Home
>
Success
>
Belief Helps You Succeed But Can It Win A Boat Race?

Belief Helps You Succeed But Can It Win A Boat Race?

On March 27th 2005, Oxford won the annual boat race against their rivals, Cambridge.

A commentator remarked that both teams believed 100% at the start that they would win. Cambridge were described as the beauty because their technique was so good. Oxford were described as the beast because they were heavier and more powerful.

However, as the race started, one of the Cambridge crew did not dip his oar deep enough into the water and it skimmed the surface. As a result, the Cambridge boat got off to a bad start.

Immediately the confidence and belief in the Oxford boat went up a few notches as they soared ahead and the belief in the Cambridge boat went down a few notches.

The reality is that belief does not exist on its own. It feeds on the actions that we take. Belief can recover from mistakes but in the heat of a competition there is not always time to recover enough to win. Fortunately in ordinary life there is more time. You can make hundreds of mistakes and still succeed.

Other factors influence belief like the past history of a competition. These factors are not always decisive but they can be powerful. 63% of the Oxford v Cambridge races have been won by the heavier crew. The Cambridge crew drank lots of water at the start but that could not make up for the weight and power of muscle! They should have picked bigger and stronger men.

In the end and at the beginning, the technique of the Oxford boat was better. It was the newspapers who had fed the lie that the Cambridge technique was superior in order to make their stories more interesting and to create the imagery of the beauty v the beast.

Belief probably did win the race for Oxford but it was a belief that grew as they began to move ahead and realize that they could win and it was a belief that was accompanied by six months of hard training which built power and technique.

In January 2005, Steve McLaren, manager of Middlesborough, was facing Manchester United in one of the biggest domestic English football competitions.

Manchester United is one of the top soccer clubs in the world today but Steve's team have beaten Manchester United in the past and he took the view that this past success might give them the belief they need to win:

"Belief comes from past performance. We know what it takes to win at Old Trafford (the Manchester home ground) against Manchester United".

Steve believed that his team needed both belief and a bit of luck. In the end his team lost 3 nil. What went wrong? Maybe the belief was just a vague hope. To be effective belief needs to be expectation.

Horatio Nelson understood this at the battle of Trafalgar. His famous signal to the British fleet was:" England expects every man to do his duty."

By expecting the best from his sailors, he brought the best out of them. It is interesting that he did not say: "England expects victory."

No one can decide in advance who wins in any competition whether it is a game or a war. Any gambler will tell you that. The other side may well have some secret weapon. However, every one can control how they perform as individuals. Everyone can do their duty.

Results in any type of competition are out of our hands. Good results will usually follow hard work but the competition might be working harder than us and they may be more talented than us. All we can do is work our own socks off.

Maybe Steve McLaren should have told his team that he expected them not to rely on luck or past performance but to work as hard as they possibly could. Sheer effort is an element that can make beliefs come true even against heavy odds. Certainly luck is important but we all know the famous saying: "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

Belief is not overrated but it must be strong enough to create some great expectations and must be accompanied by hard work and skill.

It also helps if the other team have a bad day and get off to a poor start.

About the author

John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams.

They can both be found on his website: http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.

The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now! - Acronyms, Stories, And Pictures?Easy To Remember And Use Everyday To Grab Your Life And Soar With The Eagles"

The book can be found at this URL: http://www.motivationtoday.com

The book uses acronyms, stories and pictures to help readers remember 36 laws that can gradually transform your life if you apply them.

You are welcome to publish the article above in your ezine or on your website so long as you do not alter it and keep in the words about the author and the 36 Laws.

no-contract cleaning service Des Plaines ..

In The News:

A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.

Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Belief Helps You Succeed But Can It Win A Boat Race?

Success