What sets the elite apart from the mediocre? How can you improve the performance in your working environment and within your team?
We asked Wallaby Great, business consultant and author, John Eales and Kayaking champion, mother of two and currently training for Beijing,
Shelley-Oates Wilding just what it takes to win in the office and in sport.

1. How did you first get involved in your sport?
   
   John: Dad coached the under 8’s and I was interested in the sport
   
   Shelley: In 1988 I was an athlete at the AIS, when I had a major knee injury I could no longer compete in track and field and netball, I watched
   the 1988 Olympics looking for a sport I could try to make the Olympics in.
   So I was 24 at the time and decided on kayaking.

2. What in your opinion does it take to become an elite athlete?
   
   John: Composure through good times and bad. Honesty with yourself
   and others about your ability and the team’s position.
   
   Shelley: It’s the same for anything in life. If you want to become the very best at something you need to have a passion for finding out what it takes to achieve it and then have the confidence and dedication to pursue it with passion even when you hit set backs. The first thing to do is research, ask people who have done it, the way the thinking and everything about the journey. The next thing is to develop your plan and then continue to be flexible and re assess your progress often. Remember to get a different response you’ll need to continually change your approach. Once you have success then make it habit!

3. Do you have a routine you follow?
   
   John: Yes, when goal kicking I did. I have patterns of behaviour as well.
   
   Shelley: I do not have any consistent routines. I plan each week before it starts but that could be at any time before Monday morning. Everything
   I do is planned and organized well in advanced and even the amount of
   time I spend doing things is proportional to my goals and dreams. But it is never the same on any two days-not even my training times are the same.
   It’s all done on what feels right for everyone at that time and on that day.
   It’s all about what’s best for my family and I at that moment.

4. How do you maintain focus in your respective sport and in business?
   
   John: I feel I understand what we want to achieve and, of equal importance, how we are going to do it and my roles within that.
   
   Shelley: it is important to work on your inner drive and continually build a strong pleasurable feeling associated with your desired outcome. If you always know how good it feels to be achieving something towards your goal you will continually want to get that great feeling so it will help go through the challenges. I always make sure I take time to be thankful for what I have achieved and the people that helped me. This way you get great feelings all the way along the journey and life is continuously good! Let others know of your desires and journey and they will enjoy being involved to help you success as you are fun to be involved with. Basically the clearer you are on you outcome, the more you focus on the positive things along the way the more your surrounding will open up to help you on your path.

5. What are the main challenges associated with being an elite athlete?
   
   John: Again focus and self belief through thick and thin.
   
   Shelley: The same as being the best at anything. You need to look even more closely at ways to continually improve every part of your performance and day to day actions. The challenges are mainly mental, staying focused
   to pursue excellence on a daily basis and balancing a fulfilling life. Like
   these challenges, all challenges are just opportunities to excel yourself.

6. Describe your ideal training and working environment
   
   John: Friendly and focused with healthy challenging of each other.
   
   Shelley: Mine is very simple, anywhere in the world with all my family.
   I feel happy and able to push limits if I am surrounded with my happy
   family who are also achieving their individual dreams. I also like to
   surround myself with people who are always positive and supportive.
   I also seek the people who have the best knowledge about the things
   I am pursuing at the time.

7. What are the key factors needed to achieve as a team?
   
   John:
   Vision – what
   Value – how
   Connection with people
   Capability of people
   Composure
   
   Shelley: I believe this is the most important factor in any elite
   performance. Every thing we do is in a team, whether it be the sporting
   team, work team or family team. The fundamentals need to be learnt
   and developed all the time. Listening to each other, working to
   understand and communicate better, being considerate of each others
   goals and dreams along with their skills or areas of need. Then working together to find continual “win win” situations so everyone can feel good about themselves and each other so the best is brought out of everyone.

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To have Shelley or John make and impact at your event, contact info@athleteforyourevent.com.au now.