W.I.N. Newsletter Special - This Week's Book Recommendation
Published: Sat, 11/20/10
Olympic Short Track Speed skater Apolo Ono. In the interview he
talked about some of his philosophies and mentioned his new book
Zero Regrets. I immediately bought the Kindle version of the book
and read it last week while I was on the road.I loved this book.
Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday By Apolo Anton Ono
"Zero regrets. It's a philosophy not just about sport but about
life. School, business, academics, love--anything and everything.
It's complicated and yet not. You have to figure out who it is you
want to be. Not what you want to be--who. There has to be a vision,
a dream, a plan. Then you chase that with everything you've got."
Over three consecutive Olympic games, Apolo Ohno has come to
symbolize the very best of the competitive spirit--remaining equally
gracious in victory and defeat, always striving to improve his
performance, and appreciating the value of the hard work of
training as much as any reward it might bring. In Zero Regrets,
Apolo shares the inspiring personal story behind his remarkable
success, as well as the hard-won truths and strategies he has
discovered in good times and bad.
Raised by his single father, an immigrant from Japan who often
worked twelve-hour days, the young Apolo found it difficult to
balance his enormous natural gifts as an athlete with an admittedly
wild, rebellious streak. After making a name for himself as a
promising young speed skater, his career was almost over before it
began when his lack of preparation caused him to finish last at the
U.S. Olympic trials in 1998. A life-changing week of solitary
soul-searching at the age of fifteen led him to recommit himself to
his training, and at the 1999 world junior championships he won
first place overall--one of the most remarkable turnarounds in
sports history. From that moment on, the world of speed skating had
a new champion and Apolo was on his way to legendary status.
Much more than an account of races won and lost, Zero Regrets is a
compelling portrait of a father-and-son relationship that deepened
over time and was based on respect, love, and unshakable faith in
each other. For the first time, Apolo reveals what he knows about
his long-absent mother; he makes us feel what it is like to face
the best competitors on the planet with the eyes of millions of
fans upon you; and he shares his secrets for achieving total focus
and mental toughness, secrets that can be applied in situations
well beyond sports. We learn the details of the unbelievably
intense workout and diet that he endured while training for the
2010 Winter Olympics, a regime that literally reshaped his body and
led to some of his most thrilling victories.
In this deeply personal and entertaining book, Apolo shows how we
can all come closer to living with zero regrets. While Apolo's own
journey may be unique, the insights he has gleaned along the way
have the power to help us all feel like champions every day.
Take care.
Brian Willis
Winning Mind Training
www.winningmindtraining.com
Get your copy of Excellence in Training, the e-book, at
www.warriorspiritbooks.com