{"id":16122,"date":"2022-03-24T08:00:05","date_gmt":"2022-03-24T15:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drjimtaylor.com\/4.0\/?p=16122"},"modified":"2025-06-20T06:41:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T06:41:35","slug":"inside-the-tri-mind-change-your-perceptions-go-faster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drjimtaylor.com\/4.0\/inside-the-tri-mind-change-your-perceptions-go-faster\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the Tri-Mind: Change Your Perceptions, Go Faster"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the 2022 triathlon season gets underway, I\u2019ve been working with a number of triathletes, from juniors up to pros. Additionally, I\u2019m practicing what I preach as I prepare myself for a full schedule of racing locally, nationally (USAT Multisport Festival in Texas in April and USAT National Age-group Championships in Milwaukee in August), and internationally (World Sprint Championships in Montreal in June and World Olympic-distance Championships in Abu Dhabi in November). Of course, I\u2019ve introduced the triathletes I work with to the immense value of traditional mental training tools such as self-talk, imagery, and routines. At the same time, a real emphasis in my work in recent years has been on \u201cdeeper\u201d mental stuff that I believe may be more impactful on whether triathletes race their fastest or not. What underappreciated, yet oh-so-powerful mental tool am I referring to? Perceptions!<\/p>\n

\"\"You might have been expecting some sort of \u201cOMG!\u201d moment when I revealed this secret mental tool, so sorry to disappoint. Yet, in this article, I hope to convince you of how superpowered perceptions are in triathlon and, in fact, life in general. What is also important is whether you use these superpowers for good or for evil. Clearly, when you go to the \u201cdark side\u201d of perceptions (apologies for the Star Wars reference), nothing good comes of it. Conversely, when you use your perceptions for good, truly remarkable things can happen such as consistently fast swimming, biking, and running, and maybe even great results.<\/p>\n

What are Perceptions?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>I believe that it\u2019s important that we have a shared understanding when I introduce powerful words even when words, such as perception, may seem obvious. Perception is defined as \u201ca way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting a situation.\u201d Now you start to see why perceptions are so important in triathlon. Basically, they act as the lens through which you look at and respond in your triathlon life. Perceptions are so powerful because they impact how you think about your triathlon, the emotions you experience in your triathlon, and, ultimately, how you perform in your training and races.<\/p>\n

A challenge with perceptions is that they can be either weapons that hurt your triathlon efforts or tools that support those efforts.\"\" Perceptions that are weapons can include looking at your triathlon negatively and critically, seeing it as stressful, or having those perceptions become distracting and self-defeating, all of which will surely set you up for failure.<\/p>\n

In contrast, perceptions that are tools are those that are positive, motivating, calming or energizing (depends on what works for you), and focusing. These helpful perceptions create a mental and physical state that will support committed and determined performances.<\/p>\n

\"\"Though I have argued elsewhere that \u201cperception is not reality<\/a>,\u201d what you perceive about your triathlon becomes your<\/em> reality. For example, two triathletes can arrive at a race where the water is cold and choppy. One\u2019s first perception is \u201cHow can I have a good swim in these conditions?\u201d and \u201cI don\u2019t have a chance today.\u201d Clearly, not perceptions associated with a successful race day. In turn, another triathlete who has trained in these conditions with considerable frequency holds a very different perception: \u201cThe water is definitely cold and rough today, but I\u2019ve been here, done that\u201d and \u201cHey, everyone has to deal with the cold water, so I\u2019m just going to do my best.\u201d Just as clearly, these perceptions create an opportunity for a good swim despite the water conditions.<\/p>\n

Conscious vs. Unconscious Perceptions<\/strong><\/p>\n

A complication with perceptions is that they can be either conscious (you\u2019re aware of your perceptions) or unconscious (you have no\"ICAN\" awareness of your perceptions). Conscious perceptions are relatively easy to deal with because you know what they are and, as a result, can make a deliberate effort to change them if you decide that those perceptions aren\u2019t helping you. For example, before a race, you might think \u201cOMG, this course is really hard!\u201d This negative perception will likely lead to anxiety and a tentative effort. Recognizing this, you can choose to shift your perceptions in a more positive direction, such as \u201cThis course is a real challenge, and I can\u2019t wait to attack it.\u201d Certainly, a vastly different perception that will likely result in a much stronger effort.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the unconscious perceptions that are the real problems when it comes to how you look at your triathlon life. Because these perceptions are unconscious, you\u2019re not, by definition, aware of them. Yet, they can still have an enormous impact on how you think about, feel toward, and perform in your races.<\/p>\n

Unconscious negative perceptions don\u2019t just arise for no reason or without cause. Rather, they are symptoms of unconscious \u201cbaggage\u201d that have developed in your life. Some of the types of baggage I find with the triathletes with whom I work include:<\/p>\n