What I learned this week:  I loved learning more about our mental filter and the idea of thinking the best of ourselves.  We have a filter in our brain and will hold onto or let go of things before they have an affect on our mental bank account or what I like to think of it as our confidence bank account.  In Chapter 2 of this book, Dr. Zinsser is telling us all about this filter.  We first get an understanding of what a filter is when he shares about Dumb and Dumber the movie - when Lloyd asks Mary if he had a change going out with her.  He asks, "One in a hundred chances?" and she replies, "More like one in a million."  But his brain filters out the million and then he says "So I have a chance!"    We all need to have great mental filters and in this chapter Dr. Zinsser gives us 3 very practical ways that we can do that.  Part of building your confidence is doing you best to make deposits into your confidence bank account.  And a deposit is a memory that brings us feeling of energy, optimism and enthusiasm. 

THe first Exercise - Make you Top 10 list.  Pick your chosen field or part of your life (such as a parent or student) and remember your memories. “As the title suggests, it’s about bringing the ten most-encouraging, most energizing memories out of the dark recess of your mind and polishing up those jewels of thought so they radiate their brilliance back to you.” (P62) Put those memories on a list and even add a picture to go with them.  Use those encouraging and enrgizing memories to help you. 

Then second exercise is the DAILY ESP or daily effort, success and progress.  Each day you take time to reflect on a part of your day - and write down E for effort on the left hand margin and write where you gave it your all  or did valuable work today.  You then skip a line and write S for success in the left hand margin.  Then you write down one moment when I did or got something right.  You then skip another line and write a P in the left hand margin and write down on instance of progress - where did you improve? What did I get better as a result of my effort? 

Then the last exercise you can try in the IPR or immediate progress review.  Throughout your day you are deliberately remembering the times when you did your best.  At a practice as you transition from drill to drill - you then think about your best rep or shot of the previous drill before you then start the next one.  Not only helping you remember you best but also keeping yourself in a good mood to help your practice go well.  

“Your account will grow faster when you make the greatest number of deposits possible and give those deposits the maximum possible time to earn interest.  That being the case, you can take advantage of the opportunities to reflect and filter in constructive memories during the course of a workday, or a practice session, or a workout, not simply at the end of it." (p71)

Make your list - and see how that helps.  And try to focus even a little bit more on the times when you put in your best effort or had a success or made some progress.   And continue to look for and remember those things that bring you energy, optimism and enthusiasm.