Keys to train the brain and be a genius like Lionel Messi

We all know well that our greatest football idol, Lionel Messi, stands out for its exceptional combination of technical talent, tactical intelligence and winning mentality. Not only does he control the ball at his feet while moving at high speed, but he is also a great scorer and creator of great scoring plays for his teammates. He is fast and agile both physically and mentally when making decisions during the game. One of his great virtues is that he knows make decisions under pressure and always remain calm despite adversity.

From neuroscience and high performance, in addition to highlighting Leo’s great physical and genetic virtues for soccer, we put special focus on his brilliant mind. It is surprising to observe how within his abilities the great focus that he achieves both before and during the game stands out; the full attention he has on each of his winning plays; his surprising ability to make correct decisions in thousandths of seconds unconsciously on the field, his total concentration in each of his plays as when kicking a penalty; his ease of abstracting himself from the environment and moving forward with great concentration no matter what happens around him, his empathy with the other players inside and outside of each game, his faithful camaraderie and his great resilience in the most difficult situations.

All these characteristics that I have highlighted about your person are achieved by training the prefrontal cortex of the brain. It is from meditation, mindfulness, deep breathing and applied neuroscience exercises, from where we train concentration, focus, memory, will, full attention and calm. Without a doubt we are facing a brilliant figure on a physical and mental level, since Messi demonstrates to have a brilliant mind and at the same time very trained.

All elite athletes have the great challenge of carrying out very demanding training not only physically, but also mentally; where you can work on calm and concentration during your performances. And, at the same time, they must focus a lot on visualization of their goals, purposes and successes so that their brains take them there. Dr. Jim Loehr, who has worked with numerous elite athletes and is considered a pioneer in performance psychology, combines concepts of visualization, manifestation, and mental focus to maximize performance in sport and life.

So much Michael Phelpsthe most successful swimmer in history; as Novak Djokovic number one in tennis, have given special importance to visualization in their mental preparation and their performance in their disciplines. Phelps attributes his success to the power of visualizing his victories from the stands of the swimming pool every day for two hours using his five senses. 2016 US Olympic Swimming Head Coach Bob Brown said, “If you can form a clear mental image and visualize yourself doing it, your brain will immediately find a way to take you there.” (Source MIT Neurosicence for Business Course).

Visualization in sport is a technique that involves imagining specific situations, movements or scenarios to improve focus and confidence. Elite athletes use visualization to anticipate what will happen in a game. They imagine every aspect of the game: how you will move on the court/pool, how you will respond to different types of plays, and how you will react in key moments. This allows them to mentally “rehearse” different situations beforehand, giving them a sense of familiarity when they actually face them in the match/race.

Since our brain does not distinguish between what is real and what is imaginary, this type of exercise makes the brain believe that we have already been through these situations a thousand times, and when we reach the real situation we feel safer, more confident and motivated, since The situation is known to us.

In short, our brain begins to take behaviors visualized and practiced from the mind (with taste, smell, touch, vision and hearing), as behaviors that it has already really experienced and this allows our brain to reprogram its part. unconscious (95%), and in situations of high competence to be able to use these experiences in a concrete and positive way. In the same way, this practice is also very useful for stress and pressure, since by working in advance on these possible situations we can manage to handle them more calmly when they arrive. It is super important for confidence and motivation since it allows them to visualize themselves in that way and then it is the reality that they create to put into practice at the time of competition.

In all cases it is about training the brain to live the reality we dream of. Visualize and manifest our greatest desires so that they come true.

Visualization is usually linked to the practice of meditation. Do deep breathing and mindfulness exercises to enter an optimal mental state before games. Visualize your successes and control your emotions, allowing you to stay in the present moment and avoid distractions. This should be practiced daily, then, before and during the day of the competition. In this way the brain is trained and when the big moment arrives it can achieve its goals. For both Leo Messi and Olympic athletes Phelps and Djokovic, visualization is a fundamental tool to maximize their potential.

Finally, I leave here an exercise of ACTION, VISUALIZATION and MANIFESTATION PANELS that can help everyone to attract the life we ​​dream of according to Neuroscience and the Law of Attraction.

• Put together a visual panel (with clippings, drawings and writing – a mix of everything) where you put all the things you want to manifest in your life.
• I clearly wrote the things each image means.
• Focus every day (at least for 20 days) from meditation on visualizing each of the things on your panel, visualizing them with your 5 senses.

The brain does not distinguish between what is real and imaginary, which is why positive visualization from meditation will activate certain hormones that contribute to cellular repair in your body. It will generate oxytocin (love hormone), and it is from that state of pleasure that you will go after your desires so that they come true.

I recommend watching the panel during the day and before bed to get the TETRIS effect on your mind. Ensure that when we go to bed our mind continues thinking about the panel, as happens when we play the game Tetris.

Manifestation and visualization, supported by neuroscience, allow athletes like Messi to make pinpoint decisions on the field, combining mental control with physical talent. His genius lies in training both the body and the brain to anticipate and execute plays with precision.

Lawyer, specialist in neuroscience, well-being and high performance