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As printed in the Hamilton Spectator, Monday, February 27, 2006
The Olympic Games are a shining example of individuals who pursue incredible challenges at great sacrifice. The lesson is if you want to win, you need to sacrifice.
If you are leading a "balanced" life, you are destined to be a loser. Why? Because those who succeed in any field are unbalanced.
Consider the Olympic athletes. To qualify for their national team they need to put in a huge amount of weekly and daily training for years. There is nothing balanced about the effort and time they invest. There is nothing balanced about the sweat and pain they endure.
I have run two marathons - 42 kilometres - and a few half marathons. I will run the 30k Around the Bay Race this year, for the fifth time. There is nothing balanced about subjecting yourself to the mental and physical pain of running a marathon.
And the training is totally unbalanced. To go for a Sunday three-hour run is crazy - but that is what is needed.
Pick any sport. The leader in that sport is, or was, unbalanced to achieve his/her goal.
Pick any business leader. They followed a regimen of unbalanced behaviour to accomplish what they did. Most told me that they work 60 to 80 hours per week. They do it because they love it and they want to win. Is that balanced? How does that compare to those who think 40 hours a week is balanced?
Our heroes are not balanced. Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Jesus Christ and Muhammad were not balanced people.
All successful people were obsessive about their dreams, so much so that they ignored other aspects of their lives.
So if you are worried about being unbalanced - congratulations - you might have a chance at greatness. If your feel balanced, you are destined to obscurity.
George Torok
(slightly unbalanced)
© George Torok is host of the weekly radio show, Business in Motion, on 93.3 CFMU. He is a specialist in marketing and presentation skills. He delivers programs on Power Marketing™ and Power Presentations.™.
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