Posts Tagged ‘Sydney Harbour’

Overnight success or …
Monday, May 17th, 2010

Overnight success or… Years of planning and Years of just doing it!

This weekend saw two Aussies achieve amazing feats!

Saturday it was 16yr old JESSICA WATSON’s inspirational 210-day round-the-world solo performance which saw her sail into the record books and into the hearts of every Australian!

Then MARK WEBBER last night became the first Australian to win the Monaco Grand Prix since the great Jack Brabham 51 years ago. He also claimed the formula one series lead from Jenson Button, who crashed out of the race early. It is the first time an Australian has led the championship since Alan Jones in 1981.

In his post race media conference Mark Webber said “this has been two (2) years in the planning! It didn’t just happen after the win last week in Barcelona. It didn’t happen in the past 2 days here at the Grand Prix. This win is a result of alot of planning, preparation, commitment and focus on the result. It has not finished yet. We have a lot more work to do.”


“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
Coach Darrel Royal

It is so easy to say, “That person is lucky.” or, “What an overnight success!” But nothing ever happens by luck. The secret is great preparation. When you are prepared, opportunity comes knocking on the door.

Both Jessica Watson & Mark Webber are two examples of…. just doing it!

People often ask me what the single most important tip for success is.

Here it is. Do more. It’s that simple. Your actions define you. Success comes to those of us prepared to take action. The willingness to take action is far more important than talent, as naturally talented people will tell you. Talent is never enough. Gutsy people get ahead. Things fall into place for them. Not everything works out exactly to plan, but they always win through. They’re irrepressible. They never stay down, for a minute. They just love to be up and running again.

Being gutsy, ballsy is open to all of us. There’s no secret that I’m about to reveal to you, or maybe there is.

It’s simple. These people take action, regardless of how they’re feeling. They don’t wait for a full moon. They don’t wait for a better time. They definitely don’t wait until they feel better about themselves, whatever that might mean. If this sounds a bit simplistic it’s because taking action, getting things done, achieving more is very straightforward. You do more, you get more, you have more, of whatever it is that you want.

The secret is, there is no secret.

When people come to me for coaching, they generally know what they want. I ask the same question of everyone, “What have you actually done about this so far?”. I’m not being critical. I’m being curious. The answer? For the vast majority of people, it’s “absolutely nothing”, or as good as. Very occasionally someone will say, “Everything. I’ve done everything. Nothing’s worked.”

I can work out a terrific Plan of Action with people. I can increase their confidence, inspire them, intensify their motivation, build them up, make them more powerful.

But I can’t make them jump, take the steps, make it happen. Only you can do that. It doesn’t even matter how confident you’re feeling. If you don’t do the necessary, what you know needs to be done, nothing will change. You certainly won’t make the gains that you could. Don’t make the mistake of thinking “if only I had more confidence, then I’d get things done.”

It doesn’t work like that. There’s no substitute for plain, old-fashioned action. Just getting on with it.
And 16 yr old Jessica Watson’s comment ”You’ve just got to have a dream … and work hard”, encapsulates it all.


Coach Shelley’s Call to Action:

1. What preparation do you need to do this week, to be ready for opportunities?

2. What are 3 action steps that you plan on doing…consistently… every day for success?

Cheers Shelley Taylor-Smith

PS: if you’re lacking confidence, not good at planning, suffer with procrastination, you’re a Gunna not a Doer, then check out the Champion Mindset coaching program, guaranteed to help you create the Mental Toughness, Motivation & Mindset to help you just do it!

PPS: Or call Shelley on 0414 594 245 and win a complimentary 15min “Pick Shelley’s Brain” session.
Limited to only 3 people. Call Shelley and say “Shelley I am sick and tired of being a Gunna…Please teach me how to be a DOER”.

