Go for Gold

The Secret to Going for Gold

Athletics has always been one of Jamaica's favorite sports. We've all admired the strength and agility of the nation's top sprinters, who have earned the respect of the entire world, and have placed Jamaica's name more firmly on the map as a country of outstanding achievers.

But have you ever stopped to think about how our athletes manage to excel like that? What is it about them that makes them so very successful? Were they born more special than me and you? Is it, as some people say, the Trelawny yam that makes Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown so fast?

Or could it be that they have learnt and applied fundamental principles to their lives that guarantee this success? And could it be that if you or I were also to learn and apply these principles to our own lives, we would be rewarded with equal success?

Let's take a look at the lives of some of these athletes and see what we can learn from them.

USAIN BOLT
Claim to fame:
Three- time world and Olympic gold medalist
World and Olympic 100m record holder
World and Olympic 200m record holder
First athlete to hold both sprint world records at the same time

Far beyond his conquest on the field, it is important to look at how Usain prepares himself mentally for each challenge on the track.

Self- belief
This is a person's sense of confidence in their own ability to do what it takes to win. You have to believe you can achieve the goal you have set out to conquer, in order to do so. And I'm sure that Usain has made believers out of all of us. He has, through his remarkable athletic achievements, convinced the world of something that HE first believed - that he could break the world record in the men's 100 and 200m, and that he is one of, if not the best athlete the world has ever seen. The important point is this: Usain had to believe in himself before he could convince anybody else of his talent.

Determination
This is the quality in a person that allows them to push for the accomplishment of a goal, even when the odds are against them. Determination is often used with another word: drive, which describes an individual's deep desire to see something happen, and their constant pursuit of that goal. Usain is a clear picture of this. In his races, you always see, from his facial expression to the way he exerts his strength, that he is pushing for gold and nothing less, and it usually results in success.

Relaxation
Hard work is necessary for success, but so is a little rest and relaxation. Great athletes know that they have to balance work and play order to remain healthy. Relaxation helps to calm the nerves and release stress and tension. Usain  is a good example of this. He can be very playful and fun, even though, when it's time to perform on the track, he settles down, focuses and gets the job done. This is because Usain understands that ll work and no play will make Jack a very dull boy.