Gold Medal Performance

"Success is a state of mind.  If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success."

— Dr. Joyce Brothers

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Nine months before the 1984 Summer Olympics, U.S.A. Gymnast, Bart Connor tore his right bicep muscle while competing in Japan.  Most people believed the injury was so severe that Connor would not recover in time to compete in the Olympics.  Connor recovered indeed, he won two gold medals.  He earned a gold medal on the parallel bars, scoring two perfect tens. He earned a second gold medal as a member of the U.S. team, which won the all-around competition.

When asked in an interview how he overcame such insurmountable odds, Conner attributed his success to his parents.  Connor said, "Every night before bed, my parents would ask me what my success for they day was.  So I went to bed a success every night of my life.  I woke up every morning a success.  When I was injured before the Olympics, I knew I was going to make it back because I was a success every day of my life."  Connor's parents realized that reinforcing success daily, even the smallest of successes, would positively impact their son's self esteem.

Learn from the Conners!  Make it a habit to recall your successes daily.  Before bed each night, take some time to reflect upon your successes from the day.  The size of the success really doesn't matter.  What matter is that you make the time of reflection a daily/nightly habit.  Be thankful for those people who in some way, directly or indirectly, contributed to your success.  Day by day, you'll begin to perceive yourself as being successful and realize that your capable and worthy of even more success.

Remember, success builds confidence and confidence leads to more success. Or, put another way, confidence builds success and success leads to more confidence. Either way you put it, success and confidence go hand and hand.

Life is a contest; there is a beginning and an end. I can only hope that at the end of my contest, people can say, "he certainly gave a gold medal performance."

It's your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD