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SPELL SUCCESS IN YOUR LIFE>
SPELL SUCCESS - RUN YOUR OWN RACE
Spell SUCCESS E-Zine, © 2004, Motivational Magic
by Peter Colwell
ISSUE 9
Welcome to another issue of the "Spell SUCCESS"
e-newsletter, your free monthly dose of motivation! Thank
you for being a subscriber and reader. Please feel free to
forward this newsletter to family, friends, and colleagues
who are interested in self-improvement!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
We are pleased to announce that Spell SUCCESS in Your Life
has been picked by a Korean publisher, and will be
translated into the Korean language. We were thrilled to
receive an e-mail from the Korean translator, who mentioned
that while translating the pages from English to Korean,
she found the text to be “motivational and inspiring.” What
a great compliment from across the globe!
***********************************
QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
“We are more limited by our beliefs than our abilities.”
DR. TOM AMBERRY
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RUN YOUR OWN RACE
Last Saturday, I joined thousands of other runners and
participated in the Baltimore Marathon, a 26.2-mile running
adventure that started and finished next to the famous
baseball stadium Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore
Orioles.
After 8 months of training and preparation, I felt ready to
take on the challenge of running a marathon after a
four-year hiatus from the sport. One of my mantras during
the training and especially during the run itself was “Run
your own race at your own pace.” This philosophy reminds me
to avoid getting caught up in what’s going around me (i.e.,
trying to keep pace with other people who may be moving
more quickly than me). As I prepared for this big race, I
tried several running techniques, experimented with several
paces, and eventually found the one that worked for me.
Two weeks before the marathon, I did a 22-mile practice run
on a trail in Northern Virginia (from Sterling to Leesburg
and back). While running, I came across a woman who was
training for the New York City Marathon. While the
conversation was delightful, I soon realized that we were
moving at a much quicker pace than I was accustomed to. I
had been paying no attention to my pacing, and realized
that if I neglected listening to my body’s established
rhythm, I would eventually pay the price (either in injury
or exhaustion). So, I politely ended the conversation,
wished her well, and resumed my own, somewhat slower, pace.
Many times in life, we worry about keeping up with other
people who seem to be moving more quickly toward their
goals than we are. Maybe you’re struggling to lose 10
pounds and you notice that your co-worker dropped 20 pounds
with relative ease. Or maybe you dream of getting out of
debt, and notice your neighbors buying an extra car or
going on an expensive trip.
It’s too easy to get caught in the trap of comparing your
goals with those of others or comparing the speed with
which you get there.
Remember the old parable of the Tortoise and the Hare. The
tortoise won in the end not by exerting extra energy, but
by taking one step after another to eventually reach his
destination. We can win our own race by doing the same
thing: taking one step at a time and preparing well through
visualization and consistent action toward our goals.
On race day, I ran my own race and finished in 4 hours and
53 minutes, well behind the Kenyan front runner, who
finished in 2:14 and well ahead of several hundred runners
who trailed me. If body language was any indication, each
runner who crossed the finish line experienced the
satisfaction of running their own race at their own pace!
***********************************
The following article excerpt is from Dr. Tom Amberry,
world-champion free-throw maker (2,750 free throws in a row
without missing). Enjoy!
MAKE EVERY FREE THROW
A free throw is a gift…and the only thing between you and
that basket is yourself.
You stand alone on that line with just your muscles
(physical shape), your heart (emotional training), and your
beliefs (spiritual development). If you are using “focus
and concentration” in your winning ritual, you will make
your best shot.
This mental habit of “focus and concentration” helps in not
only improving free throw shooting, but also in
accomplishing anything you really want to do in life.
Keep your mind in the HERE AND NOW
NEVER
LET
IT
WANDER
AWAY
I’ve come to this conclusion: In everything we do, whether
in sports or business or in trying to achieve a life goal,
we are more limited by our beliefs than our ability. The
obstacles to success exist more in your mind than in the
physical world.
Those who excel at all aspects of the game that others find
boring and repetitive create their “zone” where they know
the ball is in the basket as it leaves their fingertips.
What is your highest level of performance you are capable
of? Write a realistic estimate of your talents and add 10%
more toward your new goal. Stick with it. Make every free
throw…enjoy every gift life gives you.
To achieve success, whatever the job we have, we must pay a
price for success. It’s like anything worthwhile. It has a
price. You have to pay the price to get to the point where
success is possible. Most important, you must pay the price
to stay there. Success is not a “sometimes” thing. In other
words, you can’t do what is right once in a while, but all
the time. Success is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.
I know success is the result of PERFECTION, PERSISTENCE,
HARD WORK, LEARNING FROM FAILURE, and LOYALTY TO THE TEAM.
What helps toward this perfection is setting your first
goal just out of reach, and within the realm of your own
possibility. A goal high enough so the idea of achieving it
REALLY excites you. Your excitement gives you an excellent
chance you will reach it.
If you believe you are an average basketball player, you’ll
play like one. Believe you are a champion, and you’ll
eventually be one. So…set your goals high and let them lift
you up to where you really want to go!
LETTER FROM A READER
I just now finished your book "Spell Success In Your Life".
I had come across your book in school exhibition of my
children (girl, Bharathi 11 years, & son, Krishnan 7
years).
The book was a great motivation to start a fresh in my
life. In fact I have already made my Mission, Short term
Goal, re-working on values and Vision. In many ways the
book was eye opener. More could be said but best would be
to follow and honor the contents.
Thanks for your book. The pain taken by you in writing this
book is foundation on which I intend to build my success.
Best regards
K. Ramachandran
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Whatever your personal and professional goals may be,
decide today to make them YOUR OWN. Live life according to
your own standards, not those imposed upon you by others!
And remember to concentrate your efforts on lofty and
worthwhile goals that will give you a deep sense of
self-satisfaction!
See you next month,
Peter
Peter Colwell motivates others to motivate themselves!
Peter is an accomplished speaker and author of Spell
SUCCESS in Your Life, a popular motivational book that has
been published in seven languages worldwide. Peter delivers
keynote speeches, seminars, and workshops to corporations,
associations, and nonprofit groups. Peter can be reached at
peter@petercolwell.com or 301-370-2698. For more details
about his book and speeches, visit
http://www.PeterColwell.com.
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