Well, okay. I'm sold. That was on page XV of the book's preface, and it got me motivated enough to tear through the rest of the book in about two hours to learn his secrets. I was riveted by the idea of training one's mind in order to shape one's future. I've read plenty of New Age self-help books that have a similar message (the old chestnut that anyone can "manifest" abundance, a soulmate, or well-being, for example). But it was refreshing to hear variations of this message from a man's perspective — a man who is no stranger to pumped-up, sweaty, testosterone-infused locker room giants, superhuman Olympic medalists, and world record holders.
One of Dr. Selk's techniques is to create a 30-second "self-image video" in your mind, which enables you to "see" yourself in your new life, complete with details of what that life feels like and exactly what you do every day, and with whom. Replaying this video every day in your mind begins to shape that very future by creating an intention that your brain naturally follows. This may seem woo-woo to some, but it's exactly what the Olympic diver does in the seconds before she makes that perfect 10 dive. In fact, athletes were doing "visualization" long before Oprah and her ilk made it mainstream.
Dr. Selk says all exceptional performers and highly successful people possess three traits in common: accountability, focus, and optimism. His 10 Mental Toughness fundamentals help you develop and strengthen these three traits with ingenious habit-creating and behavioral change techniques, daily drills and tasks, and the100-Second Mental Workout, performed every day. This latter item is a real gift to readers. It's impossible to use the excuse that you don't have 100 spare seconds a day to do this mental training exercise. I won't divulge what it is, but when you buy the book, you'll have this nifty, motivational, behavior-changing trick to use for the rest of your life.
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