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So far Jeremy Rolleston has created 130 blog entries.
3107, 2010

By inches

By |July 31st, 2010|Action, Motivation, Perseverence|0 Comments

This is such a well known speech. Al Pacino in the movie ‘Any Given Sunday’. He is talking about teamwork but when he talks about inches you know what I get from this …

Inches means small steps. Inches means spectacular achievements are often preceeded by unspectacular preparation. Inches means the little things inevitably add up to the big things. Inches means being faithful in the little things and in the space and season of your life where you are at now. Doing that well right now so that it prepares you for what is ahead. Inches means the big dreams come down to small goals being achieved and small accomplishments adding up.

And to me inches also speaks of PERSEVERENCE. Inches speaks of not giving up and not letting life push you backwards. Inches speaks of trying and trying again. Even if you fail and things don’t work out how you want. Fail again. Fail better. Persevere. Because we all know of the many amazing things that people have achieved as they have kept on going when everything around them seemed to pint to giving up. JK Rowling. Walt Disney. Hannibal. Christopher Columbus. Webster. Thomas Edison. Abraham Lincoln. Richard Branson and so on and so on.

So don’t despise small beginnings or small steps. A big journey starts with a small step and is made up of many little journey’s … many inches.

What is your next inch ?

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2407, 2010

Mr or Mrs Incredible

By |July 24th, 2010|Dare to Dream|1 Comment

Do you remember the dreams you had as a kid? How you were going to conquer the world? How your life was going to be filled with amazing experiences and adventures?

Don’t you find it funny that when you’re a child and you say you want to be an astronaut, your parents tell you that you can be anything you want to be. It’s harmless. Like telling a child that Santa Claus exists.

But when you’re 25 and you tell people you are going to leave work to do x, y or z or when you tell them you want to start to be a x,y or z … the response is different. “Be realistic”. “That is not practical”. “You SHOULD do …. ” And all these comments lead to the same end – you end up doing the things you felt you should do and that in some way force you to compromise those dreams?

  • What if you didn’t have to live each day feeling like you’ve made a compromise?
  • What if you actually did what you wanted and dreamt of ?
  • What if you didn’t have to feel like you were missing out ever again?
  • How has being “realistic” or “responsible” kept you from the life you want ?
  • How has doing what you “should” resulted in experiences or regrets for not having done something else ?

I believe it starts with a decision. A decision to actually DARE to Dream.  Absolutely, there is wisdom involved and strategy and planning. And absolutely dreams turn very fast into hardwork and diligence and commitment. But this is a mindset. A paradigm. A point of view. And that is the challenge. We think that doing what we love and dream of is mutually exclusive and inconsistent with everything else in our lives – our responsibilities, various financial considerations and so on and so forth. But yet we read plenty of people pursing their passion and making a great living out of it and having the freedom of choice we all want. So it can be done.

So Mr or Mrs Incredible … the challenge is there … and it starts by DARING to dream and follow your dreams …

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1707, 2010

Failing towards Success

By |July 17th, 2010|Perseverence|0 Comments

I love Michael Jordan. He is one of my heroes. I love him for all that he achieved and how good he was over a long period. But I love him for two other reasons.

1) He practised hard. Sure he was amazingly gifted but he added to talent a huge amount of practice, sweat, a great work ethic, professionalism and a desire to always improve. This made him even better. I remember seeing a photo of him after a game and he would always put his feet in buckets of ice to take best care of himself, reduce swelling and inflammation on his ankles and feet and prepare as best as he could for the next game. I also remember seeing videos of him just practising alone in the gym, reading stories in his book abut him playing practise games back at his old university etc

2) His attitude was inspiring and his perspective challenging. He didn’t let his fears hold him back. To use his words. “I failed over and over again. And that is why I succeed”. He used his failures to spur him on to be better rather than cause him to shrink back and stop. He didn’t measure his success by the failures along the way. He saw the inevitable failures along the way as just part of the process and journey. It reminds me of other famous examples of perseverance.  There is the saying that “amateurs practice until they get it right – champions train until they can’t get it wrong”. I think this is true but if we think about what Michael Jordan says here, perhaps it is more about the perspective. The aim of practice is as the quote says to be perfect and that is at attitudinal thing. But is all reality there will still be failures along the way. But our attitudes then should be that these will spur us forward, that these are not terminal, that these will be the foundation and the footholds on the way to success.

Failing towards success. Does that help change your perspective on failure. Heck, it did Michael Jordan and he is the best ever !

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1007, 2010

Could'a, Should'a, Would'a

By |July 10th, 2010|Action|0 Comments

I’m always surprised by the number of people who say they’ll do something and never do, who plan to do something and never do and who want to do something but never do. I call these people – could’a, should’a, would’a sort of people.

