Keeping Yourself Positive

The most important thing you do for your success is to take control of the suggestive elements in your environment. Be sure that what you are seeing and listening to is consistent with the goals you want to achieve.

Michael Phelps : Olympic Phenomenon

“To dream anything that you want to dream. That's the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.”

Bernard Edmonds

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8 Olympic Golds, 7 Swim Records for Michael Phelps
As we continue to follow the 2008 Olympics, we know that the story that stands out the most is the great Michael Phelps. I just finished watching an interview with him and his mother that was so inspiring. Bob Costas asked some great personal questions, and I'll share with you three insights from a true Olympic phenomenon (obstacles he had to overcome, and lessons we can learn from).

1. Michael was raised by a single parent.

I personally can relate to this one. Whether you're a single parent or a couple, the LOVE, DISCIPLINE, BELIEFS AND DREAMS you instill in your child are powerful. As I watched him interact with his mother, it was so evident of the bond they had developed because she sacrificed for her kids. Michael Phelps said, "I remember my mom always working hard and always being there." Parents, remember, if you make your children a priority while they’re growing up, they will make you a priority while you're growing old.

2. Michael was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as a child.

ADHD is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. It is estimated that between three and five percent of children have ADHD, or approximately two million children in the United States. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD. Most everyone has obstacles in their lives that they must overcome. Besides his mother instilling belief in him, she credits swimming to being a safe-haven and a focus where he was able to flourish and develop. Don't ever let anything stand in the way of your dreams.

3. As a kid, Michael was ridiculed and made fun of constantly because of his ears and his physical appearance.

We all have a past. It's either our prison, our excuse or our springboard to the future. He didn't allow any unforgiveness or bitterness get in the way of his dream. Did you know that bitterness is like a chain around the neck of your potential? It will choke the life out of your freedom and joy if you allow it to fester in your heart. Never forget that the theme of your HEART is always writing the STORY of your LIFE. That is why it must be free and overflowing with good things!

The best quote of the night I heard from Michael was, “The greatest thing is proving nothing is impossible. So many people said it couldn’t be done, but all it takes is an imagination. That is something I have earned.” Tonight I was reminded that big dreams are often challenging, but challenges are what we live for !

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by Julio Melara

Check out Julio's blog at www.juliomelara.net.

Increase Your Ambition

Have there been times when you feel you didn't push hard enough? When you felt you perhaps lacked ambition, or could have done with some more motivation to make a real success of something ?

Maybe you have been partially successful but know deep down that you can be even more successful with a bit more motivation..

Avoiding failure is not the same as focusing on success.

Many people retreat into 'safety mode' when it comes to opportunities or challenges, but avoiding failure is not the same as strong focus on success. Just trying to not make mistakes is not the same as having strong motivation to succeed; to do your very best.

Success depends on many things. Aptitude and opportunity alone are not enough. To achieve success you must possess a genuine and intense desire to excel.

Programming Success

The first computerized checkers player could compute all possible outcomes of a given move but it was only an average player. Why? Because it made only 'safe' moves that prevented it from losing. When it was programmed to play to win (not just to avoid losing) the machine started winning. Think about that for a moment.

Being success focused lowers stress

Research has also found that not only is a genuine desire to succeed strongly related to eventual success, it has the added benefit of making the goal less stressful!

The constructive feeling that you are going somewhere, taking things forward and making a difference (or going to make a difference) through your success is fantastically satisfying. This is very different from just feeling that you want to avoid failure.

Success: Richard St. John (from TED)