Andy Murray is the new Wimbledon Champion. Just imagine that pressure being placed on your shoulders and pushing on to success.
Not just playing the world number 1 on a very hot day in front of your home crowd, but the expectation that you could become the first male British winner of Wimbledon since Fred Perry. My chest was tense just watching, let alone trying to hit a 130 mile an hour serve with the sun in my eyes.
Until last year he kept turning up with the hopes of the nation on his shoulders, and again he was reduced to tears last year. But then he won Wimbledon. And then the US Open. Maybe that was the point at which he started to believe in himself. As Jesse Jackson said, ‘If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, then I know I can achieve it‘.
Of course, to achieve your potential in any sport or profession you need a great coach. You may have noticed that his coach is former Wimbledon Champion Ivan Lendl. When I deliver talks on building resilience and managing stress I refer to the SUMO technique. Aparently, Lendl used to dwell when he made an error, and is coach finally became exasperated and told him he had discovered this new technique in Japan called S.U.M.O. When Lendl asked what is was he was told to just ‘Shut Up and Move On!’ When Murray made errors today, including dropping 3 Championship points in a row, he seemed to let go and dig in. His opponent, on the other hand, seemed to let his losses rattle him.
And let’s not forget, we all need a great support team around us. And even that behind every great man is a great woman. Or two.
A big cheer for Novak Djokovic. He remains number 1 and held this trophy two years ago and remains world number 1. He was magnanimous in his praise for his fellow competitor. Even his mum and dad went down the steps to congratulate Andy Murray’s mother. How proud must she feel.
Resilience does not stop at hard work and putting the hours of practice in every day since a teenager. Djokovic came out of Serbia, which aside from the Yogoslavian civil war was bombed by Nato over Kosova. Andy Murray was schooled at Dunblane.
From good to great. In the last twelve months, Andy Murray has won the Olympic Championships, The US Open and now Wimbledon – two of the five grand slam tournaments in one year plus Wimbledon. And he is still only 26. Whether or not he does become number 1 his name now has a place in history.
Article by Dr Peter Parkes of Peak Performance – for all your project needs
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