What’s Your Number One Today?
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Focus on Your Top Priorities — First…

What’s Your Number One “#1″ Today?
When you Focus On #1 First, you control the outcome of your day by determining in advance the most important and rewarding thing you will accomplish before the day is done.

Today I remember the anniversary of my victory in the Sydney Harbour 30km International Marathon Swim on 10th November 1991. It was my first race after my overall win in Atlantic City earlier in August when people said it was a fluke beating the Men’s World Champion. And after finishing first overall in Sydney Harbour I did not even realise what I had achieved for women in sport until my fellow competitors reminded me that I had overtaken the Men’s World Champ, Argentinian Diego Degano for the No. 1 World Ranking in the International Marathon Swimming Association World Series.

Dawn Fraser with Shelley, Manly Wharf 10/11/91

Dawn Fraser with Shelley, Manly Wharf 10/11/91

My focus was elsewhere that day with the Taylor-Made Team for Success. Dawn Fraser alongside me for the ride of her life in a scoodoo (yes it was a sight!) cheering me, yelling at me to pull my finger out. My husband, Peter Smith, overseeing my race plan knowing deep within himself that this win would change everything for us both personally and professionally. Graeme “Grub” Caroll, a local Manly-ite who assisted Peter with his superb knowledge and surf skills (who became my swim coach when I moved from Perth to Sydney in Jan ‘92). Funny when Peter had to tell Grub after he rocked up with a chair, book, umbrella, fishing rod and esky: “Mate! Not sure what you’re thinkin’ but you won’t be sitting down…believe me. So leave all that stuff behind. Let’s keep the esky…we’ll drink those beers after Shells wins.”

But my No. 1 Focus First on 10th November 1991 was with my New York Mom “Fran Schnarr” who was in her final days suffering with Lung Cancer. Nancy (Fran’s daughter) would normally be on my boat as my coach but her No.1 Focus First was by her Mom bedside.

So I re-directed my focus and all my energy on having fun, pure and simple. Enjoying what I love to do. Racing. Competing. Challenging myself. Pushing myself, Stretching myself out of my comfort zone knowing that today could be “the day” that Shelley Taylor-Smith learns something knew about herself and her character. And yes…Winning. I love to win. No matter where I place, as long as I had given 100%, prepared and planned to the best of my ability, left no stone unturned…then I had won. And that would make my New York Mom proud!

….And I let the Taylor-Made Success Team do what they do best..coach me, feed me, direct me, support me, encourage me and kick me in the pants if need be too. I am still amazed by what “WE” achieved that day. The Taylor-Made Success Team ROCKED!!!!!

Shelley & David O'Brien, 1st and 2nd, 10/11/91

Shelley & David O'Brien, Australia 1st and 2nd, 10/11/91

So as I stated in the beginning of this blog; when you Focus On #1 First, you control the outcome of your day by determining in advance the most important and rewarding thing you will accomplish before the day is done. Of course there are times when urgencies will need to be handled first.

However, before you start, identify and then schedule the earliest time possible to complete your #1 priority. My no.1 priority on that fateful day as is now an everyday habit is to be grateful for what I have and my commitment to do what I love passionately, patriotically and purposefully.

“The reality of life is that your perceptions — right or wrong — influence everything else you do. When you get a proper perspective of your perceptions, you may be surprised how many other things fall into place.”~ Roger Birkman

Today’s Champion Action:

1. How far down your priority list are you so far today? _________________________________

2. What one thing will you get done today to advance your most important goal? ___________________________________________________________

3. What priority deserves all of your attention next? _________________________________

Pursue Excellence ~ Reject Mediocrity today and you will produce greater results over time by consistently taking CHAMPION actions. Think Like A Champion today and you’re on your way to achieving your goals sooner.

Cheers Shelley Taylor-Smith

PS: …And 18yrs on I am still the only woman to hold a No.1 World Ranking for both men and women in the history of any sport worldwide (BBC TV 2002). Thanks Taylor-Made Success Team WE DID IT!!!