NEVER GIVE UP IN LIFE

Unlike Carl Lewis and Daley Thompson, Derek Redmond is not a name that conjures up memories of Olympic gold medals. But it is Redmond who defines the essence of the human spirit.

Redmond arrived at the 1992 Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona determined to win a medal in the 400. The color of the medal was meaningless; he just wanted to win one. Just one.

He had been forced to withdraw from the 400 at the 1988 Games in Seoul, only 10 minutes before the race, because of an Achilles tendon injury. He then underwent five surgeries over the next year. This was the same runner who had shattered the British 400-meter record at age 19. So when the 1992 Games arrived, this was his time, his moment, his stage, to show the world how good he was and who he was.

Derek's father Jim had accompanied him to Barcelona, just as he did for all world competitions. They were as close as a father and son could be. Inseparable, really. The best of friends. When Derek ran, it was as if his father were running right next to him.

THE MOMENT
The day of the race arrives. Father and son reminisce about what it took for Derek to get to this point. They talk about ignoring past heartbreaks, past failures. They agree that if anything bad happens, no matter what it is, Derek has to finish the race, period.

The top four finishers in each of the two semifinal heats qualify for the Olympic final. As race time approaches for the semifinal 400 heat, Jim heads up to his seat at the top of Olympic Stadium, not far from where the Olympic torch was lit just a few days earlier. He is wearing a T-shirt that reads, "Have you hugged your foot today?"

With the help of his father, an injured Derek Redmond completed his race in the 1992 Olympics.

The stadium is packed with 65,000 fans, bracing themselves for one of sport's greatest and most exciting spectacles. The race begins and Redmond breaks from the pack and quickly seizes the lead. "Keep it up, keep it up," Jim says to himself.

Down the backstretch, only 175 meters away from finishing, Redmond is a shoo-in to make the finals. Suddenly, he hears a pop. In his right hamstring. He pulls up lame, as if he had been shot.

"Oh, no," Jim says to himself. His face pales. His leg quivering, Redmond begins hopping on one leg, then slows down and falls to the track. As he lays on the track, clutching his right hamstring, a medical personnel unit runs toward him. At the same time, Jim Redmond, seeing his son in trouble, races down from the top row of the stands, sidestepping people, bumping into others. He has no credential to be on the track, but all he thinks about is getting to his son, to help him up. "I wasn't going to be stopped by anyone," he later tells the media.

On the track, Redmond realizes his dream of an Olympic medal is gone. Tears run down his face. "All I could think was, 'I'm out of the Olympics -- again,'" he would say.

As the medical crew arrives with a stretcher, Redmond tells them, "No, there's no way I'm getting on that stretcher. I'm going to finish my race."

Then, in a moment that will live forever in the minds of millions, Redmond lifts himself to his feet, ever so slowly, and starts hobbling down the track. The other runners have finished the race, with Steve Lewis of the U.S. winning the contest in 44.50. Suddenly, everyone realizes that Redmond isn't dropping out of the race by hobbling off to the side of the track. No, he is actually continuing on one leg. He's going to attempt to hobble his way to the finish line. All by himself. All in the name of pride and heart.

Slowly, the crowd, in total disbelief, rises and begins to roar. The roar gets louder and louder. Through the searing pain, Redmond hears the cheers, but "I wasn't doing it for the crowd," he would later say. "I was doing it for me. Whether people thought I was an idiot or a hero, I wanted to finish the race. I'm the one who has to live with it."

One painful step at a time, each one a little slower and more painful than the one before, his face twisted with pain and tears, Redmond limps onward, and the crowd, many in tears, cheer him on.

Suddenly, Jim Redmond finally gets to the bottom of the stands, leaps over the railing, avoids a security guard, and runs out to his son, with two security people chasing after him. "That's my son out there," he yells back to security, "and I'm going to help him."

Finally, with Derek refusing to surrender and painfully limping along the track, Jim reaches his son at the final curve, about 120 meters from the finish, and wraps his arm around his waist.

"I'm here, son," Jim says softly, hugging his boy. "We'll finish together." Derek puts his arms around his father's shoulders and sobs.

Together, arm in arm, father and son, with 65,000 people cheering, clapping and crying, finish the race, just as they vowed they would. A couple steps from the finish line, and with the crowd in an absolute frenzy, Jim releases the grip he has on his son, so Derek could cross the finish line by himself. Then he throws his arms around Derek again, both crying, along with everyone in the stands and on TV.

"I'm the proudest father alive," he tells the press afterwards, tears in his eyes. "I'm prouder of him than I would have been if he had won the gold medal. It took a lot of guts for him to do what he did.

Set Goals for Your Business

Adapted from content excerpted from the American Express® OPEN Small Business Network

Goal-setting is crucial to the success of any business, but is particularly important for entrepreneurs who can become distracted without focus. Goals direct actions, give you something to aim for, and can serve as a yardstick for measuring your business' success.
The way you approach goal-setting will determine whether you are able to attain your goals. Most people agree that goals are important, but less than five percent of people write down goals or have action plans for attaining them. Fear is most often the culprit. People don't like to write goals down on paper (a crucial part of goal setting) because they are afraid to commit to them. If this is your problem, try to remember that a goal can be changed at any time after you write it down. Also keep in mind that goal-setting becomes easier the more times you undertake it. When you have set goals and attained them, the power of goal setting will compel you to set more.
If you avoid goal-setting, the tips and hints below should help.

