| This article explores three powerful lessons about | | | | behind Ranulph Fiennes. After a hundred yards I |
| goal achievement from the worlds of mountain | | | | am utterly exhausted! " |
| climbing and Formula One racing. Achieve your | | | | Meanwhile, in Monaco, Jenson Button was training |
| goal by selecting a goal you care about, by | | | | for the Monaco Grand Prix. He had a similar plan |
| focusing on actions rather than results and by | | | | to that of Sir Ranulph. Don't think about winning |
| taking one step or lap at a time. | | | | the championship (the Everest of Formula One) |
| The world-famous explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, | | | | Just concentrate on getting round the race track |
| reached the summit of Mount Everest shortly | | | | again and again. Before the race, he said: |
| before 1 am on 21 May 2009, despite having | | | | "I have to take it race by race and practice by |
| previously declared "No more mountains!" | | | | practice" |
| In the early hours of Thursday morning, 21st | | | | He believed that if you start thinking about |
| May, Sir Ranulph's voice came from the top of | | | | winning the championship, you will play safe and |
| the world: "We came to the summit as dawn | | | | no longer give 100%. Of course, at times, it is |
| broke." | | | | wise to accept second place rather than lose |
| Sir Ranulph had done what he said he would and | | | | more points by giving 100% and crashing. |
| had climbed to the top of the world. Later, he | | | | Coulthard, a former winner at Monaco, agreed |
| described how he felt: "It's quite a funny feeling | | | | with Jenson. Take the race corner by corner and |
| because you can't walk any further to the moon!" | | | | lap by lap. As I write this article with 49 laps out |
| He is the first British pensioner to ever reach the | | | | of 78 still to go, Jenson Button is still leading! |
| summit of Mt Everest. He had a heart attack on | | | | Drivers have to 'keep going, keep going', in the |
| his first attempt, was exhausted on his second | | | | words of one commentator, for two long hours. |
| and succeeded on his third! What an amazing man! | | | | Their focus has to be intense. One lapse of |
| What motivated him to achieve such a tough goal | | | | concentration and they could crash into a barrier |
| in his sixties and not long after a heart attack? | | | | or another driver. |
| Several members of Sir Ranulph's family had died | | | | Of course, one major difference between Sir |
| from cancer in quick succession and he had seen | | | | Ranulph and Jenson is speed. Ad we have already |
| the splendid work of Marie Curie cancer nurses at | | | | seen, when Sir Ranulph was asked how he was |
| close hand. He had also realised that 1 in 4 people | | | | doing, he replied 'Slow but sure'. |
| die of cancer. | | | | Jenson's main aim is to go 'Fast but sure' Jenson is |
| He badly wanted to raise money for the Marie | | | | still leading followed by his ambitious partner, |
| Curie foundation. One nurse costs £18 for | | | | Rubens Barrichello, who does not want to play |
| an hour of care for a dying cancer patient. Sir | | | | second fiddle to Jenson. However, with only nine |
| Ranulph knew how great the need was for these | | | | more laps to go. Jenson leads; Rubens follows! |
| capable nurses. | | | | Another one, two finish will result for the Brawn |
| He also likes to have the motivation of at least | | | | team if things stay this way. |
| one tough challenge in his life. His next challenge | | | | In the end, Jenson took the chequered flag with |
| will be something to do with the cold! | | | | Rubens second. His team boss, Ross Brawn |
| He explained to reporters another major secret | | | | commented:"1st and 2nd. It's just stunning! He's |
| of his success. He had a simple plan to keep him | | | | exceeding everything I thought possible." |
| going. | | | | Three great lessons emerge from the Everest |
| "I am just going to be endlessly repeating 'Plod | | | | climb and the Monaco race. Focus your mind on |
| Forever'. Don't expect to get there. Don't think | | | | the next step whether this involves a slow plod |
| there is going to be a top to this mountain. Just | | | | or a fast lap. Secondly, don't allow doubts, |
| 'plod forever'. Imagine it is a mountain with no top. | | | | distractions or concerns about results to cloud |
| You just keep going and then you can't be let | | | | your thoughts. . Accept the fact that you might |
| down. You start getting some false hopes. Don't! | | | | have to plod or drive on for hours and hours |
| You've got to say 'Plod Forever'. And that's it. | | | | without seeing an end result. Don't worry about |
| Don't let other thoughts come in." | | | | the end result. Just keep going. Thirdly, select a |
| The mind can only handle one thought at a time | | | | goal you really care about. |
| properly just as a dog holds only one bone in its | | | | Both men had picked a goal they cared about. As |
| mouth at a time. Keep the thought you want in | | | | we have seen, Sir Ranulph wanted to raise |
| your mind by constant and unbroken repetition. | | | | money to pay for cancer nurses. |
| Don't allow thoughts of failure or even success | | | | Jenson Button's motivation was also intense. He |
| anywhere near the centre of your mind. Just 'plod | | | | has suffered a long apprenticeship with Formula |
| forever'. Take the next step and keep going. | | | | One teams that could only produce cars which |
| A phrase like 'Plod Forever' can help whether you | | | | were inferior to those of the top teams, Ferrari |
| are walking or performing some seemingly | | | | and McClaren. Years of battling the inadequacy of |
| endless task. Even a single key word is effective. | | | | his cars must have built up a huge desire to have |
| When I was at school in the Isle of Man, I found | | | | a decent car that would allow him to express his |
| that repeating the one word 'Faster' non stop | | | | first rate driving skills. |
| helped me on long cross country runs. Repeating | | | | Now he has such a car with Brawn GP. He is |
| the word did not make me fast but it probably | | | | making up for all those lost years when all the |
| succeeded in making me 'faster'. This would not | | | | glory went to drivers who had better cars. The |
| have been difficult! | | | | humiliation of years of failure is pushing him on |
| The word 'plod' expresses an acceptance of the | | | | towards the pinnacle of success in Formula One. |
| fact that your task will involve a boring, slow walk | | | | To sum up: Make sure that you choose a goal |
| or climb to achieve the goal. The word 'forever' | | | | you really care about. And then concentrate only |
| suggests that this task will seem to take 'forever'. | | | | on the steps to that goal. Take one step or lap |
| Anyone who repeats this phrase has committed | | | | after another. Don't be distracted by your |
| themselves in advance to achieving a tough goal | | | | potential results. You may well achieve a great |
| which will seem at times to be endless, slow and | | | | outcome like Sir Ranulph and Jensen but, even if |
| utterly boring. | | | | you don't, you will have had the powerful |
| At base camp on Everest, Andrew North, a BBC | | | | experience of sticking to your planned course of |
| reporter had asked Sir Ranulph "How's it going?" | | | | action. |
| "Slow but sure," replied the explorer who had | | | | Not many people can do this even when it relates |
| conquered both the North and the South Poles | | | | to a simple goal like taking a short walk or cycle |
| and run six marathons in a row. "Yeah? Good!" | | | | ride every day. Keep pumping the pump and |
| replied Andrew. | | | | eventually you may well see drops and then |
| Later Andrew North tried climbing with Sir Ranulph | | | | torrents of water. If not, the workout will have |
| for a short while near the second base camp: | | | | made you stronger in both body and mind! |
| "Even at a slow plod, I still manage to find myself | | | | |