FORGET THE PAST, FOCUS ON YOUR FUTURE

Now more than ever before, you need to draw a line in the sand and forget about what has happened to you in the past. You need to focus on following the pathway to your passions. As adults, we tend to focus too much on our past challenges. Don’t let your past dictate your future. Your future is bright, brilliant and buoyant.

In 1954, Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile. What is amazing about Bannister’s story is the journey he had taken to achieve his goal. You see, Bannister had to earn the respect of his peers at Oxford University for a year by cleaning up after them and shoveling snow before he was allowed to compete in their track and field team. When he did, he was fast, fluid and stood out amongst the other team members. Catching the eye of the Great Britain track and field Olympic selectors, he was selected to represent his country at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and with that selection, rode the gold medal hopes of all of Great Britain.

He made the final of the 1500 metres and when the final bell rang, he gave his famous kick for the last lap. Simultaneously, many of his fellow competitors shifted gear, and in the end Bannister didn’t get a place. In some of the London newspapers, the headline read Bannister Fails! He felt he had let down his country, his university and himself. Like great achievers though, Bannister knew the key was not how far you fall, but how you bounce back that counts.

He set a goal that he would redeem himself and break the four-minute mile barrier. This was a goal that many believed was physically impossible. Other athletes had been attempting to achieve the same goal for the past nine years.

With his medical background and knowledge of athletics, he planned his attack. He researched mechanical aspects of running, and developed a scientific training method to aid him. At Iffley Road, Bannister planned to have two runners, Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway, to pace him for his attempt on breaking the four-minute mile. The weather on the day was horrible, with 15mph crosswinds gusting up to 25mph, and Bannister very nearly called the attempt off. Despite the poor weather, a large crowd gathered to fill the stands and support Bannister’s attempt.

When the race started, Chris Brasher took the lead as the first pacemaker. Bannister slotted in behind him, with Chataway in third place. When Brasher began to tire, Bannister gave the signal for Chataway to take over. The officials rang the bell to indicate the last lap and the crowd started clapping. With just over two hundred yards to go to the finish, Roger Bannister took the lead and kicked with the crowd now standing and cheering him on. He sprinted to the line and finishing in a time of 3:58.4. He had done it. He had come back!

Roger Bannister hits the tape after running the first four-minute mile. // Source: The Telegraph, UK

YOU CAN COME BACK, BUT YOU NEED A BURNING DESIRE TO ACHIEVE A SPECIFIC GOAL WITH A PLAN BUILT UPON ACTION AND AN ATTITUDE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE DENIED A POSITIVE RESULT.

Decide to go on your journey now!

If it is not now, then when? Make the decision to follow your passions and pursue your dreams. Stop wondering if it is going to be the right thing to do. Let me tell you, you will never make the wrong decision. Every decision you make is 100% correct, for that time and place.

A day later, a week later or a year later it may not have been the right decision. So change it, fix it, make it right and move on! Don’t procrastinate and shift into a permanent pause mode. Everything that you have read about in this book is about following simple processes and formulas that will assist you in clarifying your goals. Part of the process is to motivate yourself to obtain 100% commitment for the goals you have set. As you follow the process, you will know in your heart of hearts if that is the right goal for you to pursue at that time.

NEVER DOUBT YOUR POSSIBILITIES. INSTEAD, DOUBT THE LIMITS YOU PUT ON YOURSELF.