Goal Achievement – A Try To Test Yourself?

I recently wrote about the goal achievement lessons seen in jump jockey Tony McCoy’s 4,000th win. Around a fortnight later, 2 other iconic sportsmen have hit equally impressive landmarks…

This run of stories is just why I love sport – history is constantly being made, and this time the names involved are Dan Carter and Sachin Tendulkar.

Dan Carter made his 100th Test appearance for the All Blacks in rugby union, and Sachin Tendulkar played his final cricket Test for India.

McCoy’s feat is impressive, but he is allowed to go about his work fairly quietly, whereas Carter and Tendulkar are mobbed everywhere. Real icons of their country, because they have been long established at the top of sports which could be argued *are* their countries.

There are obviously many traits that all 3 men share, and there’s one in particular that I’ll come to later, but let’s take a quick look at the sporting stats…

Carter became only the 4th Kiwi to play 100 times for his country. Getting into that team once is an achievement, to battle injuries to do it 100 time is worthy of note. He’s the world record points scorer in Test rugby, and his style has been a template for many that have followed him.

Tendulkar’s 200th test was his final game before retiring. He’s scored 100 centuries, and is the world record run scorer. In a country obsessed with cricket, he is revered to an extent hard to imagine, and is a figure that helps to unite his country.

So, both men have got to the top of the sports which dominate their cultures, and have set individual records which leave the rest of the players in the world trailing in the dust, much like McCoy. What’s the trait that they all share..?

Well, they are all fiercely competitive, it’s obvious that no-one achieves what they have without a drive that you’d better not get in their way, but that’s *on* the field of play – *off* the field they are all quiet humble men.

Tendulkar finished his career in tears, thanking his parents and the fans. Carter was bought a set of rugby posts by his parents, and said he not only wanted to be an All Black, but that he wanted to be one of the greats.

All 3 of them will stop to sign an autograph, and you won’t see any of them stumbling out of night clubs, or insulting opponents anytime soon.

Carter said in the build up to his game that he always tries his hardest to achieve his goals and there are 2 keys right there to success – setting goals and then working hard to achieve them. This ‘secret’ seems a revelation to so many people, yet it’s there to be seen in bright daylight!

You won’t be surprised to hear that as Tony McCoy marches on with his total of wins, Carter and Tendulkar both won their matches.

So, think to your own goals – firstly, have you set them properly, and secondly, could you be working harder towards them? If you’ve enojyed this post, please do share, like, tweet etc on your fave social network!

‘Til Next Time,
Health & Happiness,
Gordon
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