This week marked the first week of my preparation for the 2009 season. I really get into the meat of training in January but I feel like I have to be at a certain level of fitness to really start working hard so December is "Preparation" phase. To me this feels like the "Working hard with spaghetti arms and hollow legs" month. Fun times during this getting back on track phase. I have also been happy to start a group of athletes on their 2009 journey and I look forward to having the opportunity to help them be successful. There are a few spots left in the coaching program but it should be closing soon so if you are interested, please contact me as soon as possible. Besides coaching and training… I am also working on another project but more on that in the next post.
This week also marked the end of my obsessing about how the season ended and the start of me doing all of the right things that helped me win the lion’s share of the events last season. I am setting my goals, setting my intention, fearlessly committing to a plan, getting disciplined and being passionate about what I do. I truly need to be committed and believe in what I am doing to get things done.
There is a lesson in the 2008 World Championships for me that may also be applicable to you. Let say you do everything right. You have the best preparation, the best equipment, the best form and the best attitude when you toe the line to challenge yourself to achieve your goal. 99% of the time you can be confident of success when you do this. 1% of the time life is going to throw you a curve ball that leaves you blindsided, frustrated and upset. The challenge at this point is to take that event, put it in a compartment or a file labeled "UNCONTROLLABLE" and put it aside. How you react to that event is much more important than the outcome of the event itself.
This situation can apply to anyone out there, not just the athletes in the audience. I bet there are a lot of people working in sales who have the best product, the best knowledge, the best service and have forged solid relationships only to discover they are not meeting their targets or their goals in this economy. All I can say is keep doing the right things, having the right attitude and challenging yourself in the same way. The only way that lack of success is going to define you is if you don’t step up and put yourself in a position to win again.
So here’s to picking ourselves up and putting ourselves in a position to win again. For me, I have some work to do in the pool this winter. It has started this week. Happy training!
Sunset on 2008