Sunday, June 30, 2013

Remembering Jenny - IDBF World Championships / Qingpu / China (Oct 2004)

Jenny and Joanne - IDBF World Championships / Qingpu / China (Oct 2004)

Four years ago just now. We remember you, Jenny (*). You are always there for us as you guide and inspire us from above.

Joanne and Geoff - 2013 AusDBF National Championships / Penrith (Thu 18 Apr 2013)

Joanne, she would be so proud of you and what you have achieved these last four years. It's been tough, tougher than most people could imagine. Just like Jenny, you are an inspiration and I look forward to seeing you carry the Australian Flag in Szeged (*) on Tue 23 Jul 2013. Go Joanne!!!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

On Calm and Focus - Adam van Koeverden (Mon 07 May 2012)

my fingers are calm and gentle on the paddle - Adam van Koeverden (*)

Adam van Koeverden (*) writes on Calm (*) and Focus (*):
Kayaking for me demands a very nice balance between calmness (*) and focus (*).

It's funny, because you are super calm and focused, at the same time there is a lot going on in your body.

Things are starting to break down and hurt.

At the same time my fingers are calm and gentle on the paddle.

It's pretty meditative.
via On Giving Your Everything - Adam van Koeverden / YouTube (*).

On Giving Your Everything - Adam van Koeverden / YouTube (*) (Mon 07 May 2012)

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

A Team is a Powerful Thing - Darren Lehmann / The Australian (Wed 26 Jun 2013)

Senior A Mixed 500m Final - Racice / Prague (Sat 29 Aug 2013)

Darren Lehmann (*) writes (*):
Sure, you are playing a professional sport and you want to be a success. But life is more important than any game or any sport. I'm really big on getting closer as a Bulls group - we are almost like a family - and we want to look after each other outside the game, not just within the game. I've told the players they can't leave the ground for at least an hour after play. We talk about a whole heap of things - it might be cricket but it might be something else. There were some players who used to leave within five minutes. It works well; we all just enjoy each other's company and that is probably the best thing we have got going.
via Headmaster of mateship (*) by Will Swanton (*).

As my Nephew, Thomas (*), told me when he was all of the age of three,
A Team is a Powerful Thing
Always make me laugh when I think of that. The wisdom of a three year old.

I have been involved in team sports all my life, so being and working together (*) is an important. It is something that everyone needs to recognise and work towards. Darren's approach of spending time together after play is one way, though I am sure there are more ways. It depends on the team (*).

Senior Mixed 500m Final Post Race Discussion - Prague (Sat 29 Aug 2009) (*)

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

On Grief - Rebecca Norris Webb / riccomaresca.com (Jun 2013)

Self Portrait - Newtown (Mar 2010)

Rebecca Norris Webb (*) reflects On Grief (*):
I accept that everyone I love will die. I accept that grief (*) will break me open time and time again.

I also accept that if I can pick up my camera (*) and head out into the landscape, I can create even during the darkest and most devastating times of my life. I find some peace (*) in this.
via The Geography of Loss: A Conversation with Curator Laurel Reuter and Artist Rebecca Norris Webb (*).

Sunday, June 23, 2013

On Failure and Success - Stephen DiRado - Two Way Lens (Sun 23 Jun 2013)

Stephen DiRado (*) reflects on the relationship between Failure () and Success (*):
[..] I am not afraid to fail because failure (*) breeds success (*). Strange as it is, making an incredibly bad photograph, and be painfully aware of it, means you hit rock-bottom. This sets up a series of challenges to break into a new territory. It is frightening [..]
via Stephen DiRado (*) by Two Way Lens (*).

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

On Mastery Motivation - Drew Ginn (Fri 7 Jun 2013)

Water - St Agnes / Cornwall (09 Sep 2009)

Drew Ginn (*) writes On Mastery Motivation (*):
Deep down I always wanted a greater connection and loved to explore. This happened in many areas.

Exploring thought process, movement patterns, biases, relationships, failure and obvious exploring success.

