Breaking through barriers: Lessons from Sir Roger Bannister for making progress on issues in therapy

As a psychologist and former competitive runner, I’ve long been fascinated by the psychology behind great feats in the sport of track and field. One of the most notable such accomplishments occurred before I was born. This was the breaking of the four-minute mile barrier by Roger Bannister of Great Britain in 1954 who went on to have a career as a neurologist and was knighted in 1975. He died in 2018 at the age of 88.

As impressed as I am by his historic athletic achievement, as a psychologist I am even more fascinated by the role of psychology leading up to the landmark run as well its impact on the events which followed.  Leading up to the iconic run, the consensus among experts was that it was impossible for a human to run a mile in less than four minutes. Once Bannister broke through with his epic 3:59.4 clocking on a track in Oxford, England, that belief was shattered. This resulted in a flood of runners breaking the barrier—1,497 in total as of 2018 including American Steve Scott having done so more than any other runner at 137 times. The mile record has been lowered over the years to 3:43.13, a standard set by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1999.

What is the relevance of the breaking of the four minute mile barrier to making progress in therapy? I will discuss this in the following sections.

Beliefs leading to breakthroughs: In running and in therapy

The big challenge for Bannister was believing that he could run a sub four minute mile when almost everyone else believed it could not be done. This belief which went against the grain led Bannister to do the work in training and in his landmark race which allowed him to make history.

In therapy, the big challenge for clients it so believe that they can succeed in addressing their issues such as depression, anxiety, anger management, trauma, eating disorders, substance use and relationship issues. Having these positive beliefs often goes against one’s previous beliefs based on having struggled in making progress.

Much like Bannister having to believe he could do something which all the experts believed could not be done, clients are often faced with the task of believing they can do something which they have not yet been able to do in order to make progress.

And just as Bannister’s belief that he could succeed was critical to his putting in the effort required to break the four minute mile barrier, clients believing they can succeed is critical to their putting in the effort required to make progress on their issues.

How to foster beliefs which lead to breakthroughs: In running and in therapy

Bannister was able to foster the beliefs which led to his athletic breakthrough by thinking thoughts which engendered self-confidence. He reminded himself that despite others believing nobody could run a mile faster than in four minutes, he had the talent, effort level and training plan to accomplish the feat.

In therapy, clients similarly are able to foster the beliefs which lead to their breaking through in addressing their issues by thinking thoughts which engender self-confidence. They remind themselves that despite their not having made sufficient progress to that point, they have the talent, effort level and treatment plan to help them accomplish their goals.

This belief in themselves is aided by supportive people close to them. Just as an athlete is guided by a coach toward success in their sport, clients are guided toward success in therapy by such their psychologists. These ‘therapy coaches’ convey belief in their clients which helps clients to believe they can succeed in addressing their issues. These success beliefs are additionally fostered by psychologists offering their clients treatment plans which have ‘track records’ of success.

Success following breakthroughs: In running and in therapy

Once Bannister’s accomplishment shattered the prevailing belief that nobody was capable of running a mile in less than 4 minutes, the new evidence-based belief that the feat could be accomplished led to the barrier being broker by many other runners. Their belief that they could succeed led them to put in the effort required to achieve this success.

In a similar manner, once clients make progress in addressing their issues in therapy, their new evidence-based beliefs that they can succeed leads to their breaking through even more barriers in making more progress on their issues. Their beliefs that they can succeed leads them to put in the effort required to achieve this success.

May you focus on beliefs which allow you to break through barriers,

Dr. Pat