The Super Mental Training Book Read Online Free PDF

reassurances. Progress comes fast when you practice.
    "Reawaken" yourself after regaining the hypnotic state of mind. It should be emphasized that you should have no trouble reawakening yourself. As Dr. Kroger observes, "Failures in self-dehypnotization are rare," adding that he personally "has never had a case."
    Summary of First Self-hypnosis Session
    The steps you can follow during your first self-hypnosis session can be summarized as:
    1. Lie or sit in a quiet, comfortable place.
    2. Stare at a point while telling yourself to relax. (Spend about 5 minutes.)
    3. Allow your eyes to close. Then, give yourself the suggestion to open them. After your eyes open, give yourself the suggestion to close them. Keep repeating this process.
    (Spend about 5 minutes.)
    4. "Awake" yourself. ("On the count of three, I will awaken. One... two... three. I'm awake! ")
    5. Put yourself back in the hypnotic state. Once you succeed, "reawaken" yourself.
    It is important that you practice self-hypnosis as much as possible, for that is how you become proficient at the technique. "Autohypnosis," informs Dr. Kroger, "is a learned conditioned response; therefore, one must try to practice as much as possible every day."[14] How long should these practice sessions last, and how many should you do? Dr. Kroger suggests one perform "half a dozen sessions of 2 or 10 minutes each throughout the day," these being "more practical than lengthier sessions."[15] Dr. Kroger's recommendation to practice self-hypnosis frequently while keeping the sessions short is one well-suited for athletes. As an athlete, you desire the capability of entering and exiting the hypnotic state as quickly as possible. During competitions you usually do not have much time to collect your thoughts for the unexpected situations that often develop. So, you want to be able to give yourself appropriate hypnotic suggestions, if needed, during a time out or some break in the action. The 2-minute self-hypnosis practice session Dr. Kroger recommends is a good simulation, therefore, of an emergency self-hypnosis session you might
    wish to conduct during a short break in the competition.
    Of course, if you practice self-hypnosis diligently, you can also develop the advanced capability of entering the hypnotic state during the actual competition, and give yourself suggestions on the spot. As I have indicated, speed of entering the hypnotic state of mind is primarily a function of practice. The more you practice self-hypnosis, the faster you will be able to enter the hypnotic state, give yourself suggestions, and respond to those suggestions. But, even if you do not develop the ideal—the instant self-hypnosis capability—you can still use self-hypnosis to gain an enormous mental edge over your opponent. As the old saying by Voltaire goes, "Best is the enemy of the good enough." Knowing and faithfully applying self-hypnosis to your sports is good enough—good enough to improve your athletic performance substantially.
    Acquiring the self-hypnosis capability, and employing it in areas of your life where you desire success, such as your sports, will place you head and shoulders above the crowd. For the crowd will not make the effort to learn self-hypnosis; they are too busy getting drunk or whatever, and do not care about self-improvement. Remember: You don't have to be best at something if you are the only one who's trying it at all !
    Hypnotic Suggestions
    The purpose of getting into the autohypnotic state is to give yourself hypnotic suggestions. It is the suggestions which allow you to overcome all those mental obstacles that often prevent you from achieving your full athletic potential. Let me present a hypothetical example showing how hypnotic suggestions can help you. (The outcome of this example is not so hypothetical when we examine the numerous success stories appearing later in this book; instead, it is a matter of course.)
    You are a tennis player. You have a match lined up in the