Olympics an Education in How to Go For the Gold

When Michael Phelps started shattering the Gold Medal record for the 2008 Olympics he gave everyone an education in persistence. Surely Michael practiced by swimming hundreds of laps to gain the endurance and expertise required to succeed. Something had to come from within to inspire him to diligently swim at a high level every time he jumped into a pool. Winning can breed winning when there is an expectation of success. It is clear that Michael Phelps expects to dominate the field of swimmers each time he dives into a pool. He is not looking to the left or right to see his competitors he is always looking straight ahead. Michael's goal is right in front of him and he is steadfast in his desire to collect every Gold Medal that he can.

Olympians learn how to pay attention to details that are important aspects of winning. They never take a day off from practice. They understand that there are hundreds of other athletes who are practicing eight to twelve hours a day to try to get an edge during their next competition. A slight movement in a body position while in the water can determine how fast a swimmer can increase their speed.

There is a great lesson to learn from Olympians. It is important for personal growth. Olympians that win Gold Medals learn how to master their fears. They understand that fear is "false evidence that appears real." They spend a lot of time contemplating in their mind first how they will overcome their fears. Giving in to fear can take away from a person's physical and mental health. Olympic athletes frequently go to the doctors to report pains that they cannot explain. Ongoing fear can result in stress that strips ones confidence in any of life's endeavors.

A great strategy that the athletes use is to take the limits off their thought life. They know that past failures can serve as a marker to identify a new method to accomplish their goal. Olympians accept challenges as a fact of life. It's amazing how they wait for four years to perform in one or more events. It takes real determination and continuous competition around the globe to measure an Olympian's abilities. Olympians must have nerves of steel to overcome any anxiety they experience when they are ready to start any event. Olympic athletes participate in a competition in a world where a tenth of a second makes a difference between a Gold or Silver Medal.

Individuals who participate in the Olympics teach students of all ages the value of persistence. Many of the fears that the students have are based on past challenges in the classroom of life. Always be ready to pick yourself up and to prepare for the next challenge. Michael Phelps is an example of how to approach each learning experience with enthusiasm and excitement about your potential accomplishments. Each day is an opportunity to move one step closer to your goal. Just like the top athlete you can go for the Gold if you practice and persist.

For twenty years, Dr. Jones has delivered presentations on numerous topics including how to study, leadership, effective communication, and innovative management practices. Working with students has enabled Dr. Jones to have a complete understanding of the challenges their facing.

The problems of the world can be eliminated and solved by individual people like you and me, and through no other means than by those people purely concentrating on personal development and personal growth. We need to be able to recognize the essential humanity in ourselves and also in the people we meet.

Every time you open a newspaper or watch TV, listen to the radio or search the internet it's the same thing nowadays: nothing but a seemingly endless succession of scenes of killing, robbery, rape, bombings, war and nastiness.

It can make you depressed if you let it.

Many commentators talk and write endlessly about the reasons for it all, and especially in the case of wars, governments and leaders of countries spend a lot of effort justifying themselves. It's funny how they always seem to have some innocent and noble reason for invading a country or bombing the civilian population of that country, isn't it?

In my opinion there are two major reasons why this situation continues, even though everyone hates it.

The first is a way of thinking that I have named The Badge Mentality. Under this mentality, you gather round and stay with those people who are wearing the same badge as you. Even if you maybe do not like a person very much, he is nevertheless wearing that badge, and it is the same as your badge. Actually, in a way, you do not even have to bother about making a decision as to whether you like him. That really does not matter. And why is that?

Because he is wearing the same badge.

And all those other people, the ones who are wearing different badges? We don't trust them, of course, and we go ahead and obey our so-called leaders when they order us to kill them.

What form does this badge take? It can be a common nationality or a common language or a common skin color or even a common interest in a particular football team. The reason why there is conflict on Earth is because we have conditioned ourselves to see others as wearers of a badge, and we judge them by that, rather than trying to see each person as an individual human being.

The second reason for the continuation of this situation is if everyone blindly accepts the views and explanations of the political leaders, who are just saying whatever will keep them in office and preserve things as they are. This is why I say that if today everyone on Earth decided to ignore these so-called leaders, and instead, each person concentrated on his or her personal development as a human being, then we would have world peace in a very short time from now.

And yes, I am talking in terms of around next Tuesday.

But, you might say, maybe it is a little bit selfish to be pursuing personal development when there is so much trouble in the world? No because your own personal development is something you can start on right now, right here, today. And if enough people begin on a program of personal development, it will not be long before they develop a force too powerful for mere governments to withstand.

A personal growth revolution can never be imposed from above or from outside. So if it is going to happen, then it is for you to start it rolling, where you are, right now.

Peace is always there to be found within yourself.