‘ The times are a changin’ : Bob Dylan   

 

Here’s a touch of inspirational insight on how Brand South Africa is fast renewing itself.

On Monday evening I snapped this photo from my balcony on the KZN North Coast.

Two SA Navy offshore patrol vessels showing off –  showing some pride.

Why is this significant?

Simply, because it’s not often that we see the navy patrolling our KZN coast line.

But, what has been a common sighting for the last decade, has been the SAAF pilots flying  ‘Zuma’s Oryx Taxis’  – ferrying the President to and fro from his Nkandla homestead on most weekends .

It’s not too difficult to do the numbers.

President Jacob Zuma’s weekends, including flying the presidential jet into King Shaka from Waterkloof, have been costing tax payers close on a whopping HALF A MILLION NEARLY EVERY WEEKEND- for the past nine years.(and before in his deputy president days)

That’s hundreds of millions of tax monies which went down the drain on what was known in Durban flying circles as Zuma’s :

Jolliepatrollies- with family and friends.

Money that could have been spent on low cost housing for the poor.

Thankfully, Helen Zille did once pay a brief visit to Nkandla to highlight the drastic squandering of state monies. But this well intended visit only brought about minor change when President Jacob Zuma’s pair of SAAF Oryx’s was cut to one.

The good news is that the KZN coastal sky has gone quiet in February – ever since Cyril Ramaphosa took over.

No more  ‘Zuma taxis’. No more ‘jolliepatrollies’

Replaced by a show of pride from our Navy – under its new commander in chief.

The same transformation is now apparent in our police stations, even our home affairs offices –  as our new  resepcted commander – in- chief’  takes his rightful  place on their walls.

Zuma gone.

Cyril Ramaphosa is doing far more than just renewing South Africa – he’s re- igniting a sense of pride, gees and ubuntu.

 

 

 

Recently he was even pictured ‘roughing it’ on a golf cart while travelling between meetings in Davos, Switzerland. (Photo: Alec Hogg)

Game Changer Cyril Ramphosa is :

Setting the tone right – for the way things should be done.

Halala Cyril

 

 

 

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For a free instant digital download of Rob’s latest book: THE GAME CHANGERS. Click Here

THE GAME CHANGERS – ROB OPIE : foreword by John Robbie

How to achieve your greatest potential in your professional and personal life

 

The Game Changers suggests that everyone can find the key to real achievement in life. Finding real purpose need not be random. It is an awesome proposal and one that must be investigated by anyone who fears being ordinary – John Robbie.

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GET IN TOUCH . robopie@thegameplan.co.za

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Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author and Performance Coach to Business executives, Corporate teams, Sports teams and Individuals.

 

Subscribe FREE to Rob’s weekly coaching newsletter >>

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself makes you fearless – Lao Tzu

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Lionel ”Leo” Messi grew up in a small Argentinean town called Rosario.

His story, like that of so many great athletes , is one of using his innate and gifted physical talents to both shield himself from hurt and deliver himself from a life of adversity, poverty and struggle.

In so doing he went on to become arguably one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Yet, it could all have turned out so differently for a kid who was born just after the Falklands war.

At age 10 he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.

Due to his country’s economic collapse at the time, no one, no club could afford to cover his medication.

Lionel Messi departed for a trial at Barcelona, aged just 13.He was offered a makeshift contract on the back of a paper napkin to join the academy. He kept going.

Who would have thought that at age 29, standing just 5 foot six inches, he would go on to be regarded by many – as the greatest footballer ever.

Disadvantaged in many ways by his short stature, Lionel Messi chose to leverage off his lower centre of gravity and focus his energy on his greater agility, his greater balance, his greater speed and his greater ball control.

Lionel Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it -Pep Guardiola

 Lionel ”Leo” Messi, reserved and unassuming, and a somewhat unremarkable man outside of football, proved  that:

Mindset matters most.

Mindset defines Champions.

 

If you do not possess the right mindset, you will never achieve your own greatest potential – in either your professional or personal life

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Life is full of choices to be made.

And undoubtedly one of the most important choices one has to make is that of MINDSET:

 Victim or Victor?

Have you chosen the mindset of a victor – that of a winner?

Or have you unwittingly, unknowingly or habitually, allowed a sub- conscious mindset of a ‘victim’ to play a  defining role in your life – that of a loser?

Who’s doing most of the talking on the inside, listen very carefully, as there is ZERO middle ground with this choice in life?

The sub- conscious human mind simply cannot store two opposing thoughts simultaneously.

