PODIUM

With the Olympics having wound up just over 2 weeks ago, the lasting images are that of the winners taking their pride of place on the PODIUM the ultimate Place Of Displaying Intense Unique Moment. It is in that triumph that all the preparation, the sacrifices, the injuries suffered and the failures encountered enroute all seem to have played  a critical role in attaining success.

Whether sports or otherwise, for the views and audience it is the performance on the day that matter. However for he performer, the performance on the day is vital, but they can hope to strike it rich only if they have sweated it out, worked on going that extra mile, repeated and perfected the technique so that they are well prepared for D day. Unfortunately, there are occasions when the best do not get their due on  D Day and hence miss out on holding centre stage on the podium. A false start in the relays, foul jumps, a niggle that bothers or the sheer weight of expectations can bog a person down and prevent him / her from being a winner.

The winner’s podium has an unique elevation that recognizes the uniqueness of each person privileged to stand on it. I it also draws attention to the collective achievement of those standing on it. By the time a person is privileged to stand on a podium, the enormity of the achievement slowly sinks in and translates into an overwhelming mix of emotions joy, pride, sense of achievement and relief. All these emotions translate into tears of joy, a thumping of the chest, the raising of the arms and the mutual respect for each other. Competitors turn collaborators in a show of collective respect and admiration for one and other.

The winners be it the Gold, Silver or Bronze medalists know that their position on the podium was not a fluke but the result of self belief, sacrifice, persistence and hard work. The victory when it comes is savored with a mix of ecstasy, relief and excitement. These feelings are displayed with all the intense passion that highlights the uniqueness of the moment they have waited for. The PODIUM is not just a platform but Place Of Displaying Intense Unique Moment.

Action Points:

How did you feel when you saw an Olympic medal winner from your country stand on the podium? Could you emphasize with him/ her?

Name 3 individuals ( at least one of whom should be from the opposite sex) who

you believe represents the following

The 3 best sports persons of all time

The 3 best actors of all time

The 3 best singers

The 3 most loved people (outside of your immediate family)

The 3 best friends

The 3 best teachers in your life

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Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

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HURDLES

The hurdles is a unique event where mans ingenuity to make the staid and boring activity of running more interesting was improvised upon by putting hurdles that participants have to overcome in order to win. However the hurdles event if seen differently actually mimics life; each day that we live largely is routine but when we seek out opportunities they are there in plenty but unfortunately there are apparently too many hurdles to overcome if one has to grab the opportunities. These HURDLES in real life can be seen as Having Unexpected Resistors Demanding Leaps to Ensure Success.

There are numerous lessons that one can learn from the hurdles event. To begin with one must anticipate the hurdles, one must prepare to cross them, one cannot side step them but have to leap over them and finally even if one stumbles at a hurdle it may not necessarily mar ones chances of success. As human beings though, these lessons from the track and field hurdling event is not easily appreciated and put into daily living. If we analyze each learning point we would realize that life’s challenges and hurdles can be managed with relative ease.

Anticipate the hurdles – There is no one in this wide world who can claim to be free of problems, challenges and tensions. It is therefore prudent to stop, pause and reflect on the possible challenges that one will have to encounter along life’s path. By anticipating, we won’t be taken by surprise, we will have some plans to meet the hurdles and more importantly our confidence won’t be dented.

Prepare to cross them – Just like one prepares for an exam without really knowing the questions that will actually come in the question paper, one can work on meeting some challenges that we can anticipate. E.g. if communication in English is a weakness because one has studied in the vernacular, then working on ones English language skills is imperative.

One cannot side step them but have to leap over them – There is an English saying ‘do not bury your head in the sand like and ostrich’ which implies that when confronted with unavoidable troubles do not try to ignore it or run away from it. Just as the hurdlers have to leap over the hurdles one has to confront challenges with daring and fortitude. Here another saying is equally relevant which states ‘ you cannot cross a chasm in two steps’; implying that at times one has to take a risk and make big decisions. E.g. Someone who is an employee could be passionate about a business venture but he / she has to leave behind the security of a fixed salary and possible take a huge income loss before establishing one’s business.

Even if one stumbles at a hurdle it may not necessarily mar ones chances of success.- Even the best hurdles in the world have a bad day in office occasionally, when they stumble over the hurdles. In life we are more prone to stumble off and on for the hurdles are not evenly placed nor the height evenly adjusted as in the track event. Each day brings new, different and intriguing challenges. Keeping motivated each day is perhaps the most commonly experienced challenge for most human beings. Being satisfied is another huge challenge. These are generic challenges but some specific challenges can be a huge hurdle to overcome. The good part of the hurdles is that life gives us many opportunities to fail and get up and retry.  The best part is that the biggest and most challenging hurdles merely require us to overcome our personal inhibitions. The superlative part of the hurdles we have to overcome is that we do not have to prove our ability to anyone but merely find our inner strength and  passion and align it with our goals to overcome them. These HURDLES in real life can then be experienced as Having overcome Unexpected Resistors Demanding Leaps to Ensure Success.

Action Points:

List out the one hurdle that is impeding your success in the following areas of your life

• Your personal life
• Your professional or student life
• Your social life
• Your self development
• Your thought process

Power Act - from http://www.actspot.com/ is focused on -

Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

You are also invited to visit our inspirational and motivational blog

http://www.actspot.wordpress.com