I count myself pretty lucky to be able to follow my great passion in life – which is:
to explore human greatness.
My performance coaching role affords me the opportunity and privilege to meet and work with some of South Africa’s great business leaders – and great sporting champions.
They are all high flyers – with high level game plans – and they all have a burning desire to reach the next level of performance, growth and contribution.
They go on. From good to great to greater – and some on to genius.
What’s more, they are making huge contributions to the creation of the South Africa in which we all want to live– where people are empowered, capable and resourceful.
But, the one thing which they all commonly report , is at times in their glittering business or sporting careers, going close to what is called :
BURN OUT
In sport it’s simply called “ Loss of Form” or “Out of Form “
This happens when high level game plans begin to cram up with complexity. They grapple with one of the key ingredients of human great.
And that key ingredient is?
At a dinner hosted by William H Gates , father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, for a number of hand-picked business people, he asked those present to write down on a piece of paper the single word that they deemed of utmost importance to their continued success in business.
Two guests, namely Bill and Warren Buffett wrote down the same word:
FOCUS
The most important thing I have learnt in life is to focus my energy on what is important in life– Bill Gates
Steve Jobs added another angle:
People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.
And probably the best advice goes way back many moons:
Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistification – Leonardo da Vinci
Human Great is achieving Sustained Success and Significance in life. (S.S.S )
It’s certainly no one-day game.
And to keep going , one needs to closely guard :
THE FINE LINES OF FOCUS.
The easiest, most efficient and most effective way to do just that – is to take heed from one of the greatest investors:
My advice. Invest in yourself – Warren Buffett
Investing in oneself means optimally aligning the three P’s of Personal Branding: namely :
Purpose, Priorities and Performance.
The great champions of both business and sport invest in their personal brands – as the three all important P’s serve as one’s compass in good times – and one’s scaffolding in challenging times
The great champions set up right .
They open up wide the road to ”Human Greatness”.
They block the road to ” Burn Out” .
They focus on what is truly important in their lives .
Focus innoculates . It’s the anti -dote. And it helps them to make life look easy.
They live in a world of Authenticity, Simplicity and Synchronicity.(A.S.S)
In a talk I recently gave , someone quick in the audience, asked
Are you asking us to make an A.S.S. of ourselves ?
Yes, keep it focused .
In sport, it’s called : “In Form. Sublime Form, Class Act .”
In the words of Richard Branson :
Branding is Everything
Indeed it is .
For more Insight, Innovation and Inspiration and how to use THE GAME PLAN METHOD to avoid “Burn Out ” please do get in touch at:
Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Speaker, Author and Performance Coach to Business executives, Corporate teams, Sports teams and Individuals.
Rob’s latest book: The Game Changers: Good to Great to Greater is available FREE to readers as an instant digital download on his site : www.thegameplan.co.za