Never confuse the most important part of you – your subconscious mind. You cannot have thoughts of victory and defeat in your mind at the same time. The subconscious mind has the power to send sabotaging messages to your body. All it takes is one kernel of doubt – David Becker

Commit 100% if your want to win.

The power of the human sub- conscious mind, our store house of our beliefs and thoughts, is immense.

Control the sub- conscious, or it will control you.

It can be a great partner in success or a destructive partner in self sabotage.

Your mindset, habits and internal dialogue are vital ingredients of your sustained success.

The quality of your thoughts are so important during these swims. If you start thinking, Shit, I’m cold, within a second it will be digging into you     – Lewis Pugh

The great champions make a conscious choice to vigilantly programme the sub- conscious with a winner’s mindset – they adopt a victor’s mindset.

Average people fall into the human trap of allowing the sub- conscious mind to adopt a victim’s mind set.

And guess what happens next?

They unwittingly disqualify themselves from the journey of great – the journey from Good to Great to Greater.

Victim beliefs are a potent form of self sabotage.

They destroy any chance of SUCCESS IN SPORT, BUSINESS and LIFE.

Key Insight: 

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One’s best made plans – one’s strategies and tactics in life – will prove meaningless unless you possess the right mindset.

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More examples of  the ‘Victor or Victim’ mindsets from the likes of Gary Player,Elon Musk, Nelson Mandela and others greats are highlighted in my latest eBook – simple download by clicking on below link :

For a free instant digital download of Rob’s latest book: THE GAME CHANGERS. Click Here

THE GAME CHANGERS – ROB OPIE : foreword by John Robbie

How to achieve your greatest potential in your professional and personal life

 

The Game Changers suggests that everyone can find the key to real achievement in life. Finding real purpose need not be random. It is an awesome proposal and one that must be investigated by anyone who fears being ordinary – John Robbie.

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GET IN TOUCH . robopie@thegameplan.co.za

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A special thank you to Jose and Doug at Team Cell C for their continued support of our GROWING SOUTH AFRICANS GREAT initiative at THE GAME PLAN .

Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author and Performance Coach to Business executives, Corporate teams, Sports teams and Individuals.

 

Subscribe FREE to Rob’s weekly coaching newsletter >>

www.thegameplan.co.za

 

 

 

 

 South Africa is renewing itself: Cyril Ramaphosa at The World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland: 2018

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Not since the FIFA World Cup 2010 have South Africans ridden such a wave of realistic optimism.

Under the renewed leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa,and with a cabinet reshuffle coming soon, Team South Africa, stands on the threshold of a period of prosperity and unity.

It’s important that we as the players –  ALL SOUTH AFRICANS – show up for practice.

Here’s a unique opportunity for your team, and the individuals within your team – to play their invaluable part within your own cabinet.

 

 

ROB OPIE’s inspirational 2018 BREAKFAST TALK is geared to inspire and assist corporate teams to reach that next level of Performance, Growth and Contribution.

THE GAME CHANGERS: POWER UP YOUR GAME. POWER UP YOUR TEAM

How to unlock and unleash potential.

 

Rob’s talk takes you inside the game plans of the Great Champions of Business & Sport –  taking you on an inspired journey from Good to Great to Greater. It shares in the firm belief that:

If you want to be the best- you must learn from the best 

Through business and sporting stories, Rob shares what the great champions know, yet coaches seldom teach.

It’s the stuff of Champions, the stuff that you cannot Google, the stuff you will not find on the Internet, and the stuff they do not teach you at Harvard!

It’s the stuff that sets great teams – and great individuals within those teams  – apart.

Every game has a winner. Every winner has a game plan.

CONTACT ROB DIRECT. BOOK YOUR TALK :    robopie@thegameplan.co.za

 

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Here’s more on our ‘Growing South Africans Great’ initiative, Rob’s talk and his latest book (which comes FREE to you via breakfast talks):

Our Growing South Africans Great initiative (kindly sponsored by Cell C) kicked off in 2016 with a series of inspired talks to matriculants at South Africa’s top ranked rugby schools. We followed this up in 2017 with an online Development Programme designed for My Players – that’s the 984 professional rugby players in South Africa.

This year our focus turns to corporate teams via inspiring BREAKFAST TALKS – helping both teams and individuals within those teams – to unlock and unleash their greatest potential.

 

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Here’s more on Rob’s Breakfast Talk?

Rob shares ELEVEN of the most potent game- changers  from the world of the great champions of business, sport and life:

Talent, Technique, Training, Technology and Teamwork can only take you so far in life…….

