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If you want to be the best athlete and also the happiest, most functional version of yourself, you can’t let every thought in your mind run wild. Because your thoughts have a huge power over you. And most people don’t realize that, but that’s simply because they’re not paying attention.

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Because whether you’re at home, in the locker room, or in the middle of competition, your thoughts are going around in your mind nonstop, jumping from one topic to another. And each one of these thoughts influences your emotional state, how you feel in your body, how you move on the floor, what actions you take, and how you take them.

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And no matter what your sport is, when your thoughts are negative, you can’t achieve your best performance.

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But the thing is, you’re not a victim of your thoughts. You’re still the driver. And you may not be able to control what thoughts show up in your mind, but you can decide which ones stay, particularly when it’s time to compete.

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When you take that responsibility, the responsibility for what goes on in your head, everything changes. Because now, you can train your mind to work for you, not against you. Your mind can become your intentional co-pilot instead of being a hidden opponent.

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And here is how you’re going to do it. Every time you catch a negative thought in your mind, you’re going to stop it and replace it with another one that will either motivate you or give you an instruction.

The strategy is to notice, interrupt, and replace.

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If you notice your self-talk start to drift into fear, frustration, resentment, anxiety, or anything disempowering, you can use a quick trigger to interrupt it. For example, you can say “Stop,” clap your hands, shake your head, snap your fingers, anything that breaks the loop.

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Then give yourself an instruction like “breathe,” “strong body language,” or “sprint,” whatever brings your attention back to what’s happening right here, right now.

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For example, if you’re feeling tired while you’re competing and you realize that you’re thinking about how tired you are, you’re making things harder for yourself and it will be very hard to give your best. But if you shift your thinking and start saying things to yourself on purpose, like “I got this,” “I’ve been here before,” or “keep pushing,” you’re more likely to turn it around.

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So if you know your mind is always active, and you know that these thoughts affect your performance, all you need to do is find out which thoughts empower you, which thoughts build your confidence, which thoughts keep you focused on the process, and then make it a habit to think about those things again and again. Before you compete. When you catch your breath. When you’re in bed and your mind is going around in circles. Interrupt the disempowering thoughts and feed your mind with thoughts that will take you to your next level.