I never want to be a could’a, should’a, would’a sort of person because to me that spells regrets. That person spells never having the guts to have a go regardless of the outcome. That  person spells dreams they haven’t followed. That person spells disappointment inside eating away at them because they never did something. That person spells talk is cheap. That person spells what they say is not what they do and so they’re word cannot be trusted. That person spells, when they make a decision they don’t keep it. That person spells, either they never start it or even if they do they start strong and finish weak.

This is a picture that I put up on my wall in the Olympic Village in Torino when I was competing at the Winter Olympics in 2006. It was my first Olympics and I was conscious that I didn’t want to just get there. I wanted to compete to the best of my ability and let my actions speak louder than my words. I equalled the Australian record in my first year as pilot. It is something I’m proud of. But I’m equally as proud of not being a could’a, should’a, would’a sort of person.

My challenge – the next decision you make – do it ! Talk is cheap.

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307, 2010

Never give up

By |July 3rd, 2010|Perseverence|0 Comments

There is nothing more to say.

Never give up. Keep on going. There is more in you than you know. It doesn’t matter how you you started – it matters how you finish. You never lose until you quit trying. Don’t give up. Keep going. More and more and more and more. Again and again and again. You CAN do it. Despite what it looks like, persevere and never give up.

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2606, 2010

Mind the Gap

By |June 26th, 2010|Psychology|0 Comments

True champions have a certain something, a level above that of their fellow competitors. You can see it as they stand taller, do more, and as they achieve greater. It as if they exist on a higher plane where more is possible, more is dreamt and more achieved on a world stage. But why ? People have wondered this for centuries. They even cut open Albert Einstein’s brain to see if there was anything that made him different and accounted for his genius.

There are many reasons that contribute to success but the one thing I do know is that the difference is not just in their physiologoy and natural physical ability, but in their psychology. The gap between merely achieving and being world class is vast and that gap can only be bridged using the power of the mind.

I’ve seen it myself over many years in elite sport. You see it in the gym during the World Cup season or when you’re in the Olympic village and everyone is in the one gym in the best physical shapes of their life doing their final preparations to compete at their best. You see that they don’t lift any heavier or run any faster. The exercises they do are no different. Their preparation is pretty much the same. They are no faster. They eat no differently. They don’t do more training or work.

So the difference must be in their belief and in their mind.

And then consider how much time we put into physical abilities and having the ‘right’ shoes or racquet or outfits or spikes in an effort to improve our athletic performance. We do gruelling training sessions. We swim endless laps of the pool. We sprint up and down sandhills. We push sleds back and forth. Then you consider all the money invested in training and equipment to increase their chances of winning and being number one, the top, and the best.
However little time, effort or money is spent on the one unique and ultimately unlimited asset we all possess – our mind. That part that can give us big breakthroughs. That part that can make the difference and separate us from the rest. That part that if better understood and harnessed can help us achieve those dreams we so deeply desire.

So my challenge to you is this. If you spent only 10% of your time on unlocking the potential of your mind (keep an eye out for my  book ‘A Life that Counts’ on www.jeremyrolleston.com that will be coming out shortly  and read The Winners Bible by Dr Kerry Spackman) and 90% still doing what you’ve always done I bet you you start to see results you’ve never seen before.

Think about unlocking the power of your mind as it drives all your behaviour and performance.

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1906, 2010

Knowing your ‘why’

By |June 19th, 2010|Motivation|0 Comments

You have to know your ‘why‘ !

You have dreams. You have desires. You have the person you want to be, the life you want to live, the things you want to do and achieve.  But why ? And why is that important for YOU ?

You see, the answer to this question is crucial. If you don’t know why you want to do something  then why would you do it. And if the why isn’t strong enough why would you keep going when the going gets tough ? After all, their YOUR dreams and goals and noone elses. This is your life. You need to do it for yourself. Noone else gives you passion that drives you. Noone else gives you perseverance. Noone else cares as much as you should.

If your ‘why’ is not stronger than what it will cost you and the sacrifice and commitment needed to achieve it then you’ll give up. For example, consider these two people. One makes a new year’s eve commitment to get fitter to feel better or another person who has just been told by the doctor that if they don’t lose weight they will dies and leave their family without a father. Which person’s motivation do you think is stronger ? Which person’s ‘why’ do you think is clearer ?

Do you think Lance Armstrong was clear on his ‘why’ ?

So why do you want to achieve what you want to achieve ? Why do you want to make the million dollars ? Why do you want to become an Olympian ? Why do you want to learn the flute ? Why is building your dream home important to you ?Why ? And what will it give you ? What does that matter to you ? Why ?

So keep asking yourself why. Know your why and make sure it is clear and strong enough to fuel YOU on the journey or following your dreams and doing all you want to do.

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1206, 2010

Belief

By |June 12th, 2010|Belief|0 Comments

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right !”

How often does our belief in ourselves hold us back ? How many times have we told ourselves we can’t do something before we’ve even tried or even started ? How many times have people believed in us more than we have believed in ourself. How often have you wished you had that unshakeable belief that champions have ? That look in your eye that Tiger Woods or Roger Federer or Jarrod Hayne or Darren Lockyer seem to have. That deep, inner conviction.

