Illusion: When athletes go out to compete in high level shows there is always much fanfare and bombast as they enter – lights, music, cheers and boos. All this is to create an illusion – the illusion that what is about to transpire is something bigger and greater than they have ever done before. The simple reality is that IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME THING YOU DO EVERY DAY, it just so happens to be performed in front of a group of strangers in a noisy and colorfully lit arena instead of your gym. The only reality is you and your skills set/preparation vs him and his skill set/preparation adjudicated by a referee under an agreed upon rule set – ALL ELSE IS ILLUSION, NO MATTER HOW STRONG THE FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS YOU HAVE WITHIN YOU TELLING YOU IT IS REAL. Acknowledge this and go forward with confidence, deny it and go forward in fear and anxiety.
