking and pouncing on it’s prey, in my case the ball.

You see, animals aren’t afraid of the meaning of things.  There fear lives in the physical nature of life and death.  If they miss pouncing on an animal, they don’t beat themselves up for days.  No, they just set up for their next opportunity and do what they know to do, what they’ve trained to do since they were little cubs, or kittens, or pups.  Based on that description, wouldn’t these animals be the perfect athletes?

So take a moment, close your eyes and see your sport.  See what it takes to succeed at it. Now envision the animal you think would be best at your sport.  See it performing your skills and succeeding.  Now, allow yourself to enter the animals body, and perform the skills along with him/her.  How does it feel? Does your fear dissipate? Do you feel powerful?

That’s your Power Animal.  Know that he’s there to help you whenever you need a pick-me-up.  Next week we’ll work more on visualization (like we just did in the last paragraph). In my opinion visualization is the biggest key to getting to the next level, so stay tuned.