Truth and Belief II

A reason why landing a trick for the first time tends to open the floodgates for landing it consistently is that the 'success point' consolidates belief in one's ability to perform the trick. This awakens trust in one's  ability,which, in turn, results in a fuller commitment to land the trick again. Prior to the 'success point', however, one's belief in success was significantly weaker, and hence the trust and commitment levels were inadequate.  

Of course, this isn't saying that if a skater flukes landing a trick in the early stages of learning to execute it that he'll perform it consistently from then on. For since he knows that his success was premature, his belief in his ability will not be significantly reinforced - and rightly so, for a fluke certainly doesn't justify such a belief. Rather, it means that if one has developed his ability to perform a trick over time, gradually edging closer and closer to success, and finally succeeds, he then has solid evidence that he's capable of performing it. He then proceeds to do so with much greater confidence, commitment, and ease than before.

There's an important message here for a skater who is genuinely close to landing a trick yet fails to land it regardless of his number of attempts. If he imagines himself having already landed the trick successfully, thereby strengthening his belief, he can precipitate success in reality. For, as mentioned, trust and commitment, crucial for landing a trick, spring out of firm belief. In practice, this means that one should take time out to imagine oneself performing a trick successfully, even to try to feel the elation that follows success. And only then to re-attempt the trick in practice.       

In summary: whereas an actual 'success point' brings truth to a belief (that is, transforms belief into conviction), bolstering one's belief by imagining oneself already having had a 'success point' allows belief to bring out the truth (an actual 'success point').

        

               Truth impregnates belief; belief gives birth to truth.