I really stuffed up more than I care to remember. Many mistake were made and the surprise is that I kept at it when many others gave up, left, changed their plans.

I stayed the course, and in one sense it was just the course, which probably was unclear to others yet, I knew I was seeking a better way, greater, intending (*) and learning (*).

Mastery (*) then is key I think as its takes the performance from simply doing and achieving or not to becoming more aware, intending (*), taking action, making mistakes (*) and making it count, and reviews (*).

Mastery (*) dare I say it is a journey and never the destination.

It’s the joy in striving for perfection, the working towards the best, to be the best and yet the result is not just best but a newer version or a reshaping of things.

Strange how I can see all that striving was the best part and when I watch other not full enjoying the striving I find myself wondering how I can assist in the unearthing of the mind shift from result to mastery seeking.

Sure I get the need to get the results and after having a few results fall my way its easier to state these words.

What I realise is that some time ago just learning (*) become the many motive
via A Wanderers Update (*) by Drew Ginn (*).

People ask me why I keep paddling? Why put myself through it all, over and over again. I've been fortunate and have experienced it all - the highs and the lows. Maybe it is like Alex with his photography (*), but maybe it is what Drew writes about so well here?

Sunday, June 16, 2013

On Photography - Being Uncomfortable - Alex Webb / LA Times Thu 13 (Jun 2013)

Fish - Seoul / South Korea (Mon 10 Sep 2012)

Alex Webb (*) writes On Photogrpahy (*):
I needed to be a little uncomfortable to photograph well.
via reFramed: In conversation with Alex Webb (*) by Barbara Davidson (*).

Could say the same thing about my paddling.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

On Mastery Motivation - Jonathan Males / sportscene.tv (Fri 24 May 2013)

State Titles 2012 - SIRC / Penrith (Mar 2012)

Jonathan Males (*) writes On Mastery Motivation (*):
The real pleasure of winning (*) comes not from beating someone else but from achieving all that you are capable of in that particular moment of competition (*).

Focusing (*) on your own performance (*), on the water, [..] makes it easier to perform (*) at big events, when there is a risk of becoming distracted (*) by other people's expectations (*) or the lure of "fame (*) and glory (*)".
via What keeps you going as an athlete? About Mastery Motivation (*) by Jonathan Males (*).

Thursday, June 13, 2013

On Determination - Shawn Heidgen / Training Peaks (Wed 12 Jun 2013)

Day 2 - 2013 AusDBF Nationals - SIRC / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)

Shawn Heidgen (*) writes On Determination (*):
No one makes it to the top without overcoming obstacles that would push most people to quit. It is that mental determination (*) and the ability to endure that makes the difference between success (*) and failure (*).
via The Power of Perseverance (*) by Shawn Heidgen (*).

On Confidence - Shawn Heidgen / Training Peaks (Wed 12 Jun 2013)

Day 2 - 2013 AusDBF Nationals - SIRC / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)

Shawn Heidgen (*) writes On Confidence (*):
it’s almost impossible to win a race without having the confidence (*) to do so.
via The Power of Perseverance (*) by Shawn Heidgen (*).

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

A few ways to increase your connection to your photography - Kirk Tuck (Thu 23 Feb 2012)

A3 Prints - New York - Aug 2011

Kirk Tuck (*) writes:
To do what you like in your work, separate from the buzz. [..]
  • slow down [..] If you slow down and concentrate on the kinds of images that bring you real joy you'll find a tighter bond with your own work.

  • Stop looking at all the sharing sites - When you turn off the outside influences and sit quietly with your own thoughts about art and photography you begin to understand the way you like to see and share art. That's valuable. Everything else is unconscious imitation.

  • Do a project - Consistency of vision and subject are worthwhile goals for all artists. Set yourself to the task of creating a body of consistent work. Choose a subject that you love and explore it in depth. Ignore everything else.

