It is often amazing and unexplainable when in sport (and life) an ‘event’ occurs that changes the result of the game/match. What is it that enables the human to accomplish this un-explainable ‘event’?

I have chosen 3 recent sporting achievements (see News section for complete story) that highlight this un-explainable ‘event’…..I think they are extraordinary!!

The first; US Open 2008.

I am not going to give a hole by hole account of this tournament, just focus on one hole……the 18^th (final day). Tiger Woods is teeing off on the 18^th Par 5….he is in the last pairing with Lee Westwood and Rocco Mediate is in the clubhouse with a 1 shot lead. Wood’s drive lands in a fairway bunker (What would you be thinking after this shot?) His second shot out of the bunker lands about 100 yds from the green (he has to birdie this hole to finish level with Mediate….the mind would be scrambled!!) He chips on to within 12 ft of the pin (12 ft….How many 12 foot putts does a golfer sink?…..pressure, tension, nerves, this is a Major!!) Well, the rest is history…..Woods sinks the putt forcing a play-off with Mediate and goes on to win the tournament!

How did he do it? Lee Westwood was in a similar situation and didn’t convert. If we forget the ‘ifs and buts’ of the previous days, this tournament was centered on one putt……the ‘event’ that changed the outcome of the game.

Is this the ability of a human to ‘focus’ all his strength of mind on the ‘event’, after all most of us would have dropped our heads after our ball went into the bunker!! Is this the power of our mind that enables our body to concentrate on the ‘event’….not the outcome….just the performance to achieve the un-explainable!!…….Go For It..!!

The second; The tennis final at Queens Club

Nadal has just won the French Open at Roland Garros and comes straight onto grass and reaches the final at Queens against Djokovic. These are the 2^nd and 3^rd respectively ranked players in the world. Djokovic goes 3-0 up in the first set and is just about to go 4-0 when Nadal turns the game and ‘storms’ through to win the tie break and the first set. Djokovic is then in a position as he serves to win the 2^nd set and again Nadal turns it around to win…he then goes on to win the 3^rd set and the match.

Unbelievable…..How can there be such changes in fortune between players of such great skill and ability? Is it in the strength of mind? These are the best players in the world, so how can one player build so much confidence and the other see his confidence drain away. Is this the fragility of the human mind? How do we build and strengthen our mental focus and determination to succeed in whatever challenges come our way? Is this where we need to challenge ourselves more often to build experience, strength of mind and focus to achieve!…….Go For It..!!

The third; Euro 2008, Turkey v Czech Republic

Czech Republic have gone 2-1 up with 2 minutes remaining when Petr Cech (regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world) fumbles a ball letting in a goal for Turkey….2-2. The with 1 minute remaining turkey are back to score the 3^rd goal to win the match 3-2…..unbelievable!!

How does a professional team of players get defeated in such a manner? I can understand Cech being very disappointed with his error, however this has affected the team so much that they let another goal in. An unexplainable event that changed the outcome of the match.

Again, the mental strength of each individual in the team needs to be questioned. That one group of players take confidence and a change in mental focus to believe in what they could achieve, while the other group see their mental focus dissappear. How do we strengthen our mental resolve to maintain a positive focus……a focus on the performance and not on the outcome!!……Go For It..!!