Dear PB Readers,

Have you ever been around a person or group whose energy just brings you down? They start off every conversation complaining about how the world is so unfair, and how they have been ripped off or are the target of bad luck. They live a self-fulfilling prophecy and ultimately the bad luck and unfairness they fear often seem to occur and negatively impact their lives. The "glass is already half-empty" people never look for the opportunities in life because they are always focusing on what they don't have.

This past weekend I was in Kelowna British Columbia for the Canadian National Triathlon Championships. The local organizers asked me to run their media press conference. While the media initially had come to see Olympic Champion Simon Whitfield and Athens Olympic Star Samantha McGlone, what most impressed them were the three "no-name" athletes who were asked to join the head table.

Darryl Stern was a forty-year old man whose weight was over 400 pounds several years ago. Inspired by those in Kelowna who had chosen a healthy lifestyle, Daryl started the race this weekend nearly 170 pounds lighter. "My goal is to inspire at least one other person who is watching on the side-lines" said Darryl. Sitting next to Darryl was sixty-five year old Keith Weswood who is currently going through chemo-therapy. Keith is convinced that the reason he is able to get through his cancer treatments so well is his superior fitness and his positive attitude. While Keith had started the year out intent on doing the entire Big Apple Kelowna Triathlon, instead of complaining about his cancer, he decided to refocus his goals and do the triathlon as a part of family relay team. Our last inspiration at the head table was Yves Thauvette a twenty-year old wheel chair athlete. Yves' childhood disease has continued to progress and now the Cornwall Ontario native finds himself confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. Instead of being angry at the world, Yves has taken up the sport of triathlon and showed up in Kelowna to race at his first Canadian National Championship. I sat listening to a handful of the healthy able-bodied athletes complaining about their race results over the weekend: equipment that hadn't functioned properly, officials who sent them in the wrong direction, or simply bad luck that had found them on the day. While Simon Whitfield and Samantha McGlone won their national titles on Sunday, for me the weekend's super-stars were a man who had lost 170 pounds, another who is in a battle with cancer and a third who wheeled himself to a national physically disabled title. Next time you are faced with a setback, monitor your vocabulary and thoughts. Consider set-backs as an opportunity and ensure your vocabulary reflects that.

Before the triathlon began I spoke to 17 year old Kirsten Sweetland from Victoria B.C. Kirsten had eaten some bad fish the night before the race and had been bed-ridden the entire day before the race. The normally spunky teenager didn't seem herself before the race. I spoke to her coach and he quietly informed me of her gastrointestinal problems over the previous day. While most teenagers would have made excuses and not even started the race, Kirsten impressed me more with her attitude then her amazing athletic ability. In spite of her weakened state, I wasn't surprised that the current National Junior Champion used her "my glass is at least half-filled" attitude to win the junior title this past weekend.

Welcome to our 254th consecutive weekly newsletter. Our goal each week is to provide a medium to make you think, and to help you see why some ordinary people are able to do extraordinary things. Whether you are a wheel chair bound person, or a teenager with food-poisoning, a positive attitude can make all the difference in the world. I believe you get more of what you think about, and my goal each week is to be a positive contribution to your thinking. Please keep signing up your friends and family to our newsletter and providing us with your new contributions, stories and ideas. Send all contributions to barrie@personalbest.ca. and check our website at www.personalbest.ca Have a great week!

AUG 22nd PB HIGHLIGHTS

* GHANDI'S QUOTE ON LOOKING AT THE WORLD
* STEVE GOODIER'S CONSPIRACY OF KINDNESS
* PB ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR WORLDS
* THE WORLD SHRINKS OR EXPANDS IN PROPORTION TO ONE'S COURAGE
* PB READERS MAKE GENEROUS DONATIONS TO HELP CANADIAN ATHLETES
* STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR BARRIE'S 2006 IRONMAN PROJECTS

GHANDI SAYS

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

A CONSPIRACY OF KINDNESS BY: STEVE GOODIER

Here's a true story of love and kindness. If you had to choose one word to describe Kevin, it might be "slow." Kevin didn't learn his ABCs as fast as other kids. He never came in first in the schoolyard races. However, Kevin had a special rapport with people. His bright smile and big heart won him plenty of friends.

When Kevin discovered that the pastor at his church, Randy Jessen, was putting together a boy's basketball team, his mother let him participate. And soon, basketball became the center of Kevin's life. He worked hard at practice. While the other boys practiced dribbling and lay-ups, Kevin shot baskets. He had a special spot near the free throw line. He threw and threw the ball, and it occasionally went in! When that happened, Kevin raised his arms and shouted, "Look at me, Coach!" The day before their first game, Coach Randy gave each player a bright red jersey. Kevin was number 12. He scrambled himself into the sleeves and wore that jersey almost every day. One Sunday morning, the church service was interrupted by Kevin's excited voice. "Look, Coach!" He lifted his gray wool sweater to reveal the red jersey underneath with number 12 on the front. Nobody minded the interruption; the church knew Kevin and loved him.

