To-day Ireland won a gold medal in the London 2012 Olympics. We are a small nation but no doubt about it, we pack a mighty punch. We saw a true champion in action. Someone who was totally focused, prepared, ready, and went for gold.
For the past few weeks the chat at dinner tables, at coffee shops and on the train has been “Katie Taylor, she’s something else isn’t she”. We held our breath. Amid the incessant bad news and dark weather, there was hope. The curiosity of what was possible made us stop listening to the bad stuff and get on with hope. Our focus was on Katie. We turned our attention elsewhere. We tuned into the games and saw all our sports people who have done tremendously well. You all make us proud to be Irish.
Mindset:
We can learn so much from a champion. Imagine at one stage this day was but a dream to Katie but she dreamed big. She was consistently persistent. She didn’t give up. She had a talent – she had a dream – she had a vision – and then she fought for it.
Imagine if we took just 1% of her mindset and used it to fuel what we can do.
Katie changed the nation’s spirit by believing in herself, believing in what was possible and going for it. A pretty woman boxing, some might say it wasn’t possible. Did that deter her? No! We have so much to learn. It’s not just about a golden moment. It’s not just about a gold medal. It’s one woman’s mindset against the world. She believed. She achieved. She never gave up hope.
We are what we repeatedly do:
Katie is an excellent boxer because that’s what she does repeatedly. She trains hard. She sees the outcome before it is achieved. She might even hear the roar of the Irish supporters in her head but her focus is on what she wants to do.
Now imagine taking just 1% of that and turning your life around. Katie started with an idea. Everything starts with an idea. The fuel that gives it energy is the thought patterns behind the person with the idea. If the fuel is positive then you get consistent persistence. If the fuel is negative, it’s a different story. As Aristotle said: “we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit”
Change your state of mind:
The nation changed its state of mind because it had hope. That means we do have the capability to get out of our own heads more often. Stop listening to the bad stuff. Get inventive and make your own good stuff. Who do you know that could do with getting motivated and change their life around?
Katie you are a legend. Not only have you given us a golden moment, you have lifted the spirit of a nation. Your focus, determination and passion have seen you shine for the star you truly are.