The great champions set themselves apart by doing more.They master life by embracing many of the universally powerful principles of life and health.

They put the power in their own hands.

Here’s a quick preview. Click on link below.

Game Changer No.1: Mindset matters most

MINDSET MATTERS MOST

Here’s more on Rob’s most recent book?

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THE GAME CHANGERS: foreword by John Robbie

Achieve your own greatest potential in life

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The Game Changers presents that everyone can find the key to real achievement in life. Finding real purpose need not be random. It is an awesome proposal and one that must be investigated by anyone who fears being ordinary – John Robbie : Radio and Television personality and host  

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BOOK ROB TODAY FOR YOUR BREAKFAST TALK

Venue for talks ? The preferred choice is at your office to ensure minimum disruption of work hours in the morning commute.

Cost of Talks ?: R12000. Health breakfast costs are additional and dependent on number of delegates.

Books are FREE thanks to Cell C sponsorship

INVEST IN YOUR TEAM TODAY.POWER UP YOUR TEAM.

GET IN TOUCH TODAY.

robopie@thegameplan.co.za

Winners are realistic optimists

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Subscribe to Rob’s FREE weekly coaching newsletter >>

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Here’s more about Rob Opie:

 

For more than two decades Rob Opie has explored HUMAN GREATNESS (and human implosion as well) in search of Insight. Innovation and Inspiration.

To date he has written five books on the subject.

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Rob Opie (B.Business Science:University of Cape Town)is the founder of a specialist brand consultancy: THE GAME PLAN, a Brand Strategist, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author and Performance/ Life Coach to both teams and individuals.

He helps teams and individuals to achieve their greatest potential in life.

A Corporate Entrepreneur at heart, Rob has worked extensively in the dynamic South African FMCG business environment – for both leading South African companies, and global companies – in both Brand Development and Sales Directorship roles.

Running in his blood as a Professional and Personal Performance Coach is branding and people – and helping both teams and individuals to reach the next level of Performance, Growth and Contribution.

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 What others are saying :

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 Life- Changing. Thank you for your great presentation and especially the perspective of what you present – I found it incredibly informative, thought provoking and refreshing – it’s a Game Changer not only for business but for life..!

Al Karacki. Bizmix Network. 93.8 FM

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Well done Rob !  An inspirational experience.  Please keep doing what you’re doing for Brand South Africa –  your ‘Growing South Africans Great’ initiative is what we need more of as a nation .

Gary Player

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Just a short note to thank you for sharing your vision in leadership with our group at our annual conference. It is not often that I see 100 of our execs sitting on the edge of their chair and ‘soaking it in’ as they did in your presentation. You stepped up our conference title from ‘Good to Great’ and made it ‘Great to Incredible.’ Game Plan, Set & Match! Much appreciated Rob and my sincere thanks once again,

Gavin Varejes: Executive Chairman. Richmark Holdings

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Thanks for sharing game changing insights, innovation and inspiration .You have a unique talent when it comes to deconstructing complexity, and opening up the road to individual and team greatness . 

Clinton Irwin. Bata SA : Group Operations Manager

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Thank you for sharing such powerful insights in our professional and personal lives. 110 ladies went home with new thinking on how to reach that next level up in their lives .  #UPYOURGAME.

Tina Cartwright. KZN Woman in Business: Chairperson

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I have worked with many coaches and leaders at international level ,and Rob has by far championed our destiny to a higher level .

Luisette Mullin. Executive  Head D.A.V

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Well done Rob . You have an unique ability to deconstruct complexity, and unravel daily constraints in people’s professional and personal lives  . Inspired to live ! 

Gavin Baudinet.  Managing Director. AEI Group

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Thanks for much for taking time out to chat to the lads.Your insights were relevant, informative, inspiring  and perfectly pitched to our young athletes.We would welcome you back any time.Kind regards

Graham Bennetts.Deputy Head. Maritzburg College 

 

 

 

 

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. – Winston Churchill

 What a great day on Saturday at a ‘packed out in pink’ Wanderers stadium.

The Proteas continuing their unbeaten run in pink.

A special day.

It says a lot about the truly great country we live in. South Africans uniting for a collective cause.

One in four South Africans is associated with cancer in some form or another. Either they have it themselves, or they have a relative or a friend battling the disease.

In April 2013, Time magazine reported that:

 The probability of developing some type of cancer over one’s life time is for men, one in two, and for women, one in three.

Scary statistics indeed.

