Keep calm and carry on: top tips for Kiwi success in London
be responding constructively to athletes who have performed poorly. It is always difficult to manage despair. It is hard to pin down a single individual, as they all have their particular qualities. For me, though, any athlete who is open enough to want to find out more about how they function under pressure fits into the category of best to deal with, and there have been many who meet that criterion. Naming anyone in this category would be unfair, unwise and unethical. However, in general, athletes who think they have it all sorted or are oblivious to how they manage pressure are the worst to deal with in my role. There is often an arrogance or overconfidence that usually disguises vulnerability in such cases. There have been a few that stand out in this category. It would be easy to trot out a number and not doing so might sound like evasiveness. However, this issue of results – and medals in particular – gets to the heart of the struggle for every athlete going to the Games. This is managing the pressure of expectations about outcomes. There is something motivational about wanting to win, but the wanting can also be a burden and lead to anxiety and intense mental and physical tension. You cannot control whether you win; you can only control what you deliver, and where you finally get will take care of itself. The result happens after you have given your best to the task. Medals emerge from performance and that is where everyone’s focus needs to be right now. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I struggled to get to grips with John le Carre’s book and the movie also took some concentration. However, once I engaged with the plot it was absorbing. Aung San Suu Kyi, because she is a resilient, courageous and principled leader. She also has a very lyrical name. Murray Halberg, a humble and compassionate man who overcame personal adversity and who has devoted his life to doing good works with people with special needs. Edmund Hillary, an icon in our nation’s history and also someone who had immense compassion and great humility. Nelson Mandela. I think there is an obvious pattern here, in terms of courage and humility, with Mandela showing how to overcome adversity and showing graciousness and the ability to transcend physical and political constraints. Bryce Courtenay’s The Power of One. He writes absorbing stories you can relate to and in his characters he often has them facing challenge and striving to overcome adversity. Heads & Tales by Harry Chapin for its intriguing stories of life; Old Ideas by Leonard Cohen for its well-crafted lyrics; and Oceania by Hinewehi Mohi – a slice of who we are as a nation. Roger Federer for his composure and calmness; chef Heston Blumenthal for creativity and enthusiasm; radio host Garrison Keillor for subtle and humorous story-telling; cyclist Lance Armstrong for sharing secrets; Bette Midler for exuberance, cheeky fun and a great voice; and comedian The Boy with Tape on his Face for his clever wit – and keeping food costs within budget. That is why Heston Blumenthal is invited.