Achieving your personal best

First of all, everyone has a physical limit. All the self-belief in the world won't enable you to, say, run five miles in 20 minutes. What we need to do is keep on improving for as long as possible, gradually pushing back our physical limits.

In that time, we try to compete at our own level, attempting to get as much success as our talents will allow us. That’s what winning really is.

1. Do you produce great training performances but not live up to them in matches?

2. Is your performance under pressure greater than you would expect from your training?

3. Do you develop injuries and minor illnesses just before big events?

4. Do you cope with minor setbacks and still perform to your best when it matters?

5. Do you look impressive when against familiar, weaker opposition but cannot cope with the challenge of competing against those who are apparently better than you?

6. Do you respect better opposition, but rise to the challenge?

Think about your answers for a moment, then learn if you have what it takes to win.

There’s no gain without some kind of commitment.

Remember - it is only by creating stiff challenges for yourself that you will reach your highest-possible level of performance..