Quit making excuses, putting it off, complaining about it, dreaming about it, whining about it, crying about it, believing you can’t, worrying if you can, waiting until you’re older, skinnier, richer, braver or all around better. Suck it up, hold on tight, say a prayer, make a plan and Just Do It.  
 
Don’t run away from challenges. Run over them. Make the Rules.
 
Someone who is busier than you is running right now.
 
The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t’ is you. And you don’t have to listen.
 
There are clubs you can’t belong to, neighborhoods you can’t live in, schools you can’t get into, but the roads are always open.
 
Success isn’t given. It’s earned on the track, on the field, in the gym. With blood, sweat, and the occasional tear.
 
If you went running when you first started thinking about it, you’d be back by now.
 
Everything you need is already inside.

The road to athletic greatness is not marked by perfection but by the ability to constantly overcome adversity and failure.

If no one thinks you can, then you have to.

Have an awesome week.
Find your greatness and Just Do It.

With love from Oregon

Ann

Remember listening to bed time stories and getting lost in unknown worlds? Remember reading or hearing about the stories of high achievers and their trials and tribulations on the pathway to their success? And behind every successful athlete, there are always stories of hardship, tough times, coping with defeats, injuries and set backs. Sharing your story and telling stories is the best way to teach, persuade, and even understand yourself and create your dreams.

Last week I attended a Matrix Energetics Course here in Melbourne run by Dr Richard Bartlett from the US. It really reinforced for me again, just how incredibly powerful we all are. Trusting yourself sounds easy but so few do it. The truth is that genius is within everyone of us and you simply have to allow it to speak to you. Our conscious mind (the thinking part) is only 20% of our brain and our subconscious mind is said to be 30,000 times more powerful. What part are you listening to? Tune in within and trust in all you do. It will lead you to your greatness.  

The only real valuable thing is intuition. Don’t let your brain interfere with your heart.
Albert Einstein Physicist who developed the theories of relativity, Nobel Peace Prize for Physics in 1921
 
As a way of getting in the moment, simply ask a question and step back and notice any internal or external response. Suspend any preconceived thoughts and listen to the messages from within. Trust that whatever shows up is useful.
 
When you ask others for advice, subconsciously, you are not believing in yourself.
 
The less you try to think, the more powerful your outcomes will be.
 
When an athlete is playing his best, it comes from within. He or she does not have to think or analyse the game, he just flows and it is effortless.
 
Using our intuition is like working a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it will become.
 
Possibility can only come from pure imagination. Doubt comes from fear of failure.
 
Don’t do something because someone has told you to do it. Do it because in the moment it feels right and supports your physiology.                     

Your perceptions about what you think is possible, define you. Think BIG!

When you try to do something or make something happen, you are “doing” with your limited awareness of what can be done. When you are flowing, you are no longer resisting. Anything is possible and many miraculous things become more likely.

The more you let go, the more you let things occur.

Have a great week and trust your inner self. Let your intuition become your most trusted companion. It will lead you to your greatness, and your greatest victories.

 
Be Extraordinary.

Ann

 QUOTE 7 – APRIL 2013

A big congratulations to golfer Adam Scott on becoming the first Australian to win the US Masters after a 77 year drought. He really held his nerve and prevailed in the most intense pressure imaginable on any sporting field.  Here are some great quotes and lessons to learn from the winner himself.                             

Go for your Dreams
Back in Primary school he wrote down his goal “to be the best professional golfer in the world.” In fact he begged his parents to stay home from school when he was 7 so he could watch Greg Norman play in the final round of the Masters.

Inspired by defeat
Following his devastating loss last year at the British Open after surrendering a four shot lead with four holes to play,  many thought the loss would scar him for the rest of his career, and the demons would hound him, but Scott said he was inspired to move forward.  “The Open gave me more belief that I could win a major.”

Patience
Scott said earlier in the week
I think mentally the best thing to do is just be patient, remember it’s a long week and to just take one shot at a time.

