Whether you enjoy watching Formula 1 racing or not, there is so much you can learn about life, goal achieving and what it takes to be a winner just from watching the sport. Someone once described life as a series of failures punctuated by successes. Many individuals become discouraged by setbacks rather than seeing them as learning experiences. Some are so discouraged, they vow they will never try that experience again whereas the attitude of a Formula 1 racer is "let me get back in the cockpit"."Whenever you make a mistake or get knocked down by life, don't look back at it too long. Mistakes are life's way of teaching you. Your capacity for occasional blunders is inseparable from your capacity to reach your goals. No one wins them all, and your failures, when they happen, are just part of your growth. Shake off your blunders. How will you know your limits without an occasional failure? Never quit. Your turn will come."
Og Mandino, A Better Way to Live
During the 2007 Grand Prix du Canada, Robert Kubica (Poland, BMW Sauber) suffered a horrific crash. Several networks reported that he had broken his leg but he was lucky enough to escape with a mild concussion and a sprained ankle - a testament to the improved safety of racing cars. Kubica was eager to drive in the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis but his doctors advised against it and so he was forced to wait until the Grand Prix de France at Magny-Cours.
From the qualifying rounds, he allayed any fears that his accident had unsettled his nerves or dulled his desire for success. He drove well and he drove aggressively gaining himself a fourth position on the starting grid - his best for the season. Kubica held on to his fourth position finishing behind Lewis Hamilton (England, McClaren).
In the qualifying rounds of the Grand Prix of Europe at Nürburgring, Hamilton experienced his first crash in this his rookie season. A faulty wheel gun caused his right wheel to detach itself from his car. He was travelling at about 175mph at the time. For an agonizing 30-45s team boss Ron Dennis was out of contact with his young driver as car's radio had been rendered in operable during the impact.
Then Hamilton could be seen wriggling his legs before he climbed out of the cockpit but his legs then buckled under him. Later, as he was carried away on a stretcher with an oxygen mask covering his face and a drip hanging from his arm, he still managed to wave reassuringly to his supporters. He was quick to make it clear that he felt fine and that he wanted to take part in the main race.
"Let me drive," he said.
He was eventually given the all-clear to take part in what proved to be a chaotic race, made even more exciting by torrential rain. Kubica, too got caught up in the drama. His spinning BMW-Sauber punctured Hamilton's left rear tyre. The long and short of it, Hamilton came away empty-handed. Despite this he was smiling and philosophical especially as even though he failed to score any points, he still leads the drivers' table, albeit by a slim margin. Still, as Bob Proctor will tell you, the difference between being a winner or a loser is often as fine as a razor's edge.
Like Kubica, Hamilton loves racing. He loves winning, he's competitive and he loves learning. He admitted that he learnt a great deal from this experience which he will, no doubt, put into practice in subsequent races.
"I told you from day one that this was going to happen eventually, that it would be inevitable that I would not finish on the podium. So I was ready for it. You need to have these experiences, and this was all a big experience for me, and it's still not over. But I have learned 10 times as much today than in the last race."
So here are a few lessons about goal achieving one can learn from Formula 1:
1. Life is not a dress rehearsal - live it to the max
2. Play the game of life to win rather than play to lose
3. Consider life as a series of races and learn from each race
4. Be prepared for setbacks and learn from them
6. If you suffer a setback get back into the cockpit as soon as possible
7. Acknowledge that you will make mistakes and that this does not make you a failure
8. Celebrate your victories
And, above all, remember life is indeed a game - keep smiling!
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