Hi Guys,
I hope all of you had a great Christmas.
Firstly I want to say a huge thank you to all the athletes I’ve worked this year, your work, commitment and loyalty has been greatly appreciated. I am extremely lucky and grateful to work with so many amazing people that continue to come along on this journey with me.
It’s been a roller coaster year for me for many reasons but where I take my greatest sense of pride is in the huge range of success I’ve seen in 2017. We’ve seen Team members complete distances and events for the first time, athletes setting new PB’s and more athletes than ever racing at World Championship level. One of our athletes also rose to the very pinnacle of our sport and became an Ironman World Champion.
I also continue to take great pride in smaller things I see on a day-to-day basis, like being a good teammate, someone listening well to instructions/advice or seeing someone maintaining focus during a session. I also take great reward when I see athletes working hard but on the flip-side I also admire the courage it takes to go easier and back off at the right time. The value of sensible decision-making should not be underestimated.
As a coach reward is everywhere if you are prepared to look for it and as the saying goes – ‘rarely does a good deed go unnoticed’.
All you can ask of yourself moving forwards into 2018 is you try to be the very best athlete you can be depending on your level of talent and ability. This will vary from athlete to athlete and one person’s first triathlon finish is another’s World Championship podium. I will always appreciate the magic in all of this because I know how big the journey is for each individual depending on his or her starting point.
I think the legendary basketball coach John Wooden summed this up perfectly when he said:
“Peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable. I believe that’s true. If you make the effort to do the best of which you’re capable, trying to improve the situation that exists for you, I think that’s success, and I don’t think others can judge that; it’s like character and reputation. Your reputation is what you’re perceived to be; your character is what you really are. And I think that character is much more important than what you are perceived to be.”
I also think golfing legend Gary Player summed up 10 behaviours we can all control that require zero talent that can have a huge impact on future success:
1: Be on time
2: Work ethic
3: Effort
4: Energy
5: Body language
6: Passion
7: Doing extra
8: Being prepared
9: Being coachable
10: Attitude
So try to make improving these behaviours your focus for 2018 and beyond, there’s nothing more motivating for a coach than when an athlete starts to display these behaviours in a positive way. The more you invest in these the more you will get back in return and not just from a coaching stand point.
Wishing you all a very Happy New year, I look forward to continuing this journey with you into 2018!
Julian
A look back at 2017 – what a year it’s been!
Team Race News
There was only one Team Nagi athlete racing this month and that was our man again in Sydney, Australia – Chris O’Neill. Only 2 weeks after the Sydney 70.3 Chris was back in action at The Ultimate Distance Triathlon in Callala Bay (2km swim / 60km bike/ 15km run). Chris had a great day and bounced back to put in great performance.
– Chris O’Neill (50-54) (Swim 45mins / Bike 2:07 /run 1:32)
