Dear PB Readers,

My daily mantra is "You get more of what you think about". If you see a problem as an opportunity, you will likely find a positive way to alter your outcome. If you see a problem as a road block - chances are - you will be stopped in your tracks. My wife and I rented out an apartment to two younger women. Personality challenges between the two young roommates saw one of the pair move out leaving the remaining roommate to struggle with the cost of carrying the entire apartment on her own. While my wife and I had the legal right to enforce the remaining six months on the lease we decided to turn a set-back into an opportunity. My wife and I sat down and created an exit strategy for our young tenant and she, in return, ensured the apartment would be spotless when new tenants came to view the apartment. Ten days after we advertised the apartment a fantastic young couple fell in love with our property and agreed to a year contract and PAY A PREMIUM for the great location. By considering the challenge as an opportunity we ended up with better tenants (time will tell anyway) and a monthly premium (instead of legal action and weeks of hassles). Our old tenant knows we care about her and is now in a living environment that is more appropriate for her budget. Remember you get more of what you think about. Caron and I choose to see this challenge as an opportunity. Ask yourself how often you immediately see a challenge as a problem rather then an opportunity?

While each issue of our PB newsletter is a pleasure to edit, I particularly enjoyed this week's issue and my exclusive interview with Athens Olympic Gold Medal kayaker Adam van Koeverden. Welcome to our many readers of our 228th consecutive PB update. Please continue making your contributions as well as sign up your family - friends and co-workers at barrie@personalbest.ca. Keep checking out our website at www.personalbest.ca. Have a great week.

FEB 21st PB HIGHLIGHTS

* ALBERT EINSTEIN QUOTE ON IMAGINATION
* EXCLUSIVE PB INTERVIEW WITH CANADA'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN
* P.B. EMAIL OF THE WEEK
* DON'T MISS THIS FRIDAY'S FREE AQUAFINA SEMINAR
* STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR THIS SATURDAYS MEGA TRAINING DAY # 3
* GARRETT MAGILL A LOCAL COACH MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE
* GETTING SICK OF THE COLD? WHY NOT JOIN BARRIE IN FLORIDA

ALBERT EINSTEIN QUOTE ON IMAGINATION

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

INSIGHT INTO EXCELLENCE WITH ATHENS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN

Every Tuesday night nearly eighty athletes of all ages and abilities meet my wife and I at York University for an indoor run and core strength class. While Adam and his Olympic paddling team-mates are not natural runners they give 110% to each and every workout. Their efforts inspire my other athletes and the energy at each workout is fantastic. Recently I sat down with the 2004 Lou Marsh Award Winner and double Athens medalist to ask him about the secrets of his success.

BARRIE: Adam, tell me about your early sporting experiences.

ADAM: I wasn't much of an athlete before I started kayaking when I was 13. I wasn't a natural or good at anything early on, except for paddling. I played soccer, softball, running and swimming. Kayaking was perfect for me, because it's an individual sport, so I could attack it at my leisure, when I was motivated and I could trace all my improvements back to my own personal hard work. While I was a pretty good racer in my first couple of seasons, I really hadn't been exposed to any highly competitive situations. I won the Ontario's for my age category the first summer, 1996, and went onto compete at the nationals in a few team events. In 1997 I went to the Canada games, I was 15, and I won 18 and under 1000m K1 at the provincial level to qualify. It was my first national race in K1, and I managed to squeak through with for a bronze. In 1999 I went to Junior Worlds and got 6th in 500, and 3rd in 1000m. I tried out for the Sydney Olympics, but Canada had only one spot, and I was third at the 2000 Olympic Trials and had to watch the games on TV.

BARRIE: Did missing the Sydney Olympics teach you anything?

ADAM: I realized what kind of commitment this sport would take if I really wanted to excel. By 2003 I had a few things figured out, and was training very hard, and it paid off with World Cup Medals, and a silver at the World Championships in the K1 1000m. My tough regimen continued over the next year, training with a lot of my international competitors in the off season and between World Cups. My coach and I went in to the Olympics with clear heads and nothing to lose. A really great attitude, and fitter than ever.

BARRIE: Talk about finally making the Olympic Team for Athens.

ADAM: The Olympics were an amazing experience, almost ten years of training culminating in one perfect race. It's really weird looking back; I can stand on the outside and look in. I wasn't an athlete when I wandered into the Canoe Club, I wasn't even ambitious, and I just wanted something to be good at. I can only describe the decision to go to the Canoe Club as "cosmic".

