Keen on finding success in your life? In your business? In any area of life? Find some great keys to success in this excerpt from an interview between Dale Beaumont and Lauren Burns. Lauren created sporting history by winning the first ever Olympic gold medal for taekwondo when the sport made its debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Since retiring from taekwondo, she has become a sought after speaker and inspiration to many.
You now do a lot of public speaking. What are some of the key messages in your presentations?
- You don’t have to have natural talent to be successful – often we feel that if we’re not naturally good at something we can’t succeed in that area. I believe that if you love what you do, have passion and excitement, and are not afraid to put in the hard work then you can do anything. Natural talent only gets you so far. It is enthusiasm, hard work and the ability to keep going when you have setbacks that are the ingredients for success.
- It’s not the challenge you face, it’s how you deal with it – challenges come from all directions, be it family, business, or sport and they happen to all of us. Some people face setbacks with a positive outlook no matter how bleak the situation seems, while others let even the smallest inconvenience weigh them down. Some of my biggest challenges took me one step back and two steps forward. These times can propel you toward a huge learning curve. It’s a mind-set, it’s how you choose to live, think and behave.
- Simplicity: doing the simple things with excellence – this was always reinforced by my sports psychologist. There was a time in Korea when I was sparring with a young high school boy. Every time he kicked, he did a back leg roundhouse kick (the most commonly used kick in martial arts) and each time he scored against me. After failing in my attempts to score, I decided that instead of countering his kick I would simply focus on fast footwork to move out of the way. Still he scored each time. This story demonstrates the power and beauty of one simple technique being executed so perfectly that it was unbeatable. Even though I knew what kick he was going to do and I could see him coming, I still couldn’t get out of the way. I find this concept inspiring as it applies to so many areas of life. For example, businesses often get so caught up in the complexities of running a business that they forget about the customers. Human beings often focus on all the things they need to improve, rather than perfecting the things they’re good at and can make an impact with.
For more of this interview and keys to success check out “Secrets of Inspiring Women Exposed!“