  • When you choose to do a project have a a goal - Wouldn't it be great if it changed some lives? But no matter where it ends up I will have met interesting people who've taken charge of their own lives and excelled. What fun role models. And the art will be my souvenir of my time spent with them. The prints will be part of the sharing.

  • Start thinking beyond the screen - [..] When you slow down and do your art try to go through the whole process of bringing an image to life before you rush out the door to fill up more memory cards and hard drives.

  • Really explore the images in front of you. Edit them down. Make them perfect and then print them large [..] Print them till you love them. And learn from the process of presentation. Learn what you like to see, big. The art becomes both portable and present when you pull it off the screen and onto paper. Be sure to go through the whole process so you understand in your gut what you've really created. It will slow you down [..] and focus it on doing work that makes you smile. You are the first audience.

  • Finally, forget the online critiques - Find people in your own town, city, region whose work you admire and approach them about forming a sharing circle. Just like a writer's group.
Having a project will move you to take chances. [..] You'll need to discipline yourself to do the [..] And you'll need to learn how to finish.

Having a goal for your work gives it extra meaning.

Sharing the work with live people standing in front of you builds real confidence in the work. Having real critiques is painful but helps engender real growth. Helping real, human, non-virtual friends succeed with their own art is part of a rewarding virtuous circle. Embrace it.
From A few ways to increase your connection to your photography (*) by Kirk Tuck (*) - Thu 23 Feb 2012.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

On Confidence - Drew Ginn (Tue 17 Mar 2009)

Five One Hundredths of a Second - 500m Premier Opens Final - AusDBF Nats / Penrith (Fri 19 Apr 2013)

Drew Ginn (*) talks On Confidence (*):
iNflating or deFLating confidence happens all the time. Do you notice how others can have such and influence on your own confidence, and that is not to mention how much your own self talk can magnify what others say and do. [..]

I have reflected on moments during my life when someone has said something that has boosted my confidence and when someone has drained my confidence with something they have said.
via Confidence Balloons(*)o by Drew Ginn (*).

I did a great RPM class (*) today and for some reason i came out of the class and thought of this post that Drew made way back in March 2009. Vincent gave us so much today and for me it was mostly about giving us the confidence to push ourselves past our perceived maximums and achieve new levels of fitness, no matter who we were or why we were there.

I also know this thing about confidence to be true based on my paddling experiences.

When I first started out at PDs in 2005, I received an email from one of the coaches welcoming me to the club and team, adding that they felt I would make a positive contribution. It was only a couple of words but it helped motivate me to be the best I could with the limited experience I had at the time.

Eight years on now, and I am always surprised what a few words can do to lift my failing self-confidence. It happened a couple time this year and the people who boosted my confidence probably had no idea how much they contributed to help push me on.

Another occurrence this year was in the AusDBF National Premier Opens 500m Final (*) where Darren our sweep calls with 150m to go, that you are doing it (*). An amazingly appropriate and uplifting call to make when we were a nose behind and the last part of the race to finish off. Without those four words I am sure it would have been a different result. They gave us the confidence to know that we were there and he believed in us to take It home and to nudge our nose across the line first.

I always try to be positive and as realistic as the situation allows, and I hope that I have helped raise the confidence of a few others over the years. I guess in some way that means I might have more self-confidence than I give myself credit for :-). Hey, nice positive self-talk Geoff.

I am just also reminded of this little incident (*) which was one of the highlights of the USA 2011 Trip (*).

On the other side of the coin I also have learnt what deflates confidence and contributes to a "sub-optimal" performance. I know and remember these times and try to ensure that if they do occur again, that they don't affect me as much as they have done in the past.

Lanterns - Birds of Tokyo (youtube)

Lanterns (*) by Birds of Tokyo (*) [Youtube (*)]

Some Lyrics from Lanterns (*):
[..] Without question, without doubt
In the light (*) that we have found
It is finally clear
Our day has come
And we'll stand for who we are
We are ready, we are young
We have nothing to fear [..]
via Lanterns (*) by Birds of Tokyo (*).