Like the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics before it the Sochi Winter Olympics has seen it’s fair share of highs and lows for the competitors who have grafted hard to win their places at this prestigious sporting extravaganza. For some success represents the culmination of a long journey to achieve their dream and for others their dream is so painfully shattered.
I listened with interest to Lizzy Yarnauld’s story and her absolute focus in achieving her personal dream as Olympic champion of the Skeleton. Motivated by watching Denise Lewis in the Heptathlon many years before, and having applied to do Modern Pentathlon she excelled instead on ice with little more than a very high tech metal tray. Her skeleton “Merv” is named after Mervyn the generous benefactor who gave Lizzy £176 for a kit bag when she was scraping together to continue her training. It is a story of immense commitment, focus and single mindedness to achieve her dream of Olympic glory supported by an act of kindness and vote of confidence in her ability.
Yet, it isn’t by chance that many before Lizzy in different careers and professions have dared to DREAM.
Martin Luther King Jr. famously said “I have a dream”; Whoopi Goldberg in her 1991 Oscar winning speech said “ever since I was a kid I wanted this”; and Walt Disney the ultimate dream maker said “all our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them”.
Do you dare to dream?
Ultimately it comes down to setting yourself a goal, believing that you can achieve it, and not quitting when things get tough.
The power of positive thinking
Your thoughts are the most important asset you have in your desire to achieve your dreams. They affect you in ways you never thought possible and whether you know it or not, your thoughts are responsible for whatever place or situation you are in right now.
So you want to set out on your own pursuit to achieve your dream?
Choose to commit to your goal or dream
- It is your vision and yours only.
- Own it and give it strength – visualise having achieved it, sense how it feels to have made it, what are people saying? Smell and taste the success.
- Tell others. Air your aspiration in public to make it real and to give you the strength to focus on it.
Pursue relentless action aligned to your commitment
- Only the constant pursuit of achieving your goal regardless of setbacks and challenges will allow it to happen.
Expect and have faith that you will get help along the way
- People will want you to succeed. Remember Mervyn. There will always be people to help you on your way.
Show sincere gratitude for the help and results
- Recognise those that have helped you to achieve your dream, as undoubtedly you will not have got there on your own.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams – Eleanor Roosevelt.
The final words should be Mervyn’s….. on talking to Lizzy after her Gold Medal victory he said.
“It’s a dream”…….. “I had absolute faith in her. I just said to her just now, ‘I told you all those years ago that dreams do come true’.”
For help with your goal or dream setting and to learn how to take ownership for your success Get in touch.