Have short-term and long-term goals

You might want to set weekly goals, quarterly goals, annual goals, and even 3-year or 5-year goals. One way to generate short-term goals is to first consider your long-term goals. Is there a certain Naira amount you want to earn or a number of clients you need to sign up by a certain time? If nothing like that comes to mind immediately, take a few minutes and think about what professional goal you would like to attain. Once you have determined long-term goals, you can work backward. If your goal is to make NGN100,000 this year, you should make a list of what it would entail to make that money. If you encounter difficulty creating your list, ask peers or friends for help. When your list is complete, break those small steps down into goals.

Make your goals specific and measurable with a deadline

"Increase my sales" is a good goal, but it's so vague that it does not provide a means by which you can judge your success. Modify your goals by making them specific. All goals should be specific (Get new clients), measurable (Get three new clients), and have a time frame (Get three new clients by November).

Don't set yourself up for failure

Make sure your goals are attainable. If you aim too high, you're dooming yourself to defeat.

Don't be lazy

On the other hand, some entrepreneurs set goals that are too easily attained. If you tend in this direction, look for ways to challenge yourself. If you usually aim to add one new client every quarter, push yourself to shoot for two or three.

Be relevant

Goals should help you attain a specific aim. Look out for goals that are just going to keep you busy, but are not appropriate to the overall success of your business. If you don't believe your goals are worthwhile, you won't make the necessary effort to achieve them.

Be patient and persistent

It your system of setting goals does not seem to be working because you are not attaining much of what you write down, do not give up. Keep setting goals for several months and you will find that your goal setting skills improve.

Review your goals constantly

Keep your weekly or other short-term goals in plain view -- by your desk, or next to your computer, for example -- so you know what you need to attain. Look at your annual goals monthly to see if you're on track. If your business' focus changes, don't be afraid to alter your goals. Flexibility is a crucial component of goal-setting.

How Do I Come Up With a Winning Business Idea?

Adapted from content excerpted from the American Express® OPEN Small Business Network

Developing large or small business ideas is a matter of creating a vision, leveraging your strengths and determining what the market needs. These three steps should get you started.

• Create a vision
• Determine what you're good at and what you like to do
• Figure out what the market needs

Create a vision
Close your eyes for a few minutes and conjure up a detailed image of what you want your life to look like in 5 years. Be as specific as possible.

• Where do you live?
• How do you spend your days?
• What kind of work do you do?
• Do you work alone or with other people?
• Who are you surrounded by?
• What do you do when you aren't working?

Don't limit yourself to these questions; create a vivid vision of yourself, touching on things that are important to you. These are all personal issues that will impact the type of business you pursue - being a city or country person; wanting to travel or sit at your computer; liking to meet people or work on the phone. This activity will help you create a foundation for choosing from small business ideas, making business decisions, and setting clear goals.
It is best to do this exercise with someone else and share your vision. If you can't, write it down to make your vision more concrete.


Determine what you're good at and what you like to do
It's often useful to look inside yourself to figure out what you like and dislike, and where your talents lie. It's one thing to come up with a winning business idea. It's another to come up with one that fits your skill set and interests you. Your business has to keep you excited so you can thrive over the long haul.
One of the best ways to do this is to make three separate lists:
List 1: What you're good at
Everyone is good at something and many skills can be the foundation for a business. You might be naturally organized or have a knack for fixing things. You may be so used to your skills that they don't immediately come to mind, so assemble this list by observing yourself for a few weeks with an eye out for your aptitudes and by asking people who know you well for their impressions of what you excel at.
List 2: Skills you've acquired over the years
Whether or not you've worked in a conventional environment, you no doubt have accumulated many. Write down all the work responsibilities you've had; think about the varied tasks you know how to complete. Make sure this list is complete -- there should be at least 10 distinct items.
List 3: Things you like to do
List the things you enjoy doing. This may not be as easy as it sounds. This list should be at least 10 items long. Stretch beyond your hobbies and interests that spring to mind immediately. If you're stymied, ask people who have known you for a long time -- particularly people who knew you as a kid -- what they have seen you doing when you're happiest.
Keep these three lists in an accessible place (for instance on your desk) for several weeks, and when small business ideas come to you, jot them down in the proper category. Ask people who know you well for their input or to help you jog your memory.

Figure out what the market needs
So far, you've been looking inward to come up with your business idea. Now its time to look outward to discover an unfilled need that you can meet with your product or service.
There are plenty of "Top 10" or "Hot New" business lists out there. These may stimulate some ideas, but the best business ideas will come from you and will be based on who you are and what the market is looking for. So while you're doing your soul searching and list making, put up your antenna and look out for business opportunities.