The thing is, we actually have control over this. We have control over how much we believe in ourselves. We have control over our confidence. It comes from us – not our parents, our friends, our coaches, our work colleagues or our teammates. Sure they can contribute. Their encouragement can be positive for us as easily as others views can be negative and form limiting mindsets for us (‘you can’t do that !’ or ”you’ll never amount to anything’). But we have ultimate control over our belief in ourself.

And this is important because our belief in ourself often determines what we will do or try. It determines how willing we are to overcome obstacles and keep going when the going gets tough. it contributes to our motivation. It affects our performance.

There are a number of tools we can use to develop this belief if you’re like the 99% of people in the world and don’t already have it. (Watch our for my upcoming book on my website www.jeremyrolleston.com where I go into this in depth). But as a start, try being conscious of the sort of thoughts you put into your head. Are they positive and contributing to your belief ?

Here’s a few quotes and thoughts to help you on your way …

  • I CAN do …
  • “Preparation equals confidence”
  • I WILL achieve …
  • “Be your own best friend and not your own worst enemy”
  • It is absolutely POSSIBLE for me to …
  • “It is not who you thought you were that held you back, it is who you think you’re not”

Go well and believe in yourself !

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1206, 2010

The little voice

By |June 12th, 2010|mental toughness|1 Comment

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein”

H. Jackson Brown, Jr

This quote reminds me of the little voice. That little voice in our heads that we always hear. The little voice that doubts. That little voice that says we can’t do something. That little voice that presents us so eloquently with all those excuses we accept – just  like the video in my last blog entry contained. That little voice that contributes to us cracking under pressure. That little voice that breaks our discipline.  The little voice of daily compromise.

We all face it. Noone is immune. Everyone faces it equally. And it never goes away. And you can always rationalise it. And the worst thing – noone can hear it and noone except yourself knows if you’re given in to it.

Winning this daily battle of taking control of your thoughts, feeling and attitudes is crucial if we want to achieve anything significant. There’s no easy formula to developing mental toughness and ignoring the little voice but here’s a few tips on techniques that you can use as ‘circuit breakers’ when those negative thoughts come into your head. These will give you a chance to quickly take stock, to not let that negative little voice runs its usual pattern, and give you the chance to change your thinking in that moment.

And just watch – if we can replace all our negative thoughts with positive thoughts, imagine how our performance, our output and our behaviour would change. Try it.

Tip # 1 – When the negative thought comes into your head, yell ‘STOP !‘ to yourself. Out loud if appropriate or inside your head. Now replace with a positive

Tip # 2 – When the negative thought comes into your head, name as many animals as you can as quickly as you can. ‘pig, cow, giraffe, elephant, cat …’ This is a circuit breaker for the existing negative thought. Now replace with a positive.

Tip # 3 – When the negative thought comes into your head, count to 10 out loud as quickly as you can.

Tip # 4 – When the negative thought comes into your head, grab your breast or crotch or punch yourself. Sounds weird doesn’t it. But again, this acts as a circuit breaker for the negative thought so you can replace it with a positive one. And just watch, you’ll start to catch yourself before the negative thought starts running because this action is so embarrassing !

Good luck !

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2905, 2010

‘Dare to Dream’ and excuses

By |May 29th, 2010|Dare to Dream|6 Comments

This video reminds me of the many things that hold us back from becoming all we can be. The excuses that hold us back from being all we WANT to be deep down. The little voice that derails us from fulfilling our potential. The reasons we accept that ultimately stop us from chasing and realising our dreams.

There are a number of things that hold us back. Excuses are one. Limiting mindsets and beliefs are another (whether they come from self-imposed beliefs and limitations we put on ourselves or whether they come from others opinions of what we can or can’t do). Fears are another. Fears of making a fool of ourself. Fears of failure. Fear of putting our heart on the line and opening ourself up to heartbreak. Fear of all the hard work not being worth it.

As my first blog entry the thing I most want to encourage you with is to Dare to Dream. We all have dreams. We all have a vision of how we would like our lives to be. That perfect day. That ideal future. But having the guts to step out and actually chase that dream – to dare to dream is another thing entirely. It takes courage. It takes a willingness to step out and put your dream on the line.

• So what’s holding you back from actually stepping out ?
• What are the excuses that you tell yourself that stop you from becoming all you could be ?
• What is the little voice in your head telling you that you can’t do ?
• What are the limiting beliefs you have about what you think you can or can’t do ?
• What are those things that you are fearful of that are like a chain around your ankle as you try to take steps towards your ideal future ?

Take time to audit yourself and have a think about the excuses, the fears, and the limiting mindsets and beliefs holding you back and then take the first step – make a commitment to yourself … to ‘Dare to Dream’.

This is the first but often hardest step. But most importantly it is the first step – a choice only you can make.

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