RACE

In sports and particularly during the OLYMPICS, the most eagerly looked forward to events are the races. A RACE is perhaps the simplest form of showing of superiority for all one has to do is Rush Ahead Challenge Everyone and the one who comes first is the winner. What makes a race even more interesting is the variety, innovations and complexities that have transformed races to become the pivot of sporting jamboree the Olympics.

The marathon has always remained a major symbol of the triumph of the human spirit and endurance, and the race most associated with the Olympics. However, over the years the races have evolved to broadly encompass the short distance races, the middle distance races, the long distance races and then endurance races. Walking race too has become an important race. The swimming events have made races even more exciting with the varied styles of swimming posing challenges for even the best. The hurdles and relays are innovations that have enhanced the variety and added luster to make the races more intriguing. With the introduction of the steeple chase the races have embraced complexities that add glitter and glitz to the simple and pure form of basic human entertainment and achievement.

For sheer ecstasy and emotion, nothing is comparable to the short sprints be it the hurdles or the 400, 200 and 100 meter races. While the timing of the top most athletes participating in these events is almost identical, what makes the race a sheer joy is the very high probability of upsets that can happen, These could be from the basic error of being disqualified for a false start or lane violation or it could be due to injury or a tumble that could prove decisive in having upsets hold centre stage. At the end of the day, it is the photo finishes that result in a whisker thin victory that sends the adrenaline of the officials, spectators and supporters racing.

A bit of glitz and sheen has been taken away from the races of late with athletes resorting to dubious means like doping and use of performance enhancing drugs to win the race. Despite these hiccups, whether you are sports fan or not, chances are that you will never miss out on seeing the races especially at the Olympics for you would be just as keen to bet on who would with the RACE and Rush Ahead Challenge Everyone.

Action Points:

1. Do see the movie Chariots of Fire which uses the backdrop of race to tell a tale.
2.  Check up the meaning of the following phrases which have the word race in them

• Racing against time
• Race to the finish
• Feel my heartbeats race
• The race ended in a dead heat
• A one horse race

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

OLYMPICS

One spectacular event that the world looks forward to with great anticipation, hope and excitement is the OLYMPICS. The reason for it is 3 fold; it happens just once every 4 years, every country has an opportunity to be represented and it is the one time when all are equals and competition is intense and camaraderie at its best. To understand, appreciate and experience this One Lively Youthful Meet of Passionate Intense Competitive Sportsmanship all one need to do is watch the 2012 Olympics being held in London from the 27^th July 2012 and closing on 12^th August 2012.

Sports in general and athletics in particular have always enthralled human beings. It is a test of skill, strength and stamina no matter what the event. The Olympics embraces all these and more since it encompasses an astounding range of sporting activities. With a wide variety of races of varying distances as well as a mix of obstacles as in the steeple chase there is no dearth of action, intrigue and surprises. The throws, jumps, the gymnastics and  the pool related events bring grace and art to superlative degree of finesse. To acknowledge our savage ancestory, there is shooting, archery, boxing, wrestling, fencing and martial arts disciplines thrown in. Team sports is represented in various forms be it relays, the ball sports hockey, football, volleyball and, basketball among others. An interesting facet of the games are the events where the sports person has to use an aid be it a horse for the equestrian events or a boat for the rowing events or cycles for the cycling events. Not to be left behind are the racquet events tennis, table tennis and badminton.

Every Olympics also throws up its sporting heroes and heroines as well as sets the stage for tragedies of epic proportions. Then there are controversies (doping related disqualifications being the most prevalent of late), occasional tragedies (the Munich massacre being a very unique episode), surprises and shockers. However what people would always cherish will be enduring images of extraordinary performances, remarkable feats by rank outsiders and underdogs and emotional outbursts, touching display of sporting spirit and the triumph of the spirit over mind and matter. 

While sports is the glue that makes the OLYMPICS one of the most eagerly awaited events every 4 years, it is the One Lively Youthful Meet of Passionate Intense Competitive Sportsmanship that enables the OLYMPICS to retain is aura, charm and popularity.

Try this:

Read up on the achievements of the following athletes

Sergey Bubka http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Bubka

Edwin Moses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Moses

Nadia Comaneci http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Com%C4%83neci

Mark Spitz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Spitz

Teófilo Stevenson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Te%C3%B3filo_Stevenson

Read up on the details of the following

The Olympic symbols http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_symbols

The Olympic games http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games

The London Olympics http://www.london2012.com

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 

URGE

Progress is made only when someone has the urge to be proactive and try something different, create something new or bring about a change in the staid and mundane. This comes about only when one has the Unique Resolve Generating Enthusiasm. Everyone reading this can look back and visualize the countless ideas that one has flirted with, the critical evaluation of things and happenings around us, yet not too many can claim to have initiated the changes one wished. At the same time each of us can be proud of the small accomplishments that we would have triggered or executed be it reorganizing the furniture, investing in some household gadgets or cultivating a hobby, we can link it to giving in to the urge to make a difference.

If you are reading this, notice that it is the urge to read that has brought you this far. Similarly, it is important to realize that when you do something that is out of the way like chucking a well paying job to take on a social activist’s role or doing something innovative like learning a new dance form or merely giving freshness to the environment around like redecorating the house, the impetus comes from the urge within you. What is important to make the urge work is the enthusiasm that one generates that then translates into the resolve to get going. If we see it from this angle we can understand why with rare exceptions most times our New Year resolutions turn out to be damp squibs; for the resolution is first made and then we fail to inject the enthusiasm so essential to make the resolution a reality.

If you are a passionate supporter of a team, you would notice that in close games you unconsciously attempt to urge your team to victory. This urge is a variant that attempts to translate your enthusiasm to a common cause that you heartily support. If you have been to the horse races, you would notice that the jockeys make every effort to urge their horse to speed up and the whip is the most visible tool to translate this urge into an outcome. Urgency is another variant where the urge becomes reactive because matters have come to a head and it is essential that crucial steps be taken in haste. Here the enthusiasm is often propelled by fear of the consequences of timely action not be taken.

There are times when the urge seems to have lost its sting and that is when we simply go through the motions. We then participate not to reach our original goal but merely to satisfy a necessary requirement or to pander to our conscience. As individuals we need to constantly better ourselves each day. To achieve this we have to find the urge to tackle the mundane, the challenging, the routine and the impossible for everyday life is simply a combination of all these. Look closely at the lives of the great achievers in any field and you would notice that each of them has had his/ her share of failures; but what made them great is that URGE to keep going in relentless pursuit of their goals with their Unique Resolve Generating Enthusiasm.

Action Points:

Make a note of the most complain that the following individuals make against you and find the urge to address the complaint at the earliest

• Your spouse or sibling or parent
• Your superior be it a boss or a teacher
• Your friends/ colleagues/ social circle

Jot down three commitments for yourself ( 1 each for the following areas of your life)

• Commitment to a social service activity
• Commitment to a personal improvement activity
• Commitment to a quality family life activity

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