Be there in the Moment. Don’t think about Winning.
The thing I did well this week  and what I did well today was stay where I was on that one shot.

In the Play off he did not think about breaking the Aussie jinx
I tried not to think about anything along those lines, so the thing I did really well out there was to stay in the moment.

Go with your instinct
Putting on the 18th Hole – You’ve seen the read. You know it goes a bit right to left. I just told myself to go with instinct; just put it out there and hit it. Show everyone how much you want it. This is the one.

His Dad’s Influence
Really he did an incredible job of just letting me be who I am and letting my game develop and not standing in my way at times and pushing me when I needed to be pushed. You know, he’s an amazing man and obviously he’s always there for me, the good times and the bad.

His Role Model
Greg Norman was my hero and my inspiration as a kid. He has been incredible to me and all the young golfers in Australia. He put his heart and soul into this place and part of this will be shared with him because he’s given me so much time, inspiration and belief.

Lots of great lessons from another great Australian sporting hero.

Wishing you quintessential success.

Ann

Hope you had a wonderful Easter break and the Easter bunny was good to you! All over the world, daylight saving time is changing over or has just changed. For all my friends in the Southern Hemisphere, it is time to wind back the clocks one hour next weekend. For many of you in the Northern hemisphere, you will have already sprung forward an hour. Where ever you are situated, I have two challenges for you this week related to this: Wind Back and Spring Forward. 

Wind Back – Reflect on your past achievements and acknowledge and celebrate all your great wins.  
 
Reflect
It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgement.
Marcus Cicero

Acknowledge all the great things you do and have done. Do it daily.
Delete the negative; Accentuate the positive.
Donna Karan

Celebrate all your wins along the way – every little achievement.                                         Life is to be lived. Make it amazing and enjoy the journey to your greatness.

Spring Forward - What can you do to really spring ahead in your life?
Challenge yourself to Greatness. Set BIG goals that really get you excited.

It is in our imagination that our dreams and inspirations are born. It is from here that we set our goals, develop new ideas and spring forward to our success.  
Ann Quinn

Attitude isn’t the way you think… It’s the way you live. Go ahead and… step up, play big, dream like a child, smile all the time, learn like crazy, communicate more, empower your relationships, start new ones, help someone in need … and remember… success just like failure starts and finishes in your head. So fill your head with great information daily! Success is yours! Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.
Jim Rohn

Wherever you live, whatever you do, wind back to reflect, and spring forward to your success.

Be Extraordinary.

Love and best wishes

Ann

It is March already and before you know it the first quarter of the year will be over. How are you progressing? Are you on target? I was talking to one of my athletes the other night doing our monthly review of achievements and she had easily achieved her goals the last four weeks. I thus have challenged her to exaggerate (her word for the year, (http://www.annquinn.com/quotes/one-word/) and really step up so she not only achieves her goals, but goes way beyond them. The higher we aim, the more likely we are to get there. How high are you aiming? Your challenge is to stretch yourself and set an even bigger goal and go for it. Set one personally and professionally.

What you focus on really expands. There is not one single Olympic Gold Medallist who did not start with a dream.                                                                                                              Ann Quinn (www.extraordinaryathlete.com)

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.                                                               Michelangelo

Exaggeration, the inseparable companion of greatness.                                                            Volitaire

Find a purpose in life so big that it will challenge every capacity to be at your best.               David McKay

When I reach for the stars, the universe opens up the gates of heaven.                                    Yvonne Teoh Bource 

Think Big. Think bigger than the problems and handicaps. Life is choices everyday. Success goes to the man who thinks he can.                                                                              Rice Brothers

The potential for greatness lies within each of us.

Stretch yourself.

Be Extraordinary.

Wishing you every success

Ann

Dream Big and Follow your Heart
What are the three things you would love to achieve this year that would really make a difference to your life? Then get really focused on these three. Clarity is power. Simplicity is velocity. Reduce your life down to what really counts and then focus obsessively on it.

