2020 was not an easy year for any of us, but at the end of the Covid tunnel there shines a light that we as fellow South Africans can look forward to..……

OUR PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO LEAD WITH DISTINCTION IN ADVERSE TIMES.

I wonder if our president has had one day off since the outbreak of the pandemic?

While other leaders around the globe have faltered, with some even being removed from office, President Cyril Ramaposa has stood tall.

He has listened to both sides of the equation, always seeking to find the right balance between saving the economy and saving lives.

His intentions have always remained clear to our nation.

Many have questioned the need for the harsh lock-downs, but often these opinions have quickly changed when one loses a loved one – unable even to say goodbye in hospital.

It’s a fine line, but we can all be proud of our President who will lead us well in 2021 – and help us ride out the second wave together.

LAW & ORDER PREVAILS.CORRUPTION ON THE WAY OUT.

South Africans love to flock to the beaches on the traditional beach days over the festive season.

Then came the beach ban.

Would South Africans listen on these traditional days?

Yes they have.

Our police force was hardly called into action on Boxing or New Years Day.

It all argues well.

Covid 19 – and lockdown – has taught us all more about consideration, more about discipline and about the importance of …..

“Resetting our national culture.”

The culture of corruption that gripped our country throughout the Zuma decade may finally have fallen.

Cyril, Rassie and Siya have shown us the way forward by fostering the right culture for our nation.

#STRONGERTOGETHER.

OUR UNIVERSE WILL ALWAYS RETURN TO A STATE OF BALANCE.

Although our perceptions may tell us otherwise, we live in a perfectly balanced world.

Remember when Cape Town had no water.

Day Zero loomed big.

It was all doom and gloom.

Today Cape Town’s collective dam percentage is above 90 %.

The universe manages things for us – as long as we do not mess up.

Maybe our universe needed to be put into an “induced coma” – one called COVID.

Now our oceans are blue, our skies are clear.

We have another chance.

Balance is the key to prosperity.

The universe shows us this every day.

Happy New Year.   

Go Great

Rob

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PS: IF you would like a complimentary copy of my recently published eBook: CHAMPIONS DO MORE  please send me an email request.

Email to : robopie@thegameplan.co.za

Read more : www.thegameplan.co.za

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Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Author, Performance Consultant to Business & Sports Teams – and Life Coach to those on a journey to self-actualisation.

His game- changing THE GAME PLAN METHOD, is helping both teams and individuals throughout South Africa to achieve their greatest potential.

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robopie@thegameplan.co.za

Whether it’s in business, sport or life, nothing beats a few good comeback stories – feel good stories .

In sport it all happens transparently – and consumes our human emotions in a uniquely South African way.

South Africans loved watching ‘Chasing the Sun’.

It was a real feel good movie.

Watching Rassie Erasmus take a team that was thrashed 57- 0 in Albany, New Zealand in September 2017 to World Champions in November 2019, was special for all of us.

Then how about the story within that story.

The personal comeback story of one of our rugby world cup heroes, Makazole Mapimpi.

After a few scintillating seasons with the Kings and Cheetahs, he found himself in Durban, but unable to hold down his place in the Sharks first choice team.

By his own admission he was struggling with parts of his defensive game – maybe even a little fatigued from playing a few seasons in under strength teams.

But, what a first class team bloke – on and off the field of play.

He put his head down hard and went to work on his defensive weaknesses.

Rassie knew from early on that he had found one of his Rugby World Cup secret weapons.

He had found one of his game – changers.

However there was a problem brewing for Rassie as the Super 16 season unfolded.

Mapimpi was back to his very best in the 2019 Super 16.

My favourite live Kings Park moment – is when with a twinkle in his eye and a little smile – he left three Lions backline players in the dust.

The Lions players knew they had no chance of cutting him off and he cruised in to dot the ball down from seventy meters out.

Local players knew all about his blistering pace, but I’m sure Rassie did not want ‘too much of that’ to be shown to others prior to RWC’19.

It all turned out well in Japan.

For those coaching him, and Shark fans, it was no surprise as to how well he did in Japan – becoming the first Springbok to score in a Rugby World Cup final.

Now he is playing under ace coach Johan Ackermann in Japan – on loan – and he will be back to play for the Sharks next year – and the Boks.

Just how good can Makazole become?

A South African hero on and off the field of play.

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In business, it’s a little different when it comes to turnaround stories.

South African CEO’s play it all a lot closer to the chest, so most things get done behind closed board room doors.

But, thanks to JSE listing requirements, there is always a small window to see what is happening.

Recently we have seen some spectacular comebacks – all involve leaders making the required changes – and going in to fix what their predecessors ‘messed up’.

South Africa has some fine ‘turnaround’ leaders.

On most people’s lips is the recent comeback story of Sasol under the leadership of CEO Fleetwood Grobbler, who took over the reins in November 2019.

But, here are three less transparent stock market ‘darlings’ who have all seen their share prices rocket back in the past few months.

How about Tongaat, under Gavin Hudson and few ex brewery boys. Yes, they may still be learning about sugar and property, but they are making a big impact already – their share price jumping from a low of R2 in April this year to over R12 today.

How about Adcorp, under new CEO Phil Roux, who took the reins in April 2019.Their share price, is up from a low of R1.30 in October’20 to now over R6.00.

Then how about struggling cement maker PPC, under CEO Roland van Wijnen. Their share price more than doubling in the last month as they revamp and reposition themselves to take advantage of post Covid infrastructure investment by government.

