Daily Lesson from Life 16 August 2008

There will be NO headline from the printed or web news tonight. The headline is played out in front of my TV screen with the end of the men's 100m sprint in the Birdnest, the National Olympic Stadium, in Beijing!!

Usain Bolt of Jaimaca became the fastest man over 100m AGAIN! I watched in marvel how this young man can destroy the best of the sprinters that world can offer in one race with such ease and total, at time it seems, disinterest! He actually slapped his heart just before the end of the 100m race instead of going faster! His time of 9.69' broke the previous world record held by him and which many thought should not have happened!! He obviously can still lower the world record by at least another 0.5 or so second if he focused on it!!

Lessons learned for me:

1. nothing is impossible in the future. As leaders we should never say what cannot be done in the future but state boldly what can be done! 10' was impossible for a man to run over 100m! 9.9' was impossible! 9.8' was impossible! etc... ALL these 'impossibilities' were shattered time and again by people of the future!!;

2. the way this young man celebrated his win and world record was great to see. He definitely is enjoying himself and he involved the 90+k spectators in this celebration. We must enjoy what we do and share the joy with the world when we achieved!;

3. my wish for this young man is that he keeps his head on his shoulder and not get lost in the glamour and glitz and the many media that will get to him. If he keeps his head and has a clean ethical grounding, he will achieve a lot more. He can achieve a lot more besides for himself. He now has fame and fortune that will follow! He can affect many people if he uses his fame and fortune to benefit people who need help!

I salute the athletes in the Olympic Stadium tonight. The women heptathlon participants round of honour as a group, which I learned is the traditional way at the end of the 7-event competition, revealed the true spirit of Olympic Game. That of peace, joy, and fellowship. ALL are WINNERS!!