2510, 2011

Tell me I can no longer fly – I want you to !

By |October 25th, 2011|Belief, Dare to Dream|0 Comments

Michael Jordan is one of my heroes. Not only because he is the most famous and incredible basketballer to have ever walked the planet, but also because in many ways he epitomises everything a great sportsperson (and indeed successful person) represents. Sure he is mentally tough. Sure he is talented. But he also worked extremely hard for it. It was not given to him on a silver platter. He earned every success he had.

Remember when he made a comeback to the NBA in 1995 after pursuing baseball. Everyone doubted he would be as good … well after leading Chicago to another 3 more NBA championships (96,97,98) I expect they were silenced. Then after retiring a 2nd time in 1999 he unexpectedly made a comeback to play for the Washington Wizards frpom 2001 to 2003. Again, people doubted he’s be up to it. Again, he proved them wrong.

Michael Jordan you inspire me … you inspire me to define my own path and not let others define what is possible for me or what I will do or wont do. To use your own quote “Limits, like fears, are often an illusion”.

And to add a personal touch to it, here’s the actual sign I had on my wall in my room in the Olympic Village in 2006 when I made my first Olympics and equalled the Australian record. I also had this made into a sticker and it sat in the bottom of my sled so I would see it just before I raced off the top. Inspired by people like Michael Jordan – impossible is nothing.

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1810, 2011

An inspired and passionate rat in the ratrace or not a rat at all ? …

By |October 18th, 2011|A Life That Counts, Dare to Dream, Passion|0 Comments

When I was writing my book I interviewed 10 famous and successful Australians. And it was confronting.

These people include the likes of Dick Smith, Gai Waterhouse, Louise Sauvage, James Tomkins, Lydia Lassila, Alexandra Croak, Matthew Burke, Matt Shirvington, Jason Stevens and Michael Milton. They are Australians of the Year, Olympic and Paralympic Gold medallists, World Champions, household names. I wanted to get behind the scenes – to find out what makes them tick. Why are they successful ? Why do they make the decisions they do ? How did they confront and conquer disappointment and obstacles ? What ha they learnt and what was their advice after their own journey’s and the success that came with it.

But the thing that struck me was that they were all PASSIONATE about what they did. They loved it. They would have probably done it anyway. There I was at 4:30am in the morning standing next to Gai Waterhouse at Randwick racecourse and she was as chipper and friendly as I imagined her to be. She loved being a horse trainer and the challenge of making a horse run fast. She loved conversing with the jockeys. The old experienced ones. The young 16 year old apprentices that she ‘mothered’. She loved talking to the owners. She loved running a business and all that that entailed. She loved racedays and the glamour that came with that as much as the early hours that noone saw. And then there was Dick Smith. He loved adventuring. He made money to facilitate this. He was happiest out in the Blue Mountains bushwalking or flying a helicopter and exploring. Matthew Burke – he loved sport. he loved the challenge of reaching of his potential and of being the best he could be. He loved touring. he loved being in a team sport with good mates who he had fun with and with whom he battled with whilst representing his country.

It was very confronting for me. Why ? because I was trying to figure out what ‘thing’ I was truly passionate about. There was no one thing. And it irked me. I wanted it to be easier – to know what that one thing was and pursue it with all my heart. To not just settle for doing something because it was easy or because the money was good or because that was what I’d done in the past. I think I’ve now figured out that for me there is no ‘one’ thing – I love life and I want to live an amazing life with everything that goes into that melting pot.

So what that in mind, whether it is ‘one’ thing or many – the challenge is still the same – the challenge of this bill board. May it inspire you to follow you heart. For remember there are many things that will capture your attention, but very few things that will capture your heart. Pursue those !

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1110, 2011

The biggest legacy Steve Jobs left wasn’t the mac / ipod / iphone …

By |October 11th, 2011|Dare to Dream, Finding your dreams, Life lessons|0 Comments

RIP Steve Jobs. An amazing man. An entrepreneur. A visionary. The founder of Apple and Pixar and Next. A man who changed the world as we know it. But more than that. A great human being. A family man. A man who did what he loved.

Watch this video – his commencement address at Stanford University. There is no need to say anymore. What he says in this is the biggest legacy / lesson he could leave us – far more than the Apple Mac computer, the ipod, the iphone etc.

“I love what I do … You’ve got to find what you love … if you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle. And as with all matters of the heart, you’ll know it when you find it !”

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve encoutered to make the big choices in life … the best way of avoiding the thinking that you have something to lose.”

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410, 2011

Secrets to success – Arnie style

By |October 4th, 2011|Action, Belief, Success|0 Comments

Before you watch this video let me tell you a little story …

When Arnold Schwarzenegger first came to America as a young teenager, he spent time living and training with Dr John Gourgott, an eye physician and successful bodybuilder who’d come second in the Mr America competition during the 1960s. Arnold was a young, relatively uneducated man who barely spoke a word of English. As a sort of father figure, John tried to give him some good, fatherly advice after Arnold won his first competition. He told him to invest his money and buy a gymnasium, to run it and build a solid future, in order to secure his financial future.

To John’s astonishment, Arnold listened and then quietly responded, ‘You don’t know the meaning of ambition. I’m not going to run a gym; I’m going to be a movie star – and I’m going to be the President of America!’ John was incredulous and tried to get Arnold to see reason. And yet history shows what a man could achieve who had much less going for him than most people who turn up in Hollywood wanting to be a star. He had an unshakeable belief in himself and was prepared to do whatever hard work was necessary for him to get there. Failure was just another lesson on the way to achieving what he wanted – and perhaps one day he will be President of the United States!

We all know what Arnie has gone on to achieve – in bodybuiding, in Hollywood and the movies and most recently in politics.  So love him or hate him – he has been there and done that and can rightly talk about secrets to success.

So – secrets to success Arnie style …

1.       Trust yourself
2.       Break some rules
3.       Don’t be afraid to fail
4.       Ignore the naysayers
5.       Hardwork – Work like hell!
6.       Give something back

My challenge – do one of these better and you’ll see a difference … so go for it and good luck !

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