BARRIE: Who are your personal mentors and how have they influenced your career?

ADAM: The Canoe Club was full of mentors - people who were training towards a specific goal, and people who were simply training to be fit. I always kept my ears, eyes and mind wide open; learning as much as I could to what it takes to be a great athlete. Dean Oldershaw, Nathan Luce, Larry Cain, and my coach, Scott Oldershaw are four totally different guys, with varied opinions and personalities who really made the club an amazing place to grow up.

BARRIE: Families often play a significant role in a child's sporting life, tell me about your family.

ADAM: My mom and day were always very supportive, but they never told me to go to practice. My mom insisted that it was to be for fun, so I probably didn't tell her about how grueling the training was it was early on. My dad came to every race, and supported me in anyway I needed him. He bought me my first boat, which I still have. Both my parents stayed away from any of the politics of the sport, leaving it all up to the coaches. They cheered, but not so loud that they were offensive, and not when I was 20m ahead. They were both very respectful of me, my competition, and the coaches. I think I had enough inner fuel for the fire on my own, my parents never had to convince me to go to races or training camps, and if I felt like I was being mistreated or overlooked, they'd leave it up to me to complain on my own!

BARRIE: Adam, during the Athens you spoke passionately about the importance of going to the Olympics with a goal of winning not just getting a uniform. Do you think that made a difference in your success?

ADAM: I never said I was "going for gold", I just said I was there to try my best, and that first was an obvious goal for anyone who was there for the right reasons. I think my simple attitude, of just trying to put together my best race allowed me to be really relaxed, and focused. I don't feel like I have to be better than anyone else, and I don't think winning a race makes me better. Every time I line up I believe I can get to the finish line first.

BARRIE: What is your personal life motto?

ADAM: "If it wasn't hard, it wasn't worth it".

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK FOR THE 2ND HALF OF ADAM'S EXCLUSIVE PERSONAL BEST INTERVIEW

PB EMAIL OF THE WEEK

Barrie, thanks for another great newsletter. While I agree that attitude has a lot to do with your happiness in the job, there are other significant factors as well. Your personality type can influence your happiness (and possible resulting stress). Perhaps your writer should suggest to his brother-in-law that he see a career counselor to determine if his career choice matches his personality type. You should approach your career like you do your training. Always be open to coaching, your physical and mental health etc. and be prepared to change your strategies based on what you learn. Changing your attitude is one factor but you should use all the tools at your disposal to determine how you can move forward in a positive direction. Regards. K.F.

DON'T MISS THIS FRIDAY EVENING'S FREE AQUAFINA TALK

Creating Confidence to Perform Your Best: Jerry Enns is a high performance Hypnotherapist who helps each participant in the audience fully understand how to use hypnosis and NLP to minimize their inhibitions and fears and maximize their athletic potential. Jerry will take the audience through practical strategies they can start to use immediately after his talk. The talk is 7pm Friday Feb 25th. See the C3 website for directions www.c3online.ca

MEGA DAY # 3

Looking for a good day of aerobic abuse? Join C3 master coaches for a half or full day of fun and fatigue in Bolton.

• 9-12 - Three hours of high energy indoor biking.
• 1:30-2:45pm Caron Shepley's Power Yoga for Endurance Athletes.
• Then option of 4-5:30pm for a coached swim. Limited bikes and wind trainers are available.

More details at www.c3online.ca

A LOCAL COACH MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Garrett Magill is a coach that goes beyond the call of duty. Not only does the 25 year old do a fantastic job of coaching young teenagers in the GTA, he has personally helped finance a supper and fun Casino Night to fundraise for these great young kids. If you are interested in a fun night with a great cause, Garrett is running a supper/social Sat Feb 26th in Brampton. 100% of the proceeds are going to young Canadian teenaged athletes who are lucky to have a coach as caring as 25 year old Garrett Magill. Tickets are $45.00 pp and includes a great supper, dance, and casino. If you are interested in a fun night and an important cause contact Garrett directly for tickets at triathlete_gmagill@hotmail.com

STILL TIME FOR BARRIE'S WARM WEATHER TRAINING CAMPS IN FLORIDA

Come in one of our vans or fly to Orlando to meet us for a one week training camp.
• March 12-19th
• April 16-23rd and April 23rd-30th

More details at www.personalbest.ca

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