In this week’s newsletter, I wish to share insights and inspiration from the non –profit work I do through my cancer resource site at www.cancerchampions.co.  – and share just some of the extra – ordinary success we have had with changing lives – saving lives.

My special interest in helping cancer patients began way back in 1999, with the untimely death of one of my golfing buddies to colon cancer – the legendary West Indian cricketer, Malcolm ‘Macko’ Marshall.

His death created a burning desire to find the answers where none seemed to exist – a burning desire to find the answers for those facing up to cancer.

My research led me down a road to find the answer to the ONE ALL IMPORTANT question.

What’s the one common denominator amongst every single cancer patient?

In other words what causes cancer?

 Surprisingly there is only ONE common denominator – and if one is armed with this knowledge  – one has the power to conquer (and prevent) cancer.

Thanks to the selfless sharing of esoteric knowledge by those  who have conquered cancer , including the likes of  Nelson Mandela, Lance Armstrong, Kylie Minogue, Martina Navratilova  –  and many less famous –  the answer to this ONE question is revealed in my latest  FREE e Book.

What every woman should know about breast cancer.

• The surprisingly simple truth behind how to conquer breast cancer – and prevent it.

If you would like to take this opportunity to read this 35 page eBook….

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD INSTANTLY. IT’s FREE

The book is crammed full of insight and inspiration gleaned from hundreds of cancer champions – those who have conquered cancer.

Please do share it with all those you care for –  as it explores many of the invaluable principles of life and health – which guide us to live happy and healthy lives.

And do life better.

Your feedback would be most appreciated.

For more go to www.cancerchampions.co where you can find out more about our CANCER SUCCESS STORIES to date.

Go well. Go PINK. Go Proteas.

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Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Key Note Speaker, Author and Performance Coach to Business executives , corporate teams , sports teams and Life Coach to individuals. : www.thegameplan.co.za

His great passion is to inspire and help people to live lives of health and happiness –  and to do life better.

In addition to his Performance Coaching roles , he runs a NON- PROFIT  on line cancer resource centre at CANCER CHAMPIONS

 

 

 

 

“When life is easy, you get lucky and everything goes well. When things start going wrong, they start piling up and going more wrong: Bernie Ecclestone   

 

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How does ‘ blistering form’ evaporate so quickly?

Watching Quinton de Kock makes one wonder how it happens in sport – in business – and in life?

Last year he was slaying every bowling attack to all parts of the ground.Last thursday, at Kingsmead, it was an entirely different story – a player whose body language had openly switched from that of :  ‘victor to victim’ – failing to review a highly dubious LBW decision at a critical juncture in the game – and the series too.

His body language almost compelling the umpire to send him on his way.

A victim mindset equates to self –sabotage.It undermines and destroys form.

One’s best made plans will prove meaningless unless one adopts the right mindset.

Rhonda Byrne’s bestselling book ‘The Secret’ explains it best via the law of attraction.

Unlike in science where opposites attract – like attracts like – in real life

And you have to make a defined choice.

Is that inner voice one of a ‘victor or a victim’?

Never confuse the most important part of you – your subconscious mind. You cannot have thoughts of victory and defeat in your mind at the same time. The subconscious mind has the power to send sabotaging messages to your body. All it takes is one kernel of doubt.  David Becker

The power of the subconscious mind—the storehouse of our beliefs and thoughts—is immense. It can be your greatest partner in success, or your most destructive partner in self-sabotage.

Com’on Quinny. Believe – play your own game – play the game as you know best – care free.

As 11 times world surfing champion, Kelly Slater, once said in an interview

When I don’t care whether I win or lose, I usually win.

A lot of people might be confused by his message, but certain players simply do not perform at their best when they start to ‘over think’ the game – taking in too much advice from all and sundry – and starting to worry about the results.

Success is found in focusing on the journey, not the result.

Don’t chase the game. Live the journey.

It’s the same in real life.

One ships come in over calm seas : Florence Scovel Shinn

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If you would like more insights and inspiration from the world of the great champions, in business and sport, you can download my latest eBook for free, simply click on link below.

It’s MAHALA from THE GAME PLAN

For a free instant digital download of Rob’s latest book: THE GAME CHANGERS. Click Here

For more of Products and Services offered at THE GAME PLAN. Click here

Go Great in 2018
Rob

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Rob Opie is Brand Strategist, Speaker, Author. Entrepreneur and Performance Coach to teams and individuals.

GET IN TOUCH : robopie@thegameplan.co.za