All these SA comeback stories show us that:

the time’s they are a- changin’

We as South Africans must be sure not to miss out on the biggest comeback story of all – one that is now happening right before our eyes.

Yes, it’s happening finally.

Brand South Africa is on a steep turnaround path.

Welgedaan President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has toiled relentlessly to reverse the damage done over the past decade.

The tide has turned.

South Africa is well positioned to surprise the world – and even ourselves.

The podiums are empty.

We as fellow South African citizens now need ‘to step up to the plate’ – and play our role together.

#STRONGERTOGETHER

# HALALASOUTH AFRICA

Go Great

Rob

---

PS: IF you would like a complimentary copy of my recently published eBook: CHAMPIONS DO MORE  please send me an email request.

Email to : robopie@thegameplan.co.za

Read more : www.thegameplan.co.za

---

SUBSCRIBE TO ROB’S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: INSPIRED INSIGHTS.

Rob shares topical weekly insights, innovation and inspiration on business, sport & life.

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Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Author, Performance Consultant to Business & Sports Teams – and Life Coach to those on a journey to self-actualisation.

His game- changing THE GAME PLAN METHOD, is helping both teams and individuals throughout South Africa to achieve their greatest potential.

GET IN TOUCH:

robopie@thegameplan.co.za

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we ride out the ‘2020 COVID ROLLER- COASTER’ together, we can all do with a little bit of inspiration.

Here are seven inspiring quotes from some of the great champions of business, sport and life.

I do hope they inspire you.

 

  #1: ROGER FEDERER ON CONTINUOUS LEARNING

Roger Federer is renowned for how he has constantly improved his game over the years.

After losing a rare tennis match, he shared the following insights:

 Sometimes you win. Always you learn.

2020 has been a year of exponential learning for all of us.

Those who are open to new learnings – and new opportunities will be the winners.

 

#2: ANTHONY ROBBINS ON MINDSET MATTERS.

In a year crammed full with very high levels of uncertainty, it’s OK to have had both those positive and negative moments.

That’s life.

But, what is not OK is to fall into the human trap called victimhood.

As Anthony Robbins puts it:

Every day, you’ve gotta stand guard of the door to your mind.   

Never let the victim in.

No matter what the circumstances are, always play the victor.

 

#3: WARRREN BUFFETT ON INVESTING IN YOURSELF.

Covid-19 has taken and given.

It may have taken away many of your investments, but one investment which can never be taken away, is your investment in self.

As famed American billionaire investor Warren Buffett shares:

My Advice. Invest in yourself.

Covid -19 gave us the abundant time to invest in self.

It taught us to become more learnt – and to better ourselves.

 

 #4: BILL GATES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUS.

Covid -19  gave us time to work out what’s truly important in our lives.

It gave us time to reflect and reset our priorities in life.

Bill Gates shares his advice:

The most important thing I have learnt in life is to focus my energy on what is important in life.  

When you know what your priorities are – when to say yes – and when to say no – the game of life just becomes far easier.

#5: ELON MUSK ON A LIFE OF PURPOSE.

One guy has had an exponential 2020.

That’s South African born Elon Musk.

Here’s his outlook on life:

Find out what is going to affect mankind the most in the foreseeable future, then find out what is not working, and then go fix it.  

He might now be one on the richest people on this planet but money is not what drives him.

He’s driven by an unstoppable purpose.

Elon Musk wants to elevate humanity.

Be like Elon.

No matter how big or small – strive to impact on this world in your own way.

#6: MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY ON GRATITUDE.

In challenging times, our thoughts patterns can easily trend towards what we do not have in life, as opposed to what we do have in life.

We forget that gratitude is one of the most powerful positive human emotions.

As Matthew McConaughey shared in his famous Oscar winning speech:

Gratitude reciprocates – it’s a scientific fact.  

When one practices being grateful, opportunities come in abundance – regularly and effortlessly.

Covid-19 has taught us about the big and the small blessings in our lives – creating more time and space to invite more of what you really desire into your life.

Author Melody Beattie captures it with these words of wisdom:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.’’

 

#7:   DR.BERNIE SIEGEL ON BEING MORE KIND, MORE LOVING.

Hendrik du Toit, CEO at Ninety One, aptly described Covid-19 lockdown akin to putting our world into an induced coma.

It’s as if our natural resources needed a period of intense rehabilitation.

A slowdown was needed.

Now our skies are clear – our oceans blue.

Having emerged from the Covid lockdown tunnel, we need to be more kind on our environment, more kind to others – and most importantly more kind to ourselves.

We need to move on from any mistakes which we might have made in 2020, by keeping the wise words which Dr.Bernie Siegel once sent to me – close at heart:

Love your life and body and good things happen.’

 

Wishing YOU a great festive season and prosperous New Year.

Go Great

Rob

---

PS: IF you would like a complimentary copy of my recently published eBook: CHAMPIONS DO MORE  please send me an email request.

Email to : robopie@thegameplan.co.za

Read more : www.thegameplan.co.za

---

SUBSCRIBE TO ROB’S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: INSPIRED INSIGHTS.

Rob shares topical weekly insights, innovation and inspiration on business, sport & life.

Subscribers get plenty of free offers from THE GAME PLAN

Don’t miss out. Subscribe today.

It’s 100% Mahala. FREE.

 

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Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Author, Performance Consultant to Business & Sports Teams – and Life Coach to those on a journey to self-actualisation.

His game- changing THE GAME PLAN METHOD, is helping both teams and individuals throughout South Africa to achieve their greatest potential.

GET IN TOUCH:

robopie@thegameplan.co.za