Health and Vitality
Our greatest asset is our health and it is so easy to take it for granted. Don’t wait until it is too late. People plan for their financial future but have you planned for your own health and vitality so you can enjoy your retirement? The energy you have and your health in years to come will depend on the habits you begin today. Get fit to win the game of life. Your health is your wealth.

Keep it Simple
As Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Make your life simpler. Get rid of what you don’t need. Clear out the clutter, eliminate the unnecessary. Simplify all you do and let the real you shine through.

Make Each Day Super Productive – Prioritise and Schedule
Set yourself up for success daily. What do you need to achieve to make this day a great one? Make a daily list each night and then prioritise it. Most importantly, schedule when you will do each task and allocate the time necessary.
What’s planned is possible,
What’s scheduled is real.  

Have Fun
Do what you love, spend time with your family and those you love. Life is to be lived. Enjoy it. Plan it. Schedule it and make it happen.  

Make Time to Think
Block out time in your diary to simply think. All the answers you need and the wisdom is already within you if you just stop and listen. Make this a daily habit and the results will amaze you. Einstein said: “If I had 1 hour to save the world, I would spend 59 minutes  thinking and 1 minute doing.”

Believe to Achieve
Winners in all areas of life believe in themselves. They know where they are going, they live it like they are already there, saying it, seeing it and creating the routines to make it happen.  As Zig Ziglar said: “All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Do Something Different
What would you love to do this year that you may have never done before or not done for some time? Take up a new sport, do a short course, learn a language, go somewhere. Whatever it is, decide and make it happen. Schedule it in your calendar NOW!

Recover
Work smarter, not harder. Take short recovery breaks throughout the day so you can be more efficient, more effective and more energised.

Celebrate
So many people are so focussed on their goals and do achieve them and then they move on to the next goal. Make sure you make time to celebrate your wins along the way, even the little ones too. Life is a journey, not a destination.

Little Extra
The difference between ordinary and Extraordinary is that little extra.  Do a great job and then go one step further. Ask yourself, what can you do to make this extraordinary? Strive higher to be the best athlete, the best leader, the best teacher, the best coach, the best parent, or the best child. Do the little extra. It is the little differences that make the BIG difference.  
 
 
 
There are lots of tips here. Choose just ONE that resonates with you for now and get started.

Wishing you an Extraordinary Year

Love and Blessings
 
Ann                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Ann Quinn, Ph.D Peak Performance Specialist

It is that time of year yet again! Happy Christmas to you all and I hope you are truly blessed in wonderful ways during this festive season. Take some time out to reflect and celebrate all your great wins and treasure all those magic times you had in 2012. And if you did have a few detours and challenges, know they are simply covers for miracles that had no other way of reaching you.   

The following passage was originally created for children. I hope it touches the child within you this Christmas and always.

The first gift is strength.
May you remember to call upon it whenever you need it.

The second gift is beauty.
If you look for it, it will always be there.

The third gift is courage.
May you speak and act with confidence and use courage to follow your own path.

The fourth gift is compassion.
May you be gentle with yourself and others. May you forgive those who hurt you and yourself when you make mistakes.

The fifth gift is hope.
Through each passage and season, may you trust the goodness of life.

The sixth gift is joy.
May it keep your heart open and filled with light.

The seventh gift is talent.
May you discover your own special abilities and contribute them toward a better world.

The eighth gift is imagination.
May it nourish your visions and dreams.

The ninth gift is reverence.
May you appreciate the wonder that you are, and the miracle of all creation.

The tenth gift is wisdom.
Guiding your way, wisdom will lead you through knowledge to understanding. May you hear its soft voice.

The eleventh gift is love.
It will grow each time you give it away.

The twelfth gift is faith.
May you always believe.
Author Unknown

 
I hope your new year is blessed with peace, love and happiness.

Have a great break and I will be back in your inbox in January

With Love and Gratitude

Ann