Aha Factor Blog

Life Lessons from the World of Sport

On Saturday night David The Tuamaninator Tua beat Shane The Mountain Man Cameron a few seconds into the second round of an eagerly awaited heavy weight boxing match. Some will say the job was done before the end of the first round!

We witnessed a brief glimpse of incredible punching power and domination[from Tua] over his opponent. This surprised me as I reckon Cameron is a much better fighter than he was allowed to show on the night.

Both boxers had trained very hard to be in excellent condition for this fight.

If I lose because I didn’t give it my best………’ David Tua

What was the difference.? Why was one fighter so dominant. I am no boxing expert, but I am sure this was not a mismatch, not a fight just for ‘show’.  The difference might come down to belief. Both contenders of course talked up their chances, both told us they would be the winner. Given that both fighters were in very very good condition and both had developed strategies to offset the other’s strengths and weaknesses, how is it that on the night the winner seemed to make victory look almost too easy?

I am sure you have seen this at other sporting events. Often the superior team somehow lets the other seemingly weaker team beat them. This has happened with the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns this year.

Both teams have played well below their potential game after game  only to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes and put on a display that is truly inspiring and won convincingly.

It is like they have woken up from a state of hibernation, too late for the series win though!

Life is like this too!

Deep down you know you have the talent and the ability to excel to achieve outstanding results but you don’t. Why is that?

Maybe you do not believe.

Maybe you have lost focus.

A useful tool that helps is to ‘remember a time when……..‘ you did succeed, you felt great, anything was possible. Getting in touch with your feelings, how you felt at that time is a great way to get back on the horse and ride to success. This is one of the self development secrets to getting what you want. To becoming all that you can be.

Just like the super sports stars and teams your chances of success are as much a mental exercise as anything else [assuming of course you have done the physical preparation!].

Being a member of a top sports team is as much an exercise in personal development as an individual who aspires to be, do, and have more success and happiness in his or her life.

Shane Cameron has said he will be back. He is disappointed, who wouldn’t be?

Next time Shane will do whatever it takes to ensure that he does not lose.

So will you.

Remember the Zen saying: ‘Knock down seven times, get up eight!

P.S. The annual Bathurst 1000 motor race is on this weekend. There will be approximately 29 teams attempting to redress their bitter disappointments from last year! They will be prepared. What will be the difference between the winning team and the rest?

Luck?

Unlikely.

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