Don’t Feel Like Doing Anything? Well, Imagine Doing Something, Then Just Do It!

Hi folks,

Human imagination is a remarkably powerful tool, which can play a valuable role in training, racing and recovery from disease. I was raised on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) radio shows. We would listen to them at specific times, awaiting the next episode with considerable excitement. This was before I saw my first television set. Radio shows leave the mind to fill in visual effects, and in my opinion such effects are often better imagined than created. For instance, how often do you hear someone say, ‘The movie was better than the book?’ One of my favorite radio shows was Hancock’s Half Hour, starring the brilliant English comedian Tony Hancock. I remember one particular episode about a boring Sunday afternoon. To my surprise it is available as a YouTube video, and here it is, though I would be surprised if it appeals to modern tastes.

This was the first time I actually saw the characters (actors) involved. If you listen to the voices without the visual the program is far superior, exactly how I remember it.

In sports, imagination is an invaluable tool, permitting you to practice the race beforehand with the potential for considerable benefit. If you search the Internet you will find many sites extolling the virtues of such an approach, even to the point of recommending hypnotherapy for athletes. I experienced the effect of imagination on body mechanics first hand whilst working through Jack Heggie’s book, ‘Running With The Whole Body’, which is referred to in a previous post. You will have to buy the book and work through the exercises to understand what I am saying. Just remember that your day-to-day fears are generated in your mind, and it is rare for any of them to come true. Why not use this piece of equipment for positive activity instead? Here are a couple of quotes about imagination that I like, from a ‘Quotes and Proverbs‘ site:

Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Albert Einstein

He who has imagination without learning, has wings and no feet.
Joseph Joubert

At a party with Deb, still in my running gear but wearing a tie, where I actually enjoyed dancing for the first time in my life. It felt good. I wondered why people did it. Old dog, new trick. Photo by Randy Mews.

Human inventions start with the imagination. If I did such and such, I wonder what would happen? Try it on yourself. What if you worked out carefully for a week? How would you feel? Here are a few ideas. Try the one that suits you:

1. What if I tried to run a marathon?
2. What if I tried to get out of this chair and walk across the room?
3. What if I tried to run a 7 minute mile?
4. What if I tried to bench press 135 lbs?
5. What if I tried to hike up that mountain?
6. What if I tried to learn to swim?
7. What if I tried to do that thing I always wanted to do but knew I couldn’t?
8. What if I tried to follow in the footsteps of Socrates and learned to dance this late in life (68) (I’m doing that one right now! I did it, and it was fun, thanks to Deb and Rebecca). To repeat a quote from a previous post:

“Socrates learned to dance when he was seventy because he felt that an essential part of himself had been neglected.”  ~Source Unknown

That is where fitness starts, my friends. Don’t be like Tony Hancock on a Sunday afternoon. His character had a defeated or negative mind set.

Get a life!

-k Your Medical Mind