With the Olympic games upon us and a lot of inspiration with every event, as well as sorrow at the loss of the Luge athlete who left this earth very early in his young life, I am reminded of how important it is to really just go for the gold - go for everything - as often as I can in life.  I just never know when my opportunity to give my all may be lost - just as an Olympian who didn’t do their best to win the Gold medal (or any medal) and has to wait another four years (or another lifetime) to experience the true excitement of accomplishing a great feat.  Or, in the matter of the man who lost his life during practicing his sport, I just don’t know when I may be going for gold that last time in my life - that is humbling to think about.

What about you?  What is present when you are at your best? 

What does that even mean?

To me, and to my good friend and fellow success coach, Jeff St. Laurent, it means to “Go For Everything”. 

Jeff is a cyclist, dad, husband, coach (not necessarily in that order) and is one person that I truly respect.  He has shared with me his triumph (and near defeat) he had recently in a cycling race that really meant a lot for him - almost as if going for the Gold himself. 

Check it out at www.GoForEverything.com

Going for everything doesn’t always mean winning the gold and it doesn’t mean accepting defeat.  It means getting up when you have been knocked down and finishing just as strong as you started - whether that be after a financial fall, a physical fall, an emotional fall or any type of “fall”.

Thanks, Jeff, for sharing us your Spirit of continued success.

Enjoy your own journey and, as often as possible, please do “go for everything”.

Yours in Transformational Success,

Lois Tiedemann Koffi

612-721-0907

After watching the Saints win their frst ever Superbowl Championship tonight, I am reminded of one certainty that keeps showing up for me over the past few years.

As a running coach and business woman, I have often heard (and been quoted to say) that everything (ie sports, sales) is 80-90% mental.  That success and achievement is all in the mind. 

I now completely disagree with my previous perception of that and the Saints’ win is a great metaphor/evidence of that.

There are three components of any one Being.  They are the mind, the body and the Spirit.  These three are all very important, however, the mind is not the true “builder” of success - nor, I feel, the main reason, that the Saints are now one for one in achieving the most coveted win in the sports world.  Definitely not 80% the reason.  Not even close.

I now believe that anything worth achieving, and achieving as well as the Saints did in overcoming all they have in the past five years to get there, has everything to do with a person’s Spirit - their passion - their enthusiasm - their belief in their hearts that they could do it.   With that Spirit, they trained their bodies and used their minds, without a doubt, but it was the Spirit that led them there and their Spirit that helped them finish.

Have you ever wondered what drives you in all things?  Is it your mind?  Your body?  Your Spirit?  I think any one of these can win out in any given day to day routine.  Your mind can guide you based up on a book you read with information that taught you something.  Your body can be guided by the auto pilot routine you have trained yourself to do, like the route you take to work every day.  Your Spirit can be guided from within (ideally), as well as without (from a Source higher than yourself) - a team effort.  It is the Spirit that can’t be brainwashed or manipulated.

However, your mind can so easily be influenced or swayed by so many other outside forces (including, but not limited to, religion, media, family/friends, seminars, self created fears).  The true test of a champion is not to follow the crowd or do things just because you were taught a certain way.  The true test of a champion is to pursue your own passions, beliefs, commitments no matter what others are doing, saying or believing and being committed to something, even when everyone else believes you aren’t going to cross that finish line or you are pursuing something trivial.  

Lead with your Spirit - lead with your passion - and let the mind and body follow and support your goals/dreams/pursuits. 

The City of New Orleans and their Saints found the sweet spot combination of utilizing their mind/body connection with their Spirits and, to me, that is a beautiful thing.  I now believe everything worth experiencing is 75% Spirit, 15% mind and 10% body.  That’s my formula.  What is yours?  What is guiding your success?