Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

Asian Soccer Star, London – Football centres of excellence or academies are what all young, talented footballers are aiming to get signed to. But before we even think about these centres of excellence, Asian Soccer Star readers need to understand where the real centre of excellence lay.

Aristotle first laid the foundations for the real centre of excellence when he said  “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

For those that relate to a more modern day sporting icon,  Shaquille O’Neal was spot on when he said “Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do”.

So what does this mean for our Asian Soccer Star readers?

It means that excellence is something every young football player should aim to achieve in every area of their game. And if excellence is achieved through repetition then players must form positive habits.

Dr. Maxwell Maltz, in a book titled ‘Psycho-Cybernetics’ introduced the 21-day concept.

Dr Maxwell Maltz was originally a plastic surgeon and noticed that it took 21 days for amputees to cease feeling phantom sensations in the amputated limb. From further observations he found it took 21 days to create a new habit.

What this basically means is that the human brain produces neuro-connections and neuro-pathways only if they are bombarded for 21 days in a row; in fact 21-days is the minimum and 30-days is the accepted norm to change old habits or formulate new habits.

Whether it’s a particular skill, a positive self-image, confidence, quick feet, awareness, technical or tactical understanding or any other part of the game; research says that you can form a habit, good or bad, by practicing it everyday for 30-days.

This rule applies not on to the game of football, but to life in general, so go ahead and try it… what have you got to lose?

Needless to say all three of us kids had a pretty good incentive to perk up and get out of bed as soon as possible, before the singing started.

Now that I’m older and wiser, I realise what dad was trying to do and to a larger extent succeeded. He was trying to instill in us a sense of self-discipline and empower us with a positive can-do mindset.

Anything was possible with the right mindset and more importantly by taking possession of your own mind. This of course had to be followed by massive action.

I remember coming across nuggets of information and quotes about success and achievement throughout the day.

What really stuck with me as I was growing up was a quote dad had written in large writing on a wall chart in his home office. The quote was from Napoleon Hill and it read:

“Direct Your Thoughts, Control Your Emotions and You Ordain Your Destiny”

I didn’t understand it at the time because it really wasn’t relevant to me, but now it’s clicked and it’s really important for anyone looking to achieve their dream of playing professional football and become an Asian soccer star.

Asian soccer star is a goal for many of our readers, and to achieve this goal requires dedication, discipline and determination.

The power of thought is the only thing that we, as human beings, have complete control over. We have the power of self-determination, the ability to choose what our thoughts and actions will be. If we direct our thoughts and control our emotions, we will ordain our destiny.

If you focus or direct your thoughts towards that goal of playing professional football and control your emotions whenever you encounter negativity, pressure, prejudice or any number of situations that can move you away from your ultimate goal you will control your destiny.

Once you control your destiny you can achieve whatever it is you want in life and for most of our readers it is being an Asian soccer star, so take charge of your life. You are what you think!