THERE’S the saying “a sound mind, a sound body.”

No matter what is one’s religious persuasion, there’s no doubt that positive thinking, or faith for some, does wonders. Not because things would magically turn in one’s favor, but because positive thinking is a matter of changing one’s perspective.

I’ve read somewhere that when you’re given a lemon, then make a lemonade. And kidding aside, I am not talking about some foreign reinforcements I’ve recruited when I was still coaching in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

In the context of sports, thinking positive is the norm rather than an exception.

You cannot enter into a fitness or sports program if at first you don’t think you cannot make it or feign difficulty before even trying.

You may not be able to perform well in a sports competition when you come in with defeatist or negative attitudes. It’s quite tricky because most of us who enter a competition are usually nervous. Some people say that lack of this feeling is an ominous sign itself. Or perhaps it is the lack of realization that the task should be done.

Focusing on thinking positive is all about perspective. A person who has prepared for a task well within and beyond the bounds of his physical capabilities should be confident, win or lose. Don’t get me wrong, there is such thing as healthy confidence.

There’s this jaded line in a television commercial “that what the mind could conceive, the body can achieve.” There are persons who achieve great things when they put their minds to it. Notice the order starts with the mind rather than body.

I remember an anecdote about coach Ron Jacobs when he was still handling the Philippine team during the Asian championships. He inculcated to the national players to come out swinging, although not literally on the court, against the mighty Chinese.

He knows that attitude makes the difference for the most part and the first order of the business is to let them know who is boss.

Even that means raising one’s hackles with intimidation or at least having a vibrant self-confidence spurred by positive thinking.

Marquez: I’m here to demand, not beg

DETHRONED super-featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on Tuesday clarified he came to Manila not to beg for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao, but to demand for one.

Louie still believes he can get hands on $0.13M

LUISITO ESPINOSA is not losing hope that he would still get his purse for a world title fight against Arentina’s Carlos Rios staged at the South Cotabato Stadium in Koronadal City more than 10 years ago.

ADAMSON University kept its composure, then leaned on guest player Neriza Bautista in the third set as the Lady Falcons hacked out a shocking  25-22, 25-21, 25-23 victory over fancied San Sebastian College (SSC) to seize the solo lead in the Shakey’s V-League Season 5 at The Arena in San Juan Tuesday.

Patrick Gregorio, the first to be named executive director of the powerful Basketball Association of the Philippines-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP), is contemplating stepping down from his post, a source said.

THE conference is barely two weeks old and yet the Coca-Cola Tigers are already making quite a noise.

HAPEE Toothpaste needed a strong first half in repulsing Burger King, 100-85, for its third-straight win Tuesday night in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

BACOLOD CITY—Defending national women’s champion University of Visayas (UV) easily disposed of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) to open its back-to-back bid on a high note and lead the opening-day winners of the 12th Nestea Beach Volley Visayas Eliminations Tuesday at the University of St. La Salle sand courts.

Mercedes-Benz, the worldwide leader in luxury vehicles, is taking an aggressive stance in promoting golf in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region for 2008.  The German auto giant had recently signed a three-year deal as the Asean Golf Tour’s title sponsor.

THERE’S the saying “a sound mind, a sound body.”

No matter what is one’s religious persuasion, there’s no doubt that positive thinking, or faith for some, does wonders. Not because things would magically turn in one’s favor, but because positive thinking is a matter of changing one’s perspective.