Dear PB Readers,

Mickey Walker is an 85-year-old hockey legend who makes Gordie Howe look like a teenager. Born on Lake Muskoka, the world's oldest female hockey player started skating on an outside pond when she was only three years old. A woman ahead of her time Mickey was playing league hockey when she was twelve years old (decades before the average Canadian girl considered hockey over figure skating). While Hayley Wickenheiser is breaking new ground by scoring a professional goal in a men's hockey league, Mickey was trailblazing before Hayley's mother was even born. Canadian women's hockey annually recognize their championship's most sportsman like player with the Mickey Walker Trophy. Walker continues to hit the ice several days a week and has legions of younger women motivated by her positive attitude. The next time you say, "you can't go to the gym", or "you don't have the energy to go for a walk", think of eight-five year old Mickey Walker and "just do it"!

Welcome to our two dozen new PB reader's this week. Our goal is to provide you a five-minute positive burst of energy to start each week. Dr. Saul Miller one of my favorite sports psychologists always says, "You get more of what you think about"! If you read/hear negative - destructive things your mind/body believes the world is only filled with pain and despair. If you surround yourself with possibility - hope and love, anything seems possible. If you enjoyed this week's newsletter, I challenge you to email me 1-2 friends/family or co-workers who we can add to our weekly list. Send the email names to Barrie@personalbest.ca Enjoy your week.

PERSONAL BEST'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

1. MICHAEL JORDAN'S QUOTE ON FAILURE
2. THE TRUTH ABOUT DIET AND HEALTH (HUMOUR)
3. SEVEN ATTRIBUTES OF A SUCCESSFUL LEADER
4. READER'S ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO SURVIVE WINTER
5. LOOKING FOR A MARCH CAMP FOR YOUR KIDS? WE HAVE ONE FOR YOU!
6. FROM OFFICE RECEPTIONIST TO CANADIAN RECORD HOLDER

Michael Jordan Quote

"I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that's precisely why I succeed."

EDITOR'S NOTE: I listened this week to a fascinating radio interview with Canadian Kyle Salem. I am sure you have never heard of the very average baseball fanatic. Kyle loved baseball so much he dreamed of a career in the sport. Trouble was Kyle wasn't very skilled in the game so he had to find a place where his passion thrives. Kyle decided he wanted to work in the front office of a major league Ball Team (an incredibly tough thing for a Canadian with little proven past experience). What Kyle lacked in proven experience he made up for in ingenuity. Kyle knew that all the major league executives were having spring meetings in the same hotel (a 2900 room hotel). The motivated Canadian made up 3000 resumes and proceeded at midnight to put them under each door. Kyle's hard work got him three interviews and started this past week working in the front office of the Cincinnati Reds. While Kyle only scored 3/2900 (three interviews out of 2900 rooms) he wasn't afraid to fail and today he has his "dream" job. What are you prepared to fail at, to achieve your goals?

THE TRUTH ABOUT DIET AND HEALTH!

It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies: The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Canadians or Americans. The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the Canadians or Americans. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Canadians or Americans. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the Canadian or Americans. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausage and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Canadians or Americans. CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

THE MAJOR ATTRIBUTES OF LEADERSHIP

I don't believe everyone is made to be a leader. Some people's contribution to the world is significant and personally satisfying playing an alternative role. After reading the following seven attributes of a successful leader, I immediately thought of Canadian Icon Wayne Gretzky. For those readers's who aspire to be a leader, attention to as many of the following seven attributes as possible will increase your chances.

1. UNWAVERING COURAGE based upon knowledge of self, and of one's occupation.
2. SELF-CONTROL. The people who cannot control themselves can never control others.
3. A KEEN SENSE OF JUSTICE. Without a sense of fairness and justice, no leader can command and retain the respect of his followers.
4. DEFINITENESS OF PLANS. The successful leader must plan his work and work his plan.
5. THE HABIT OF DOING MORE THAN PAID FOR. One of the penalties of leadership is the necessity of willingness, upon the part of the leader, to do more than he requires of his followers.
6. WILLINGNESS TO ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY. The successful leader must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and the shortcomings of his followers.
7. COOPERATION. The successful leader must understand and apply the principle of cooperative effort and be able to induce his followers to do the same.

READER'S SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO SURVIVE OUR COLDEST WINTER IN YEARS

1. Treat your wife, lots of TLC, marsh mellows and hot chocolate, and completely spoil her. The warm response will keep you warm all winter long! Try it, it works. Robert
2. I had an interesting trip last week that might interest some of your readers. Many of us that travel sometimes have a tough time fitting in workouts. I was in Newark and had finished my meetings by 2 PM and as I was on a Charter that left at 8 pm, I had 6 hours to fill. With 2 feet of new snow on the ground, an outside run was out of the question. I was able to find that the Hilton would let me in for $10.00 to use their fitness room. I had my ride drop me at the hotel and had a nice 45 min treadmill run, stretched for an hour, showered and then took their shuttle to the airport with lots of time to spare. Gary.

Email me your ideas to survive the winter blahs barrie@personalbest.ca

MARCH BREAK WITH BARRIE

Looking for a place for your kids during the March break. Barrie Shepley, and international athletes James Loaring (bronze medal at 2002 World Triathlon Championships) and Commonwealth Games athletes Jason Gooding will be running a full week Multi-sport camp in Bolton Ontario (March 10-14th). Your kids can stay over at our Bolton Center for the full week (meals included) or just come for a day (lunch included). Activities include swim-bike-run, weights, seminars and much more. For more information check out the camp website at www.c3online.ca March Break camp, email Jason@c3online.ca or call 905-951-3725.

CANADIAN DIANE CUMMINS RACES TO A NATIONAL RECORD

When I lived in Victoria in 1998/99 getting our national team ready for the Sydney Olympics I had a chance to meet an extraordinary receptionist named Diane Cummins. Diane and her family had moved to Canada from South Africa and the talented young runner dreamed of one day being one of the best in the world. Each day as I would stop into visit our team physiotherapist, the same beautiful positive smile would greet me. Diane brought the same positive attitude to her job as a receptionist that she did to the track each evening. In the four years since I first met Diane, she has raced at the World Track Championships in Edmonton, won a medal for Canada at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games and this past weekend in Germany set a new Canadian woman's 800m indoor record of 2 minutes .66 seconds (nearly 1 second faster then Canadian I.O.C. member Charmaine Crooks ran in 1991). I fully believe the attention to detail and professional/positive attitude that Diane showed in her job as a receptionist rolled over into her track life where she is headed towards a date with destiny at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ONE OTHER PERSON'S LIFE! Barrie Shepley