'You Can Win at Life' by Steve Redgrave
This month’s book was written by a five-times Olympic gold medal winner so it would be unwise to offer any unconsidered criticism. There are one or two places in the book where Steve Redgrave uses expressions with which we in Mancroft would not feel entirely comfortable; for instance, one sub-heading says: ‘don’t settle for anything less than you’re worth’; over time, you can’t do that anyway. There are also occasions when his use of language is not necessarily congruent with the Winning Edge way of expressing things but that is probably being very picky.
When describing how to visualise success, Redgrave does not give enough detail on how to do this, for instance he does not mention using all five senses, using positive emotion or the difference between process and outcome visualisation. Having said that, this book is a very easy read – and that is a compliment – and is a very good reminder of the basics of self-development.
It is not just about the world of rowing. The author makes many references to the world of business as well as life generally and the concepts and ideas about which he writes will apply to anyone reading the book. I found it a good reminder of some of the things that are so easy to forget when you’re busy; the importance of a better life/work balance, the need for flexibility and adaptability in relationships and some of the traits and characteristics of being an inspirational leader.
As you know, if you have attended a Winning Edge course, it was based on research into why some people succeed at a higher level than others and in any chosen field; Steve Redgrave has achieved at a higher level than anyone else, so recommending this book is a no-brainer - as they say!
Richard Jackson