Monty's Wire

What is preventing us from being more physically active? The findings:

Before we get started, I wanted to acknowledge that it was the first time I’d put a question out there for feedback and was overwhelmed with the positive responses. So I wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who shared their valuable thoughts and insights on this topic. Below is a compilation of the key themes that were shared in order to capture the insights in order for us to some way get closer to understanding the opportunity.

1. Trust & Safety, a belief that adult sensitivity around letting kids out of their site is only increasing as we hear more and more awful stories in the media.
2. Importance of pro-active parents. Kids model what they see from such an early age, so if the parents are not providing an active environment or backdrop, then children are less likely to adopt this in to their life. Many parents go to the gym during lunch break at work, of course children don’t have visibility to this.
3. Having a motivator. We all see empty courts and playgrounds all around us. Facilities are there, but where is the external or internal motivation to get out and use these spaces?
4. Structure and quality around children’s sport doesn’t exist for everyone, and low pay for coaches at this level is a reality. In turn, this doesn’t attract the best coaches or mentors and therefore create the best positive experience of sport and physical activity at a young age.
5. Putting people in groups early in their life. You’re either sporty or not. This is a huge mistake! It discourages such a large group of people from feeling confident or feeling like they ever could be good at a sport.
6. Huge opportunity to nurture and reward the action of getting active. This seems to happen within formal sports clubs, but not broadly.
7. Trend towards ‘convenient’ fitness. 5 a side, or quick fix workouts. Don’t get me wrong, in this instance it is great that people are moving at all, but I’m wondering if it is like putting a plaster on a cut rather than going to the issue.
8. People’s consumption of sport is happening through watching on TV more and more as opposed to participating themselves. The role of sport in their lives is essentially through sitting and watching versus participation.

One interesting analogy to think about to try and make sense of this, is that idea of when you learn to drive a car for the first time. It feels uncomfortable; you need someone (the driving instructor) there to help give you the confidence to get started and coach you through those first steps. You’re not even sure where the key goes and you start to worry about what comes next. Eventually, through some coaching, you get the car up and running and you sit in neutral for a minute to calm the nerves. Then you go. Once you’re up and running you’re confidence builds, and despite some speed bumps and emergency stops on the way you’re all but good. Once you pass the test, you get a pat on the back and give everyone a high five. Your reward is freedom and independence in the world!

Based on what I’ve learned so far, it seems to me that you can draw many comparisons between learning to drive and with the barriers to sport and being physically active. Having someone there modeling, coaching you from the start is key. Giving you that confidence to start something new. Getting started is the toughest part, but you need someone there to keep you going, helping and guiding you through new challenges. At the end of countless tough sessions, but numerous obstacles, having a reward, someone to tell you well done, that the effort was worth it is a huge motivator for us all. Without internal or external reinforcement or positive feedback after we succeed, I think it is tough for most people to justify the struggle.

Please share your thoughts on this, we can all make positive change and can impact the world we live from tomorrow!

#movenow

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Brand 'Athlete'

Since the day of Nike’s first Sports Marketing deal with Michael Jordan, the world of Sport has grown to become a sophisticated & hugely influential industry within popular culture. It is an industry involving money, power, influence and more money. Made up of League’s, Franchises, Agents, Sports Brands, Car Brands, Music, Fashion, the list goes on. Combined, these create a complex swirl of interest & excitement for the Athlete’s who were lucky enough to make it.

On a basic level, children & adults alike have always been inspired by the fairytale stories of professional athletes. The Athlete who was born in to a tough environment, worked hard their whole life, fought against all odds, went to College & made it to the big League. What’s interesting though, is what happens when they do make it, today in 2016…

Surrounded by everyone who wants a cut, The Athlete is required not only to perform in their Sport, but to quickly adjust and become astute & ruthless businessmen and women.   Their business is their image, their connections inside & outside of Sport & ultimately their influence in the world. They operate like Marketing Directors, like CEO’s in some cases, their focus is no longer just what happens in the gym, on the court, on the field, but everything that goes around it. Why, because they don’t want to just be the best, they want to be the biggest, the richest, and the most influential.

Recently, many of these modern day Superstars have been criticized for their motive & dedication to their sport. Good or bad, the landscape has changed & will continue to change. I don’t believe for a second that in most cases ‘The Athlete’ has forgotten where they came from or what it took to get there. What I do know though is that in this industry it has become far more complex & there are more distractions than ever before. The Athletes who will win in the long run are the ones who stay true to these values & surround themselves with positive, selfless & good people who have The Athlete’s interests at heart as well as their own.

The Trump Effect!

 

This is not a political blog - simply commenting on interesting things happening out there in the big wide world..

As a Brit living in the US, following this US Election has been absolutely fascinating to observe.  The old fashioned posturing & the cliche's from these supposed potential 'Leader of the Free World' candidates is almost farcical.  It has felt at times like a select club of incredibly boring politicians re-hash thousands of old speeches & party policies & re-package them for 2016.  No originality, little flair, based on sound bites & little fact.  Clinton, Sanders, Cruzzz...zzzzzzz.  Sorry, back to it. :)

Despite his continuously abhorrent statements, Trump is representative of a new genre of candidate at the table of this 'daily entertainment show' and is providing a fresh perspective, which is what a lot of American's are clearly looking for.  Some key observations from Trump's rally so far..

1)  Phase 1, Trump began his campaign as a complete no hoper, a joke.   He was controversial at every turn, he was racist, sexist, you name it, but he said a lot of things a certain demographic in the US are thinking & his comments unfortunately gave him a seat at the table.

2)  Phase 2, Trump is established and his rhetoric & tine is changing.  He is sounding more humble, more Statesman like and his business experience is helping him thrive in every public appearance.

3)  'WIN WIN WIN'.  Listen to any of Trump's speeches & count how many times he say's win.  He win's in business, he thinks he win's in life.  It's an old trick but if you believe it enough, you say it enough, other people will start believing it too.

This won't be my last post on this crazy topic, but pay attention to how the tone shifts with the key candidates in the coming months.  I can of course in no way begin to show any fraction of a level of support for Mr.T, BUT, you can't deny how he has shaken up the US 2016 election in a way most people did not see coming.