As a biologist, it is clear to me that the greatest tool an athlete or any human being can have is his mind. But despite this for me everything and when I say everything I mean everything is emotional. 20 years ago I had no ideas about emotions despite being at Harvard Medical School doing my post-doal studies at the children hospital in Boston.It was precisely 20 years ago in 2004 when I decided after a series of very stressful work episodes to become my own guinea pig. A fact that I continue to do to this ...

Core Message - The presentation focuses on understanding and managing one's attention to reshape personal narratives and foster empowerment [7][28][29] - It highlights the importance of mindfulness and meditation as tools for redirecting attention and rewriting personal stories [25][28][30] Key Tendencies of the Mind - **Negativity Bias:** The mind's inclination to focus on negative stimuli more than positive ones, stemming from an evolutionary self-preservation mechanism [11][12][13] - **Ironic Suppression Theory (Tug-of-War):** The more one tries to suppress a negative thought, the more intensely it returns [16][17] - **Mind Time Traveling:** The mind's tendency to wander between past and future, rarely staying in the present moment [20][22][23] Practical Implications - Recognizing and reframing the negativity bias can shift from self-victimization to empowerment [15][16] - Effortlessness is more effective than effort at the level of the mind [19] - Being present in the moment leads to increased energy, pleasantness, and happiness [24] Mindfulness and Attention - Awareness of the mind's tendencies allows individuals to step back and adjust their focus [25][26] - Redirecting and retraining the mind through mindfulness can lead to resilience and empowerment [28] - The power to rewrite one's story lies in the ability to control and redirect attention [29][30]