I'd like to be able to tell you that the team did well. Actually, they never won a game that season -- except for the night it snowed and the other team never showed up. At the end of the season, the boys played in the church league's tournament. As the last-place team, they drew the unfortunate spot of playing against the first-place team -- boys who had never lost a game all year. The game went as expected, and near the end of the fourth quarter Kevin's team stood nearly 30 points behind. It was then that one of the boys called timeout. "Coach," he said, "this is our last game and Kevin's never made a basket. I think we should let him make a basket." The team agreed. Kevin was instructed to stand at his special place near the free throw line and wait. He was told that when he was given the ball, he should shoot. Kevin was ecstatic. He ran to the floor and waited. When the ball was passed to him he shot -- and missed. Number 17 from the other team snatched the rebound, dribbled down the court for an easy lay-up. But a moment later Kevin got the ball again. He shot -- and missed. Number 17 repeated his performance for another two points. Kevin shot a third and fourth time with the same result.

But then the other team seemed to figure out what was going on and the next time they snatched the rebound, they threw it to Kevin! Kevin shot...and missed. But now every rebound came to him and he threw and threw toward the basket. BOTH teams had circled Kevin by this time and all of the boys were shouting, "Kevin! Kevin!" The crowd took up the chant. Soon everyone in the gym was shouting for Kevin! Coach Randy was sure the game should have been over by this time and he glanced at the clock. It was stopped at 4.3 seconds! The timekeepers were standing by their table shouting with the crowd, "Kevin! Kevin!" The world had stopped for Kevin. He shot and shot and finally one of his shots took a crazy bounce on the rim and...went in! Chaos reigned! Everyone stood and cheered as if one boy had single-handedly won a world championship. Kevin's arms sprang up in the air and he shouted, "I won! I won!" His team escorted him off the court, the clock ticked down and the game was over. That day an undefeated team retained their perfect record. But everybody won. Everybody! Because everybody had participated in a crazy conspiracy of kindness, a simple act of mercy, that was so compelling, so powerful, that I'm sure all of heaven rejoiced!

C3 ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR WORLD CHAMPS

There were too many great performances this past weekend to name them all. Selfishly, I was proud to see many of my club members (C3 Canadian Cross Training Club) qualify for the Japan and Hawaii World Champs. Andrew Woegerer was selected for the junior team, while Jenn Coombs and Sean Bechtel were selected for the 23-and-under team. Add Gary Hutchinson with a national age group medal and the C3 team was well represented. At time of writing there were other C3 team members waiting to hear about their World Championship team selection.

ANAIS NIN SAYS

The world shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage:

First you crawled, then you learned to walk, and the world grew a little bigger. You learned to ride a bike, and it grew even more. Then you learned to drive a car and bought a plane ticket. Suddenly, the horizons were limitless. But then, those doubts crept in. I can't go to Los Angeles. I'll never find my way around. And the world shrinks a little bit. I shouldn't take that trip this year; I've got too many responsibilities. And it shrinks a little more. Enough excuses and rationalizations and you're left sitting in a little box with the lid tightly affixed. No experiences, no lessons, no life.

Boxes can be comfortable. But no matter how cozy you make it, a box is still a box. They come in all sizes and shapes. But whenever we start letting unrealistic fears hold us back and down, we can be fairly certain we're climbing inside another box, again. It may take a while, but sooner or later we'll run into the walls. Find one small "I can't" in your life and take the lid off of the box. Look around. It's a big world out there. If it looks small, it's because you've made it that way. Try for a minor impossibility. Go apply for that dream job. The worst that will happen is that you'll learn something new about yourself. If you don't actually get the job, you may find out what it will take to get it, and then the world will grow when you stop wishing for a miracle and begin pursuing your dreams yourself. Pick up some brochures for that photo safari you've always wanted to take. Learn how to speak a foreign language. One woman I know had claustrophobia. For her birthday this year, she rode in an elevator for the first time. Then she went back and did it again. Go ahead. Poke the top off from your box. Stick your head out. Look around. See! The world is a marvelous, amazing place.

This weekend I saw a man who lost 170 pounds, a man who was battling cancer and a man in a wheel chair who all chose to "get out of their boxes" and live life to the fullest. What box do you need to get out of?

THANKS TO PB READERS

I can't say enough kind words of thanks to the PB readers who made donations last week to my next-generation young athletes who are in need of financial help. Your kindness and generosity is fantastic and greatly appreciated.

MY APOLOGIES TO THOSE I HAVE BEEN NEGLIENT IN EMAILING OR CALLING BACK

The last eight weeks have been the busiest 2 months of my life. Trips to Madrid, London, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Hungary, Newfoundland, Edmonton, Kelowna and co-hosting an international triathlon have left me limited on time. My promise in the next 2 weeks is to follow-up on the emails, calls and letters that I have been negligent in returning. Please accept my apologies and know that I am keen to communicate with you directly.

IRONMAN 2006: If you have sent an email in the last six weeks I will be emailing you this week. If you haven't heard from me by Friday August 26th, please email me again as I might have lost your direct email. More information on Ironman 2006 projects will be sent to those who have indicated that they are interested by the 26th. Best of luck to our 1900 friends who will be diving into the lake on Sunday, August 28th at Ironman Canada in Penticton, BC.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON.