In the seventh in a series of columns aimed at helping people avoid or recover from injury and prepare well to participate in sport, motion sports therapist Stuart Farmer looks at sport psychology

WHEN the principles of mind power are employed correctly, it can elevate an individual towards attaining goals at levels far beyond those considered to be within their potential.

We see it in the sporting world, as we do in our everyday lives.

But what is potential?

It is best understood when we break it down into several components or elements.

We start with the equipment we were all born with.

Our physical form, features, whether we are male or female, intellectual capacity, how we think, genetic endowment and our talents within our sphere or arena.

There is not a lot we can do to change these factors, other than except and understand them. The next component is also mechanical.

It refers to the huge amount of knowledge and skills we have acquired and processed from the world around us, which might contribute to our success.

Like our physical form this is unique to every individual. No two people have the same accumulation of knowledge and information.

A vibrant part of our potential is the built-in drive to perform well. It is the self-motivation to use the talents and knowledge that we each possess.

But performing to our potential is far more a result of how we feel than what we know. It is all about the attitude we adopt.

You can start any event with all the physical equipment, training, talent, information and even the motivation to give the performance of a lifetime – but the result will ultimately be determined by the feelings we have developed.

Creating positive feelings helps us to flow spontaneously, freely and easily.

When we have positive emotions running through our systems we are then able to perform to our potential.

Stuart runs a mobile service, Motion Sports Therapy, delivering treatments to your home, office or sports club. Find out more by visiting www.motionsportstherapy.co.uk or contact him on 07776 092540.