Playing by the Rules & Cameron Smith

The big news in Australian sport this week is the shock that Melbourne Storm captain, Cameron Smith, will miss the Australian Rugby League final due to his suspension. Stung for a 'grapple tackle' on Bronco's player, Sam Thaiday, Cam's protest is that other players had done it and gotten away with it. Though he is prepared to cop the 2-game suspension, Cam's argument sounds like one from a primary school playground. You know the one. "Oh Miss, they did it too!" (say it with a whiny voice for added effect).
The point still remains that tackling around the head and neck is dangerous and can have nasty and even fatal consequences. It reminds me of a quote by Oprah Winfrey, "“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.” Don't do something just because you can get away with it, even though it may do harm to another. A true champion values integrity and will avoid the attitude of winning at all costs. The cost can be too great so why risk it.
Football players and all athletes need to start taking responsibility for their actions and consider doing the right thing, rather than stretching the rules.

Let it Go

Have you ever noticed times when you try and try to get a result and nothing seems to work, and then you give up or let go. Isn't it funny how once you let go, that things start to work out for the best? Perhaps that very thing you were striving for occurs easily and effortlessly.
My philosophy on going for goals is this:
Setting a goal gives you direction and helps you create the life of your dreams. Once you set the goal, become confident and trust that it can and will occur. And then, here's the tricky bit, you need to let go of it HAVING to happen. Or at least for it having to happen exactly as you plan. This very letting go, ironically, increases your chances of achievement.
Yes, you still take action towards you goal and do whatever it takes.
The distinction is that by letting go you open yourself up to going with the flow and seeing the opportunities that present themselves. It gives you the ability to adjust to changed circumstances. If you are limited to only 'one way' then you might be shutting yourself to necessary detours or shortcuts.
Letting go allows you to focus on and enjoy the process and appreciate the present.
Where in life can you let go? You can find more of my insights and learnings through my newsletter. Read past issues of AnnetteffectNews now.

And now for the paralympics - are you watching?

Who is following the Paralympics? After all the glory and media attention of the Olympic games, do we give the same attention to the feats of these amazing athletes. I was just reading about Natalia Partyka and her extraordinary success in Table Tennis. She actually competed in the regular Olympics a few weeks ago also and hasn’t let the absence of a forearm stop her from being competitive against fully-abled opponents. Read her story and be inspired http://en.paralympic.beijing2008.cn/news/special/features/n214591907.shtml

Goals and Dreams: Act on them now

"GOALS: Imagine what you can do when you are inspired by them, imagine what you can do when you believe in them, imagine what you can do when you ACT upon them." (Jim Rohn)
I shared this quote today at a networking breakfast and thought to share it here. Your imagination can either create OR limit your opportunities and the choice is yours. When you dare to dream, such as many of the Olympians on show recently, then you open yourself up to what is possible. When that dream inspires you, pathways will open themselves up to you and it's up to you to take them, to ACT upon them. It is not enough to think that your thoughts will create your results. By having inspired thoughts, you will find a way to take the right action. Pay attention to the signs. The one who takes regular daily action in the right direction is the one who will succeed. Is that you?
If you want help with focus and training your mind towards your dreams, visit masteryourmindmasteryoursport.com to register for my online course.

Laser focus key to McLellan win

Congratulations Sally McClellan for winning Silver in the 100m Hurdles in Beijing. Watching Sally's interviews post the semi and the final made it clear to me that this girl has the right mindset of a champion. She demonstrates an ability to focus during the race and then seemed very clear in how to prioritise her thoughts directly after the semi-final. Very down to earth, able to enjoy the moment and yet looking forward to the next step. Sally's stated goal was to make the Olympic final though I am curious when she decided to aim higher for a medal. Was it once she made the final, or was it something she had put into her future some time ago and kept it to herself.
Sometimes when we share our lofty goals with others, the small-mindedness of well-meaning friends might stamp out the fire that burns within. I believe it can be better to keep our grandest goals close to our heart.
During the interview post-final, Sally had the look of someone who had seen this potential outcome before - and now it had actually occurred! What an amazing surprise that must have been - to think, this mind stuff actually works. It happened perhaps exactly as she had created.
Sure, I'm mind-reading here but I feel confident in stating the Sally McLellan has put as much training into her mindset as she has into her physical strength, speed and agility. The rewards are hers and who knows what she will set out to do now that she realises that anything is possible.

Beijing Olympics - sink or swim

Half way through the Olympics and athletes dreams have been realised, some have been exceeded, and or for some, dashed. So much energy - emotionally and physically - goes into preparation for this once in four years event. What makes the difference between glory or not?
I'm always interested to hear quotes of athletes as I am very curious as I listen for insights into their thinking. What created their result? I was in the UK when Welshman, Nicole Cooke won Gold in the cycling road race - she was quoted to have dreamt of winning Olympic gold when she was just 11 years old! Then I read of Libby Trickett trying to stop vomiting before a race - what must be going through her mind to cause this. Is she consciously thinking about what could go wrong? Is it just a physiological response occurring at the unconscious level?
When it comes to pre-race or pre-match routine an athlete wants to be in a state of mind that maximises their response. If Libby is able to put positive meaning to her response, and use it to power her towards a winning result, then it may be beneficial. Some people think that these sort of responses can't be changed. They can! We can make changes at an unconscious level to totally transform our behaviours and therefore our results. I know if I was still competing that I would be looking to create the best emotional state and behaviours to ensure the best result.
I would be looking to see how the best of the best does it. At the moment the best is Michael Phelps. At the time of writing he has won 7 Gold medals at one Olympics and preparing for his 8th. How does he prepare? What goes through his mind as he stands on the block? I’m curious, aren't you?

What sports for Olympics?

As I googled today for sporting news I noticed a number of comments on what sports should be included in the Olympics. Phil Mickelson thinks golf should be an Olympic Sport and a number of cricketers, including Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist, are backing their own sport to be included.
One of the criteria for Olympic sports is the universal appeal of a sport - that is, how broadly the sport is played across nations of the world. Cricket, though spreading in popularity, still falls way short of being global. Gilchrist is reported saying that building Olympic support of the Twenty20 format will help spread the game to further nations, including the US and China. I understand that it works the other way round - build the sport to world-wide popularity and then be invited to join the Olympic family.
Golf has universal appeal and yet I wonder it's legitimacy as an Olympic sport when it's players are so well rewarded as professionals. I think one of the criteria for being in an Olympic sport is that the Olympics would be considered the pinnacle reward for that sport. I believe tennis lacks that legitimacy because players would surely rank a Wimbledon win over an Olympic medal. Similarly, a golf player would rank a US open or British Open title over an Olympic win also.
I wonder what others think about sports that could be included and those that could be dropped. I know when Beach Volleyball was first accepted in 1996 it was wildly panned by naive critics, particularly because the athletes wore bikinis. Now it is widely accepted for the athletic sport that it is and one of the more popular watched sports. What do you think on what's in and what's out?